Submitted to Southern Torch by

Cody Campbell

Christmas has often been called the time of giving. Family members exchange presents with each other. Shoppers drop loose change into the red kettles of the Salvation Army. Non-profit organizations like St. Jude Children’s Hospital air advertisements, asking for donations to help children fighting against cancer. Similarly seeking such assistance is the Department of Human Resources, who want to make sure that foster children in DeKalb County receive a good Christmas each year.

“On average, there are around 110 children in foster care annually here in DeKalb County,” said Denise Rains, the director of the DeKalb County Department of Human Resources. “Every year the Huntsville-based organization, “Kids to Love” assists us in providing Christmas for our foster children.” According to Rains the list of children in foster care must be given to Kids to Love by Sept. 30. Despite this cutoff date, DHR has a way to make sure that any child who enters the DeKalb County foster system later in the year still receives something for Christmas.

“For those who come in after the end of September, any money people want to donate comes here. Furthermore, there are some people in the community who choose to sponsor a child. We give these sponsors a wish list that the child has filled out, things the child wants and needs, and they go out and buy items off the wish list. If the sponsors aren’t able to get everything off the list, we use the funds we receive to fill in the rest,” Rains explained.

One of the groups that donates money to DHR for the foster children’s Christmas in DeKalb County is the Fort Payne Masonic Lodge. Far from being a religion or cult, the Freemasons are a fraternity of good men seeking to be better men, and who work to make the community around them a better place.

“For several years now, the lodge has donated $1000 each year to the DHR in order to help provide Christmas to foster children. The first time the lodge participated in this, we just got 20 $50 gift cards to Wal-Mart, but money is donated to DHR by writing them a check,” said Clarence Thornberry, Worshipful Master of Fort Payne Masonic Lodge. “Part of the Masonic philosophy is to be a shining light in the world around us. Charitable work is a major part of what the lodge is all about. These children are in need, and the lodge feels this is perhaps the most direct way to go to help them,” Thornberry said.

“Our donation to the foster children is only one of several organizations the lodge gives

money to each year,” Gerald Smith, a member and Past Master of the lodge, said. “The lodge has bought tickets to the Save-a-Life Foundation dinner. We give money to the Shriners for them to do as they see fit, which includes the hospitals run by the Shrine. We also send some down to the Grand Lodge (the Grand Lodge governs all Masonic Lodges in Alabama), who has a fund set up to aid and assist those in need. For example, if a series of tornadoes were to strike Alabama, the Grand Lodge would use some of this money for relief efforts,” stated Smith.

Despite all of these outlets that the Masonic Lodge donates funds to, they do not seek any sort of recognition for their charitable work. “The lodge doesn’t want the accolades, we just want to help. If a little recognition comes along, that’s ok, but it’s not what we’re looking for,” Smith said. “A big part of being a Freemason is recognizing when others are in need, and being able to help them.”

“The lodge doesn’t try to be flashy with our charity, we like to be more discrete when we aid others,” Thornberry added.

As Christmas trees are taken down and decorations are stored for another year, the season of giving feels, for many, like it has come to an end. For the members of the Masonic Lodge, however, charitable giving is not simply a seasonal thing. Helping those around them who are in need is a year-round process. Every opportunity to aid members of the community is another chance for the light of Freemasonry to shine in a seemingly dark world.

For further information about Freemasonry, feel free to visit the Alabama Grand Lodge website at www.alafreemasonry.org.

The author, Cody Campbell is a member of the Fort Payne Masonic Lodge #437, and a Dekalb County Native. Cody currently attends the University of Alabama where he is majoring in Journalism.