News at the Masonic Villages

Fulfilling a Special Need

Evelyn Hunter-Longdon's late husband, Stan Longdon, was one of the first graduates of the Patton School at Elizabethtown, the predecessor to the Masonic Children's Home in Elizabethtown. Evelyn has made several different types of gifts to the Masonic Children's Home over the past several years. Her support, through general donations of gifts to underwrite specific needs of the children's home and her gift to the Masonic Children's Home Endowment Fund in memory of Stan, show the diverse ways in which an individual donor can assist various programs at the Masonic Villages.

Consider the following ways you might make an impact in the lives of individuals here at the Masonic Villages. In addition to the Masonic Children's Home, there are varying needs of residents in our health care centers in Elizabethtown, Sewickley, Lafayette Hill and Warminster, and for those on fraternal care in the Residential Living area and the Residential Cottage in Elizabethtown.

We frequently receive calls from individuals throughout the country requesting information for making a cash or stock gift to underwrite a specific need in one of these programs. Ms. Hunter-Longdon's recent gift to underwrite the cost of a van needed for transporting the children at the Masonic Children's Home is just one example.

Other examples of some recent designated gifts were to purchase automatic external defibrillators at each of the campuses and for special wheelchairs to assist individuals in the Masonic Health Care Center in Elizabethtown. Other needs include underwriting special trips for individuals at the Residential Cottage and a request for funds to underwrite a new outdoor porch for the Adult Daily Living Center in Elizabethtown so center participants can safely enjoy the nice weather. Without the support of the members of the Fraternity, Eastern Star, residents' families and the community, we would not be able to provide the continuous high quality of care that people come to expect at the Masonic Villages.

Ms. Evelyn Hunter-Longdon's gift to set up an endowment account in memory of her husband to benefit the Masonic Children's Home is another meaningful method of giving. Contributions can be made to any one of the following permanently established endowment funds to benefit the Masonic Villages:

Masonic Villages' Endowment Fund - The income from this endowment fund is used for maintaining and operating each Masonic Village campus.
Masonic Children's Home - The income from this endowment fund underwrites the operations of the children's home, which provides educational, physical, social and recreational needs for up to 40 children from throughout Pennsylvania. This endowment fund provides for the establishment of a named endowment fund in memory or honor of a specific individual for contributions of $25,000 or more.
Masonic Village Residential Program Endowment Fund - Income from this endowment fund provides operating funds for the long-term accommodations and support services for its adult residents with developmental challenges. Contributions of $25,000 or more to this fund can be designated to establish a named endowment in memory or honor of a specific individual.
Arline M. Hughes Caring Endowment Fund - Income available from this fund is used to assist elderly residents in the nursing and assisted living areas in Elizabethtown for underwriting a special program for maintaining and supporting activities essential to eliminating residents' feelings of boredom, loneliness and helplessness and supporting special end-of-life care requests based upon individual needs of such residents.
Masonic Tree of Life and Friend-to-Friend Programs - Income available from these endowments are used to underwrite the needs of residents at each of the campuses of the Masonic Villages that fall upon difficult times and are in need of special assistance. Special recognition is provided to contributors of this program at each campus location.

Endowment gifts can be made with cash, gifts of stock or through planned gifts such as gifts through one's will or trust or the purchase of a charitable gift annuity. The charitable gift annuity is a popular vehicle for underwriting endowments for the Masonic Villages as a way of receiving income for life with the remainder going to one of the endowments upon maturity. Annuity rates may pay handsome income to donors for life depending on their age.

Persons interested in learning more about giving for a specific need at one of the Masonic Village campuses or to one of the many endowment funds available at the Masonic Village campuses may complete and return the enclosed response envelope or contact us directly toll-free at 1-800-599-6454. A list of specific needs for which we are seeking financial support at each campus in the Masonic Villages network is available through the Gift Planning Office. Your gift is fully tax-deductible. It can be underwritten with either a cash payment or by a gift of appreciated stock which is then sold, and the proceeds are used to underwrite a specific need.

Gifts of all sizes are encouraged and will be appreciated. Please make checks payable to the "Masonic Villages" and designate the fund for which you desire your gift to be used.