STB-1994-05
DISASTER RELIEF
How it Helps
By: Richard E Fleteher, PGM VT.
Execeutive Secretary, MSA
When a natural disaster occurs, the Grand
Jurisdiction(s) affected may request the MSA
to make an appeal for assistance to all U.S.
and Canadian Lodges.
Our first disaster relief appeal was in 1923 to
help the victims of an earthquake in Japan.
Since that time more than 35 appeals have
been made (see complete list on pages 7-8) on
behalf of individual Grand Lodges.
We also funded Masonic Service Centers
from 1941-1946. These Centers were places
where servicemen and women could go and
have "a little touch of home".
From these Service Centers evolved the
Hospital Visitation Program which is still our
major charitable endeavor.
When a disaster relief appeal is made, all of
the monies received are sent, in their entirety,
to the Grand Jurisdiction involved. No portion
of donated funds is retained by the MSA for
any reason whatsoever. All costs connected
with the appeal are absorbed through our
regular operating budget. All donated funds
are given to help the recovery within the
Grand Jurisdiction for whom the appeal was
made. Also, every gift is acknowledged by
the MSA.
We thought it might be of interest to our
readers to be able to see some of the responses
we have received from within the jurisdictions that have been helped.
l989 Hurricane Hugo
The damage caused by Hurricane Hugo in
South Carolina has been reported very
extensively. However, less well known was
the damage caused in Puerto Rico. We did put
out an appeal for both Grand Lodges. A letter
from the Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico gives an
account of the damages,
"St. Croix Virgin Islands. The
whole Island was flattened by the
Hurricane. The lodge was unable to
work and dispensation was granted to
remain dark until the end of the month
of Decemher 1989. All memhers of the
lodge experienced a shortage of Food,
clean, clothing and gas. Basic services
such as water distribution, electricity
and telephone service, all were broken
down. Looting and vandalism were, in
the early days, the order of husiness.
At the present we are engaged in the
reconstruction of all the homes of the
Brethren. "
1992 Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki
An appeal was put out on behalf of the
Grand Lodges of Florida and Louisiana for
Hurricane Andrew and the Grand Lodge of
Hawaii because of Hurricane Iniki. At the
time the hurricane struck David K. Lindsey,
Jr. was the Grand Master in Hawaii and we
are quoting his words concerning the
hurricane.
"Hurricane Iniki struck the
Island of Kauai on Septemher 11,
1992. The force of 165 mile per hour
winds and the crashing surf comhined
to devastate the Island of Kauai.
Never in the recorded history of
Hawaii has a hurricane of such
violent intensity struck our lovely
Islands. Our main Island of Oahu
sustained some damage hut nothing of
the magnitude suffered hy the Island
of Kauai."
Later, after funds had been sent to Hawaii
and then in response to an appeal for the
llooding in the Midwest, Kauai Masonic
Lodge sent a contribution and also a letter
from which we quote.
"When the Kauai Lodge in
Hawaii was hit hy Hurricane Iniki, the
mainland lodges put their hearts
together and sent us donations.
"This relief money helped the
Brethren put their lives hack together
and for some it was all that they
received, because the insurance
company went hroke."
Grand Master Richard Lynn of Florida had
this to say about the disaster relief assistance:
"There was a small lodge in
Homestead, Florida that received
some damage but was not totally shut
down. It had no power, it had no
running water. But the day after the
storm they served 2,000 hot meals to
people who came into the lodge
huilding. There were National Guard
who had no food because they had not
got their rations yet, there were
policemen, there were farm workers;
they were helped by the Masons and
their families. Seven families lived
inside the lodge room for two and a
half weeks while they awaited a safe
haven.
"The monies that were sent to
Florida were spent on such things as a
trailer for a Mother Advisor of a
Rainbow Assemhly and her daughters
who were living in the back seat of a
Toyota.
"Immediately we responded
(with the assistance of Mahi Shrine) in
gathering materials and distributing
them in individual bags. Not only to
Masons but to residents all over the
Homestead and Florida City area. We
distrihuted bottles of water, canned
goods, tooth brushes, toothpaste, toilet
paper, the things that they had totally
lost. Over 2,000 bags were distrihuted
in the first four days following the
storm and in most cases the first
people that some of the residents saw
in their neighhorhood, because they
were afraid to leave their homes
hecause of looters, were Masons
carrying these bags."
