Ocean City Masonic Lodge to host fundraiser
Views from the Shore
By Brian Cahill
The Ocean City Masons have been supporting people and organizations in the community since the chapter was established in 1897. Personally, my first interactions with the Masons happened in 2017, when the Ocean City Masonic Lodge No. 171 donated $500,000 to Shore Medical Center to help those living with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. This donation was made possible thanks to a generous gift from Flora Baker to the Ocean City Masonic group in honor of her husband Benjamin, who was a member of the Ocean City Masons.
At the press conference to announce the gift, I had an opportunity to meet some of the Ocean City Masons and thank them for supporting Shore Medical Center and many other causes. In addition to the aforementioned gift, the Masons continue to help fund patient care initiatives at Shore every year.
A few weeks ago I met with one of the Masons, Worshipful Master John Davis, who explained what he loves about being a member of the Masons. “Being part of the Masons has allowed me the chance to connect with other men to really impact people’s lives and make a difference. Recently, we have helped those as far away as Hawaii to those close to home with the Branches women’s shelter and CASA.”
He explained, “There is also a tremendous social aspect to being a Mason. The Masons have given me a chance to interact and befriend other people that I would not normally have had the chance to meet. Some Masons are salespeople, some are doctors, and others are trades workers, lawyers, and even ministers. Regardless of a job title or personal finances, we all interact on the same plane. In the lodge, we are all brothers.”
The Masons have helped so many others, but now they need our community’s support to help with repairs to their building, which was constructed in 1956. They are hosting a fundraiser called “A Wing Thing” on Sunday, Feb. 25 from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the American Legion Post, located at 4563 West Avenue in Ocean City. Participants will enjoy assorted salads, chicken wings, as well as raffle chances and silent auction items from local restaurants and merchants. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling John Davis at 609.827.0779 or you may purchase them at the door. If you are unable to attend the event, but would like to support the OC Masons, you can send a check made payable to the Ocean City Masonic Lodge, include Restoration Fund on the memo line, to the Ocean City Masonic Lodge, PO Box 268, Ocean City, NJ 08226-0268.
The Masons are always willing to welcome new members who are interested in personal growth and making the world a better place. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/OCNJMasons
Brian Cahill is the Director of Marketing for Shore Medical Center and Shore Physicians Group. He is also on the Board of the Somers Point Business Association and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Stockton University.
