Masons help brighten children’s holiday
For 50 Calhoun County kids, Twin Lakes Lodge No. 478 plays SantaBy EMILIE NELSON, Messenger staff writer
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ROCKWELL CITY - The holidays will be a little brighter this year for 50 children in Calhoun County because of the generosity of the Twin Lakes Masonic Lodge No. 478 and the Grand Lodge of Iowa A.F. and A.M.
The gift-buying program began in 2006 with just $500 for the lodge members to work with. In 2007, they received matching funds from the Grand Lodge of Iowa, which were also matched again this year. Prior to buying gifts, the organization presented two $250 scholarships to local high school graduates.
"We decided to try something different with that money," Twin Lakes Lodge member Harold Barkley said. "This program reaches out to a lot more kids."
In years past, members of the lodge would take names of less fortunate children throughout the county off of the "Angel Tree," at the local Duckwall's Variety Store. Since the closure of the store, the Masons have worked with the Calhoun County Outreach Center to get names and wish lists from area children.
Each of the 10 members who shopped were given $100 to spend for five children. They purchased and wrapped the gifts with the help of their wives and store associates. The gifts will be taken to the Outreach Center by inmates of the North Central Correctional Facility.
"It's always a nice thing," Barkley said. "We're making Christmas better for a lot of local children."
Contact Emilie Nelson at 573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net
