[Editor's Note; I ran across this story in some of my old Hempstead Lodge #749 newsletters from about 7 or 8 years ago and just had to reprint it for the Waller Lodge readers.]

Forward By Corky

I had to read the column reprinted below, the second time before I could believe it. It is the first time that I could remember, in a long time, reading a story in a newspaper that was complementary to Masonry.

It impressed me so much, that I wanted to insert it in this issue of the newsletter. And since it was already set up to be printed, I decided to make Hempstead Lodge history and add another page to this month's issue of our newsletter so I could include it here.

Of course it is being reprinted with permission of the author.

The Houston Shriners Hospital is a 40-bed pediatric orthopaedic hospital providing comprehensive orthopaedic care to children at no charge. A new state-of-the-art facility opened in June 1996. The hospital is one of 22 Shriners Hospitals throughout North America. The Houston Hospital, which accepts and treats children with routine and complex orthopaedic problems, is one of just few pediatric hospitals in the United States performing microvascular orthopaedic procedures, and it has also become known for its work with children with cerebral palsy.

Down in the Texas Medical Center is a special place. A place for kids, a place dedicated to quality orthopedic health care, a place where there is no billing department. Everything is totally free of charge.

Shriners Hospital for children is the place where Ernie Estrada just spent the last month undergoing surgery and then daily physical therapy. A little more than a year ago, Ernie's mom Monica took Ernie, who suffered from cerebral palsy, to the circus. Ernie who uses handheld arm crutches, which got the attention of a volunteer working at the event. He gave a card to Monica and suggested she call Houston Shriners Hospital for Children to see if they could offer Ernie some help.

Today Monica and Ernie are grateful cheerleaders for the hospital. “I told my husband, if we could rename this place, we would call it “Miracle Hospital” because that is what they have done for us given us a miracle.

The Estradas, who live in San Benito, have nothing but praises for the hospital – everything is “awesome, wonderful and amazing.” And the Estradas should know- they experienced many hospital settings in Ernie's 11 years.

“I had never heard of Shriners until about a year ago.” Monica said. “More people need to know about the wonderful job they do here, what they do for so many kids.” Another enthusiast is Chris Adams of Spring. Adams' daughter Christian Michelle was also a patient at Shriners, almost five years ago. Then just a toddler, Christian was diagnosed with a serious bone infection in her arm. At the time, the Adamses had no insurance as dad Chris was in school making his way to a second career.

Our doctor first sent us to Shriners, but we were sent on to Texas Children's. But as we sat in the waiting room, I got a phone call. I knew no one knew where we were, but it was the Shriners, telling us not to worry about a thing, everything would be paid.”

Baby Christian had two surgeries that first week and eventually spent four weeks hospitalized at Shriners. She had daily intravenous antibiotics, which dad said, “was no fun. But we endured.”

Today Christian is seven years old, healthy and beautiful.

And dad is a Mason. The Masonic Lodge 1174 of Spring is a group of 226 men who raise money for Shriners Hospital. Masons in Spring, in Texas, and all over the country engage in fund-raising to promote community projects

Worshipful Master Jim Sumner of Lodge 1174 explained that the mission of Masons is “men making better men.”

“It really works. Our work makes us better husbands, better fathers, better leaders and better pillars of the community. Our Lodge has different fund-raisers to support projects like Shriners Hospitals. Masons are the foundation group, then there are several appended groups such as the Shriners. We all work toward common goals. Masons and Shriners.

Masons and Shriners aren't religious per se, but everyone has to believe in deity. “We have members of every religion – Buddhist, Jew, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran. Masons teach cooperation and working together. We all contribute to our community and especially to wonderful projects like Shriners,” says Sumner.

Which brings us back to Adams whose father was a Mason. After baby Christian was on her way back to health, Chris asked his father about the Masons, this group who had made possible his baby's recovery.

He gave me a book to read and I wanted more. I wanted to give back to these wonderful people who had helped me. Some time later, I petitioned the Lodge for membership and I have been there every time the are doors open since.

Notice the common word here? Monica, Chris, and Jim all said the same word – 'wonderful.'

Raquel Williams, public information officer for Shriners, says the hospital in 2002 had a $18.65 Million budget. They served 3,411 active patients, performed 670 surgeries and recorder 35,000 children have received life altering or life saving treatments since the hospital's founding in 1952. All at no charge.

