Youth Activities Month
The Grand Master has designated April 2008 as Youth Activities Month. In support of this endeavor, The Youth Committee is asking for support from the Lodges of Maine by focusing on fund raising to help a youth group or program in their community.
The following ideas are but a few tried and proven success stories by Lodges around the State.
A. Specific fund raising Activities:
| Public Suppers | Bottle Drives | Bake Sales |
| Bike Rodeo | Silent Auctions | Membership appeals |
| Chicken B-B-Q |
B. Recipients of past youth fund activities:
| DeMolay and Rainbow projects | ||
| Project Graduation | Angel Fund | Girl Scouts |
| Boy Scouts | Cub Scouts | After school programs |
| Scholarships | Odyssey of the Mind | Youth Athletic Programs |
| Coats for Kids | Children's Christmas Parties | |
| Athletic field maintenance | Youth church mission group sponsorship | |
There are several benefits associates with supporting the youth of our communities. A partnership with a non-Masonic group is a very effective way to allow the community to view first hand what Masons do. We have documented instances of fathers joining the Fraternity because a Lodge supported the fund raising effort to help their youth. A partnership in a fundraising effort generally results in a greater monetary benefit than a donation and allows the individuals working on the fund raising effort to feel a sense of accomplishment. If you have a DeMolay Chapter or Rainbow Assembly in your area, why not ask them for assistance in your project?
We ask that a special emphasis be placed on Project Graduation in our schools.
In an effort to spur interest and participation, The Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation will match up to $500 for each Lodge's program. This can be done by forwarding the proceeds from your fundraising efforts to the Maine Charitable Foundation. A check made out to the school would be returned to the Lodge for presentation.
If a Lodges wish to earn money for a Youth project during the month of April, they may do so by forwarding the fundraised money to the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation and a check will be returned to the Lodge, made out to the appropriate organization recipient with cash value added from the Charitable Foundation. Cash Value will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are exhausted.
Lester F. Smith
Chairman, Grand Lodge Youth Committee
Download the Brochure about the Activites Month (PDF), which includes the form to return to the Charitable Foundation.
Project Graduation
Almost every high school graduating class in Maine holds a special "Graduation Celebration" designed to provide graduating high school seniors with positive activities during the graduation session.
We may never know how many lives Project Graduation has saved during the years, but it certainly has played a positive role in preventing underage drinking and driving and other unsafe activities during the graduation season.
The Charitable Foundation of the Grand Lodge of Maine will support the fundraising efforts Lodges by providing a $500 grant to each Lodge that holds a specific fundraising activity in their community for Project Graduation.
Publicize Your Events on the Grand Lodge of Maine Web Site
The Maine Masonry Today web site is designed to publicize events and activities of Maine Masons. If your Lodge holds an event, please send the webmaster a note about the event, with pictures if possible.
Visit the web site at: http://www.mainemasonrytoday.com/online
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