"A TIME TO EMBRACE"

In supporting the Minnesota Masonic Homes we have chosen projects that we hope will enhance the lives of the residents of both the North Ridge and Bloomington campuses. OES projects and volunteer service have played a daily role in our mission of caring for seniors.

For the Bloomington Campus, our project is to provide new furniture for the Town Square Game Room. Construction on the Bloomington campus in 1993 included the addition of Twon Square -- The Downtown of Our Town.  Each day Town Square accommodates and entertains residents, guests, customers, business people and neighbors from the community.  It is a showpiece that amazes first-time visitors and makes residents proud that their Home is so unique.  Since the day it opened in 1993 the Game Room in Town Square has lived up to its name as the place for fun and games including bridge, cribbage and 500.  Each evening residents and their families gather in the Game Room for the TV game of all games -- "Wheel of Fortune."  In addition, the Game Room is used weekly for Bible Study and monthly for the Masonic Dan Patch Lodge Club meetings.  We estimate the cost of the items listed below at $5,000.

It's time for a make-over!  For the past 18 years the Game Room furniture has served us well.  Today, safety, comfort and appearance all need attention:

• The existing chairs with wheels need to be replaced with firm-based chairs that will "be there" when a resident needs to sit.  (Eight chairs are needed)
• Current tables need to be replaced with tables that better accommodate wheelchair heights.  (Two tables are needed)
• A corner-shaped bookcase would nicely display the many games available and would compliment the existing attractive corner-shaped TV cabinet.  This would eliminate cluttered storage and make items easily accessible to residents.  (One bookcase is needed)
• All furniture should be easy to clean/maintain and meet safety standards.

Our North Ridge Campus project is to raise money toward the purchase of electric blanket warmers.  There is nothing more soothing and comforting than a warm blanket when you are ill, have had surgery, are afraid or feeling along,  Sometimes, you are just cold!  North Ridge Masonic Home tried this out a few years ago and found it so successful and helpful with their treatment of the patients and residents, they would like to be able to provide more.  Each blanket warmer holds around 6-8 medical blankets and keeps them at a constant 160 degrees indefinitely, always ready for use.  The cost for each warmer is $330.00

"A TIME TO LEARN"

Many of our members, their families and friends have benefited from our scholarships, and we will continue to support these programs. ESTARL is our religious scholarship program and the M. Josephine Rusham Scholarship is a program for graduating High School Seniors,  We hope that each Chapter will support both of these fine scholarships with a fund raising event or collection.