And if that isn't wonderful, then I don't know what is. Shriners Hospital for Children-Houston may be reached by calling 713-797-1616 or by visiting www.shrinershq.org

Afterward

Many of you have met my daughter, Valerie who was born with cerebral palsy. When we discovered it, the doctor said she would never walk or probably even sit up. She was treated at the Shrine Hospital for almost 17 years and at 50 years old, she still walks with crutches. She graduated from North Harris County Jr. College, then lived in the dorms at Sam Houston State University where she lacks one semester of earning her Teachers Degree in Special Education.

We were never ask for a dime at Shrine Hospital and like Brother Chris Adams (above), that was a big reason that, I became a Freemason.

I also wanted to add how great it feels to be an editor printing one of Mrs. Calvert's stories. Mrs. Calvert was my editor, printing columns that I wrote about growing up during the depression and WWII. They were featured in five of the weekly Houston Community Newspapers for about 6 years or so.

[The next story is one of them. Corky]

The second oldest building in the city of Oskaloosa Kansas has a fresh look and the people behind it are wanting to show it off.

The Masonic Lodge Building on the corner of Jefferson and Liberty streets houses businesses on the street level, but upstairs the members of the Masonic Lodge 14, Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 62 have been meeting for 124 years.

Masonic Lodge 14 Secretary Dan Shimmin, left, Diana Price and Jim Elrod, right, stand below the recently restored 124-year-old tin-pressed ceiling

Corky The Cowboy

Thanks to the generosity of Order of the Eastern Star member Diana Price, the hall's historic tin-pressed ceiling now lights up the hall with it's vibrant colors. Just months ago, the tin-pressed ceiling's paint that was more than 70 years old had turned dull and dirty. Paint chips collected like snow in the hall's corner where the roof had been leaking for years.

“I just couldn't stand looking at it anymore,” Price said. “I looked at the chips on the floor and said we've got to do something about it.

“I wish you could have seen it before. It's just amazing,” she added.

Price donated $3,200 for the labor to restore and repaint the tin-pressed ceiling. The Lodge donated the materials.

Lodge and Eastern Star members are grateful for the work that was done on the ceiling. Price said the original painter, Eddie Stevenson, would have charged about $10,000 for the painting. Stevenson told members that he could do the work for half. However, three weeks into the project Stevenson unexpectedly died.

An Open House will be held Sunday, Oct. 24 from 2 to 4 p.m. Entrance is on southwest corner of building. Call Dan Shimmin for more information at 876-3041

Eastern Star member Doris Elrod said both groups began to scramble to figure out what to do. Elrod said she considered getting up on top of the scaffolding herself to finish the job. That's when Donald Barden of Pioneer Painting and Drywall stepped in to finish. Not only did Barden finish the project but it ended up costing less.

Now that the work is complete, members of both organizations want the public to see the beauty of what organization members have seen for more than a century. Organization members realize that many in the public don't even know the hall exist.

“We know there's a lot of people that don't know,” Price said. “We just think people should know.”

The hall's new paint job is only the second time the ceiling has been painted since the construction of the building. The ceiling was painted in 1937 after the building next to it burned down, causing some smoke damage to the inside of the Masonic Lodge.

During the open house scheduled later this month, tablets containing minutes from the last 124 years will be on display.

Many articles and documentary pieces have been written and filmed about the Free Masons, an organization that historically traces back to 17th century England. Often reports focus on the Free Masons as a “secret society.”

Lodge Secretary Dan Shimmin says otherwise.

“We are not a secret society,” Shimmin said. “We are a society of secrets.”

Shimmin said Masons are a society of men who hold high moral standards and a will to do good. Masons don't discuss religion but one requirement to be a Mason is to believe in a “higher power,” which is of the interpretation of the individual. Masons don't discuss politics or anything else that would cause divisive debate amongst members. Shimmin said in the hall there is nothing but harmony.

“We can't make a bad man good,” Shimmin said. “But we can make a good man a whole lot better.”

Some famous Americans who called themselves Free Masons include George Washington, Ben Franklin, Andrew Jackson and Harry Truman.

Free Masons do not recruit members, but rather wait for an individual to inquire.

50 Year Free Mason Jim Elrod said although the club likes to fly under the radar they are very active in the community with sponsorships and yearly scholarships.

“We're not just here,” Elrod said. “We do some good things.”

