Corner Stone Lodge, with the help of Brother Rick Olfene’s fundraising and The Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation’s Matching Grant Program, proudly supports the Westbrook High School Football Boosters with a $2,000 donation presented by WB Mike Chambers and RW Jonathan Rosen.
Here at the Valley of Portland, we enjoy the comradery of brotherhood while maintaining a deep devotion to our core Scottish Rite values. One of the most important is Service to Humanity. We uphold this value by seeking—each day of the year—to enhance our local Maine communities by teaching and emulating the principles of Brotherly Love, Tolerance, Charity, and Truth.
To powerfully and effectively “walk this talk,” we proudly partner with the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation.
Members of Triangle Lodge #1 giving bikes at the Portland Public Library. From left to right: Marlon Welch, Chris Camire, Misha Pride, Michael Chambers, Jody Hersey, Frank Klingensmith, Justin Wesley, Carlo DiCelico, and Wayne Leonard.
Uplifting Mainers and Maine Communities
With its high-impact focus on assisting local individuals, families, and communities in need, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation performs the life-changing work of building strong, inclusive communities that enrich the lives of all Maine residents.
What impact has this had so far? Just this past year, the Foundation issued 390 grants in partnership with the Lodges, which provided more than $750,000 to local community nonprofits, towns, and organizations across the state. In so doing, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation continued to be a powerful force for good in efforts such as supporting suicide prevention, improving literacy in children and adults, reducing food insecurity, and reducing violence.
Initiatives that Transform Lives
In partnership with the Valley of Portland and 176 other Masonic Lodges across Maine, the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation engaged in a wide number of local community-empowering initiatives. Among the life-enhancing programs supported are:
- The Bikes for Books Program … which encourages young students to read and receive a chance to win a bicycle. Thanks to this Masonic program, librarians, school teachers, and administrators across Maine have seen a dramatic, positive impact on youngsters’ reading habits;
- Nonprofit Maine Healthcare Organizations … including NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), which provides suicide prevention training in Maine communities, along with the sponsorship of Bike MS®: Great Maine Getaway, which raised more than $400,000 for MS research in 2021;
- Unified Champion Clubs … a multi-year partnership with the Alfond Youth & Community Center and Special Olympics Maine. These clubs foster a community of inclusion through sports competition;
- Maine Boys to Men … multi-year grants helping to further the organization’s training capabilities to reach communities across Maine, including work with the Wabanaki People.
Bob Jewett and Shaun West present a check to the South Portland H.S. Football Boosters.
For more information about the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation, visit their website or email Susan Scacchi, Executive Director.