1993 Midwest Flooding
An appeal went out on behalf of six Grand
Lodges: lowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas,
Nebraska and South Dakota as a result of
severe flooding encountered during the
summer months of 1993. Saline Lodge #226
of St. Marys, Missouri wrote the following
letter which we quote in part.
"Saline Lodge #226 A.F. & A.M.
opened a relief center in the basement
of the lodge on July 30, 1993 for the
henefit of all flood victims of the area
which inclucled residents of St. Marys,
Missouri and Kaskaskia Island,
Illinois. This center remained open
until Septemher 4,1993.
"Storage was provided in the
basement for furniture and belongings
of flood victims prior to and after the
opening of the relief center. The lodge
was contacted by a local bank
requesting permission to set up a
portable banking facility on lodge
property. As a result a mobile banking
unit was based in the lodge parking
lot.
"This center provided relief in
the form of canned goods, cereal,
soda, bottled water, dog and catfood,
diapers, personal items such as
combs, shampoo, toothpaste and
toothbrushes, soap and deodorant.
Milk, bread, eggs and ice were
provided daily, as these items could
not he obtained locally from any other
source. When the flood waters started
to recede items necessary for clean-up
such as boots, shovels, mops, etc.,
were provided as needed."
The intent of quoting from these letters is to
give Masons an idea of how the monies that
are given to these appeals are actually used.
There are many more letters that were
received and we can assure you that the uses
of the funds are many and varied. The letters
we have used are simply to illustrate how
some lodges and Masons have responded to
critical need. They are representative of all of
the great work done by Masons in helping to
overcome adversity.
When you have an opportunity to read the
many letters that come with the checks, you
have a very wonderful feeling toward the
Fraternity. It is a pleasure to be a part of this
kind of outreach.
The concluding pages of this Short Talk
Bulletin are a summary of all the Disaster
Relief Appeals that have been put out by the
Masonic Service Association.
Summary of Masonic Relief
Japanese Earthquake Relief 1923 $1.577.25
Florida Hurricane 1926 114,236.97
Mississippi Valley Flood 1927 608,291.91
Puerto Rico Hurricane 1928 86,316.58
Florida Hurricane 1928 107,622.14
Kentucky Flood 1937 33,771.01
Austrian Relief Fund 1938 5,202.36
Chilean Earthquake 1939 7,387.27
Philippine Relief Fund 1945 46,798.46
Ecuador Relief Fund 1949 20,734.51
Manitoba Relief Fund 1950 19.210.44
Holland Relief Fund 1953 29,985.32
Tamaulipas Relief Fund 1955 I8,024.42
Miscellaneous Relief 1958 1,000.00
Chilean Relief 1960 11,436.75
Cuban Relief 1962 54,718.90
Louisiana Hurricane Relief 1965 59,395.54
Italy Flood Relief 1967 20,008.68
Mississippi Relief 1969 87.367.33
Peru Relief 1970 19,220.82
Philippine Flood Relief 1972 5,960.00
Niearagua Earthquake Relief 1973 13,696.60
Honduras Relief 1974 7,320.00
Guatemala Relief 1976 66.130.26
Mississippi Flood Relief 1979 80,560.63
Dominican Republic Disaster 1979 32,859.55
Chilean Earthquake 1985 36,927.00
Florida Hurricane 1985 20,244.00
Mexico Earthquake 198S 6,220.00
Colombian Earthquake 198S 100.00
Chilean Flood 198S 32.500.00
South Carolina Hurricane 1989 243,325.00
Puerto Rico Hurricane 1989 45,625.00
California Earthquake 1989 62,000.00
Philippine Islands Flood 1991 30,500.00
Florida Hurricane 1992 279,750.00
Louisiana Hurricane 1992 243,150.00
Hawaii Hurricanc 1992 76,900.00
lowa Flood 1993 126,600.00
Illinois Flood 1993 103,775.00
Missouri Flood 1993 88,225.00
K;msas Flood 1993 47,850.00
Ncbraska Flood 1993 47,825,00
South Dakota Flood 1993 46,650,00
Total 3,096,999.70
Masonic Scrvice Centers 1941-1946 1,538,334.42
kuropean Masonic Relief 1946-1955 206,780.5I
Hospital Visitation Program 1946-1993 11,644,956.00
Grand Total 16,487,070.63
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