Page 21 - Sojourner Newsletter-Winter 2023 Final revised

Volume 100, Issue 1 21

CHAPTER NEWS

FREDERICKSBURG CHAPTER # 545 (Shelby Chandler, Secretary) In the last Sojourner, Fredericksburg
Chapter No. 545 discussed their recent efforts in growing its Chapter from the brink of closure and again
becoming active in the community. In following this goal, we again reinitiated, for the first time in five years,
our Toys for Tots program, where we arranged, as a Bridge of Light effort, to have our local Masonic Lodges
put out collection boxes for toys. When a Lodge agreed to do such, we agreed to send a representative out to
their Lodge to request support from their membership: if they would collect toys, Chapter 545 would agree to
pick them up and deliver them to the Toys for Tots warehouse. The Lodges which agreed to participate did a
fine job of collection, but there were two Lodges of note. Stafford Lodge No. 279, AF&AM in Stafford,
Virginia made a unique effort to get their membership to collect toys by offering them dinner before their
stated meetings. Members paid for their dinner by bringing a toy as payment. This was a very successful
project, and we delivered a very large number of toys to the warehouse. Special
thanks go to Right Worshipful Dan Ford, who volunteered to represent Chapter
545 in this endeavor. Worshipful Master John Parrish and the brethren of
Ashland Lodge No. 168
AF&AM in Ashland,
Virginia made a coordinated
effort to bring together other
groups, such as Past Worthy
Matron Beverly Samuels
and the Hanover Chapter
No. 130, Order of the
Eastern Star; 2022 Hanover Ashland Lodge #168
Christmas Mother, Ms. Michele Clements and the
Hanover Christmas Mother Project; and Scoutmaster
Hanover Lodge 130, Hanover Chapter 130, OES Steve Witt and Boy Scout Troop No. 555. These groups
came together, and they were able to collect over $15,000.00 in toys. The success of this mission became a
logistical challenge for our National Sojourners Chapter, in that we
had to find a means or method to
transport this large amount of toys
from Ashland, Virginia, to the
Toys for Tots warehouse 46 miles
away in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
We called for assistance and Kena
Shriners, managed to procure an
open trailer for us (many thanks
to Kena Shriners), but we
eventually were able to acquire a Toys for Tots Staff with Marine Veterans
Unloading the trailor Motorcycle Association
massive, enclosed trailer, which
would prevent the loss of toys during transport. Because of the trailer’s size, we had to drive some back roads
into town, but upon arrival at the warehouse we were greeting by excited Toys for Tots volunteers and
members of the Marine Veterans Motorcycle Association, who happily assisted in quickly unloading our
collection of toys. Photos were taken following the delivery and there was great pride in the achievement by
all.