Square and Compasses Day 2011

Needham and Newton Freemasons are inviting the public to learn more about Freemasonry at Open Houses to be held at the Needham Masonic Building 1101 Highland Avenue in Needham and the Newton Masonic Building at 460 Newtonville Avenue in Newtonville on Saturday, October 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was established in 1733 and is the third oldest Grand Lodge in the world. Four Lodges met in Newton and four Lodges meet in Needham. These Lodges also include Lodges formerly in Brookline, Brighton, and Waltham, and Wellesley and are open to men from any community. Today there are almost 50,000 Freemasons in Massachusetts that meet in some 270 individual Lodges in cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth. The Masons contribute over $3,000,000 each day to charity. The Shriners, a Masonic organization, operates a national network of Children’s Hospitals and Burn Centers. One of these is the Shriner’s Burns Hospital in Boston, where more than 3,700 children are treated each year at the hospital’s clinic. Freemasons also operate the Shriner’s Orthopedic Hospital in Springfield. Treatment at all these institutions is provided at no charge to the patients or their families. Freemasons are responsible for collecting more than 80 percent of the blood collected for the Red Cross in Massachusetts – more than 20,000 pints annually. They also provide more than $200,000 in scholarships each year. Masonic Lodges promote child safety through the Child Identification Program (CHIP). To date, over 275,000 Massachusetts children have participated in this highly successful program. The Newton and Needham Lodges also operate their own Angel Fund to assist local Newton and Needham children in need of clothing, school fees, school supplies, and other necessities. Massachusetts Freemasonry membership is open to all men age 18 and over, regardless of race or religion, and offers a wide range of opportunities for community service, personal improvement, leadership, and fun. More information on these Lodges can be found at www.fifthmasonicdistrict.org. More information on Massachusetts Freemasonry can be found at www.massfreemasonry.com.