Masonic Miltary Fund Supports National Guard and Reserve Families

NEW MASONIC MILITARY FUND SUPPORTS MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD & RESERVE FAMILIES

by William H. Moore, M.A.

In June of 2007, three Freemasons from Central Mass developed an additional Masonic Military Support Fund with two different missions. This is the first Masonic Military Support Fund for Freemasons that assists all military families and children back home and participates in welcoming home the troops from theatre of operations. Through these efforts we hope to use the platform to encourage our hero’s to inquire on Freemasonry @ AskaFreemason.org

Deployment affects everyone not just the service member, but the spouse and children as well. The Masonic Military Support Fund seeks your help to develop a statewide network of Masons to volunteer in order to respond to acute and chronic problems that arise through deployment of National Guard and Reserve soldiers.

The Grand Master endorses the efforts of this group and has given permission to solicit donations from Masons and Lodges. The fraternity may not solicit funds from the general public.

The aim of the MMSF is to say “Thank You” to the families of mobilized military who may live outside the support radius of a military base or post, by assisting in the support they lack. Unit-based support systems vary widely in the quality of support provided to an individual family, and all are prohibited by regulation from actively soliciting support. In addition, they are not organized to provide multi-service support within their region, or to support their own member families living in outlying areas.

MMSF will assist Military Family Support Centers with an expanded network of support services, and link them to individual Masons who are best equipped to respond effectively in emergency aid for family members of deployed service personnel.
Did You Know?

1. Citizen-servicemen/women are older and more likely to be married with children than their active duty peers.
2. Once activated, a citizen-serviceman/woman can serve for up to 24 months and is subjected to recall after a year or possibly less.
3. Family income declines for the average citizen-soldier called to active duty. For families with children this reduction is made worse as childcare costs increase. The net result of this financial pressure is emotional stress on the military family.
4. Daily household tasks and home/auto repairs are either left undone or are redistributed to other, generally less capable, family members or friends
5. Remaining spouses – both men and women – become sole providers for children.
6. Many family members feel isolated as they try to cope with their situation alone. Even those with an existing family or church support network may feel personally isolated as they realize others can’t relate to the unique emotions they feel

Service members who risk life and limb on a daily basis should not be asked to sacrifice their families too. You can support the troops in a concrete way by donating your time, your talents and your gifts.

Donation Request
Your monetary “Thank You” to MMSF and to the families of our mobilized military for their sacrifice is very much appreciated. Your gift will be combined with those of other Masons to provide a safety net of support. Donations give real meaning to the words “We Support Our Troops” as these troops are able to worry less about the Home Front and focus more on their mission. Your generosity and support can make a huge difference by providing a Masonic communication lifeline between the family members, and by reducing the stress for both military members and the family. Please consider their sacrifices as you consider your donation. Make checks payable to the Masonic Military Support Fund.

Send to:
Masonic Military Support Fund
PO Box 491
Leicester MA 01524-1316
Thank you for your support of the MASONIC MILITARY SUPPORT FUND.

• http://webpages.charter.net/bmoore01/index.htm
• http://masonicmilitarysupportfund.blogspot.com
• http://www.joelhproutylodge.org/

It’s the Soldier, not the reporter
who has given us the freedom of the press.
It’s the Soldier, not the poet,
who has given us the freedom of speech.

It’s the Soldier, not the politicians
that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

It’s the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath
the flag, and whose coffin is drape by the flag.