In Your Community: Masons continue supporting Salvation Army food shelf
Published 5:43 pm Friday, January 31, 2025
- Pictured at the check presentation to the Salvation Army are, from left: Captain John Woodard of the Salvation Army and Neil Hanson, Mark Mincks and Brad Stout of Fidelity Lodge No. 39. Photo provided
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Recently, members of Fidelity Lodge and the Austin Shrine Club donated $10,700 to the area food shelf. This was money collected ringing bells during the holiday season and includes a $5,000 grant from Minnesota Masonic Charities. This is a community project of Masons and Shriners that began in the 1950s and has continued to the present.
Originally the Shrine Club would take the first Friday in December and cover as much of Austin as possible. Now they primarily take Fridays from Thanksgiving to Christmas at the local Hy-Vee Food Market.
Although their membership has experienced a decline, they still have several members who faithfully take shifts at the Red Kettles each year. Current records that start at 2010 show a total of $263,200 has been raised to support the Area Food Shelf. This amount also includes grant requests from Minnesota Masonic Charities.