“We just needed a little breathing room,” he said. The Journal reported that the dedication would be postponed along with the other celebrations from the committee, which is no longer the case. “There was some confusion, for sure,” said John Ciccotelli, a spokesman for the lodge. “The town was going to have a larger celebration, and that's postponed now, but the Masons are carrying on.” Comeau said the committee's celebrations still are postponed, but he will be speaking at Sunday's event and supports the Masons' decision to move forward. “It's the right thing for them,” he said.

The Masons came up with the idea for the 8 foot obelisk, which will commemorate the Scottish freemasons who originally worked on the project. They also spearheaded the fundraising for the obelisk. Comeau said the monument was Ciccotelli's idea, so the Masons wanted to do the dedication while he still is their leader. “They're very intent on doing this while their Master is still their Master,” Comeau said. “It was his work that got this done, so it really is a sign of respect.”

The Masons and the community at large will gather first at the lodge for some snacks and socialization, and then move on to the base of the Viaduct on Neponset Street, where they will start the dedication at 4 p.m. Ciccotelli said they also will be burying a time capsule at the site of the monument.

“We're very excited about the capsule,” he said. “While the celebration might be a little smaller than first expected, the dedication and capsule will be very stirring.” The monument has been completed, and will be placed at the site on Sunday. “I've seen pictures of it, and it's really going to be very impressive,” Comeau said. The bridge was built as part of the Boston & Providence Railroad, and the giant structure was commissioned at the very start of steam power, with marks left on each and every stone by the freemasons. “There are very few national landmarks that are so accessible to the people,” Comeau said in a previous discussion with the Journal. “Not many 175-year-old structures are used every day, and it's one of the busiest lines in the country.” Comeau said the volunteer committee hasn't decided when they will have their next celebration, but they will definitely have some events in the spring. “The Viaduct isn't going anywhere,” he said. “And we sure aren't going anywhere.” While there was some confusion on the celebrations, Comeau said he has no doubts as to why the Viaduct is so important to the town. “There is no other structure like it in the entire county, so it speaks to the town's uniqueness and our willingness to innovate,” he said. “It really is a national landmark and an incredible feat of engineering right here in our town. It's worthy of celebration.”

On 10 October 2010 at 3:00 pm people will gather to dedicate a stone monument to remember the Freemasons who labored to build the historic Canton Viaduct 175 years ago. The Canton Viaduct is the longest existing freestanding stone railroad bridge of its kind in the world. This structure was built, owned and operated by laborers, and businessmen from the area. The viaduct structure was completed in 1835 and was built by stonemasons, many of whom were also Freemasons. Each stone in the Viaduct still bears the stonemason's mark etched into them to signify who carved it from the quarry, and many of those marks are also symbols of Freemasonry. The railroad track it carries served to link the cities of Providence and Boston as well as the towns in between, and had become a major stimulus in bringing large scale industry to Massachusetts communities and the rapidly developing United States which was being transformed by the Industrial Revolution during that era. It was built of such quality workmanship that it has been in continuous use ever since that time. Even today, it still conveys the Acela Bullet Train on its route to Washington DC. To commemorate the many Freemason stoneworkers who were instrumental in constructing the Canton Viaduct and to acknowledge its importance to the industrial development of America, members of Blue Hill Lodge AF&AM in Canton in conjunction with other Masons and members of the community served by the Canton Viaduct, have decided to erect a granite monument recognizing the contributions of these early builders. The Canton Viaduct Masonic Memorial will be a prominent and attractive monument erected at the east side base of the Viaduct within Viaduct Park off Neponset Street in Canton.

It will be a stone obelisk made of American quarried granite and will stand approximately 8 feet high. It will eventually serve multiple purposes: as a memorial to the Viaduct's Masonic builders, as a heliochronometer (sun dial), as a mile marker to Boston, and will mark the location of a small time capsule to be opened at the Viaduct's 300th Anniversary in 2135 AD.

Masons and non-Masons alike are invited to attend. Individuals wishing to observe or take part may gather at Blue Hill Lodge at 21 Church Street at 3:00pm for some socializing and light snacks and then proceed to the site of the memorial, or they may go directly to the site of the dedication at Viaduct Park, just west of the archway where Neponset Street crosses under the Viaduct. Off street parking is available. The dedication will begin at 4:00 pm at the park. All are welcome.