DISASTER RELIEF
How it Helps

By: Richard E Fleteher, PGM VT.
Execeutive Secretary, MSA

When a natural disaster occurs, the Grand 
Jurisdiction(s) affected may request the MSA 
to make an appeal for assistance to all U.S. 
and Canadian Lodges.
 
Our first disaster relief appeal was in 1923 to 
help the victims of an earthquake in Japan. 
Since that time more than 35 appeals have 
been made (see complete list on pages 7-8) on 
behalf of individual Grand Lodges.
 
We also funded Masonic Service Centers 
from 1941-1946. These Centers were places 
where servicemen and women could go and 
have "a little touch of home".
 
From these Service Centers evolved the 
Hospital Visitation Program which is still our 
major charitable endeavor.
 
When a disaster relief appeal is made, all of 
the monies received are sent, in their entirety, 
to the Grand Jurisdiction involved. No portion 
of donated funds is retained by the MSA for 
any reason whatsoever. All costs connected 
with the appeal are absorbed through our 
regular operating budget. All donated funds 
are given to help the recovery within the 
Grand Jurisdiction for whom the appeal was 
made. Also, every gift is acknowledged by 
the MSA.
 
We thought it might be of interest to our 
readers to be able to see some of the responses 
we have received from within the jurisdic-
tions that have been helped.

l989 Hurricane Hugo

The damage caused by Hurricane Hugo in 
South Carolina has been reported very 
extensively. However, less well known was 
the damage caused in Puerto Rico. We did put 
out an appeal for both Grand Lodges. A letter 
from the Grand Lodge of Puerto Rico gives an 
account of the damages,

"St. Croix Virgin Islands. The 
whole Island was flattened by the
Hurricane. The lodge was unable to
work and dispensation was granted to
remain dark until the end of the month
of Decemher 1989. All memhers of the 
lodge experienced a shortage of Food,
clean, clothing and gas. Basic services
such as water distribution, electricity 
and telephone service, all were broken
down. Looting and vandalism were, in 
the early days, the order of husiness. 
At the present we are engaged in the 
reconstruction of all the homes of the
Brethren. "

1992 Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki

An appeal was put out on behalf of the 
Grand Lodges of Florida and Louisiana for 
Hurricane Andrew and the Grand Lodge of 
Hawaii because of Hurricane Iniki. At the 
time the hurricane struck David K. Lindsey, 
Jr. was the Grand Master in Hawaii and we 
are quoting his words concerning the 
hurricane.

"Hurricane Iniki struck the 
Island of Kauai on Septemher 11, 
1992. The force of 165 mile per hour
winds and the crashing surf comhined
to devastate the Island of Kauai. 
Never in the recorded history of 
Hawaii has a hurricane of such 
violent intensity struck our lovely 
Islands. Our main Island of Oahu 
sustained some damage hut nothing of 
the magnitude suffered hy the Island 
of Kauai."

Later, after funds had been sent to Hawaii 
and then in response to an appeal for the 
llooding in the Midwest, Kauai Masonic 
Lodge sent a contribution and also a letter 
from which we quote.

"When the Kauai Lodge in 
Hawaii was hit hy Hurricane Iniki, the
mainland lodges put their hearts
together and sent us donations.

"This relief money helped the 
Brethren put their lives hack together 
and for some it was all that they 
received, because the insurance
company went hroke."
 
Grand Master Richard Lynn of Florida had 
this to say about the disaster relief assistance:

"There was a small lodge in 
Homestead, Florida that received
some damage but was not totally shut
down. It had no power, it had no
running water. But the day after the 
storm they served 2,000 hot meals to 
people who came into the lodge 
huilding. There were National Guard 
who had no food because they had not
got their rations yet, there were 
policemen, there were farm workers; 
they were helped by the Masons and 
their families. Seven families lived 
inside the lodge room for two and a 
half weeks while they awaited a safe 
haven.
 
"The monies that were sent to 
Florida were spent on such things as a 
trailer for a Mother Advisor of a 
Rainbow Assemhly and her daughters 
who were living in the back seat of a
Toyota.
 
"Immediately we responded
(with the assistance of Mahi Shrine) in
gathering materials and distributing
them in individual bags. Not only to
Masons but to residents all over the
Homestead and Florida City area. We
distrihuted bottles of water, canned
goods, tooth brushes, toothpaste, toilet
paper, the things that they had totally 
lost. Over 2,000 bags were distrihuted
in the first four days following the 
storm and in most cases the first 
people that some of the residents saw
in their neighhorhood, because they
were afraid to leave their homes
hecause of looters, were Masons
carrying these bags."

1993 Midwest Flooding

An appeal went out on behalf of six Grand
Lodges: lowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, 
Nebraska and South Dakota as a result of 
severe flooding encountered during the 
summer months of 1993. Saline Lodge #226 
of St. Marys, Missouri wrote the following 
letter which we quote in part.

"Saline Lodge #226 A.F. & A.M.
opened a relief center in the basement
of the lodge on July 30, 1993 for the 
henefit of all flood victims of the area 
which inclucled residents of St. Marys,
Missouri and Kaskaskia Island, 
Illinois. This center remained open
until Septemher 4,1993.
 
"Storage was provided in the 
basement for furniture and belongings
of flood victims prior to and after the 
opening of the relief center. The lodge 
was contacted by a local bank
requesting permission to set up a 
portable banking facility on lodge
property. As a result a mobile banking
unit was based in the lodge parking
lot.
 
"This center provided relief in 
the form of canned goods, cereal, 
soda, bottled water, dog and catfood,
diapers, personal items such as 
combs, shampoo, toothpaste and
toothbrushes, soap and deodorant.
Milk, bread, eggs and ice were
provided daily, as these items could 
not he obtained locally from any other
source. When the flood waters started
to recede items necessary for clean-up
such as boots, shovels, mops, etc.,
were provided as needed."

The intent of quoting from these letters is to 
give Masons an idea of how the monies that 
are given to these appeals are actually used. 
There are many more letters that were 
received and we can assure you that the uses 
of the funds are many and varied. The letters 
we have used are simply to illustrate how 
some lodges and Masons have responded to 
critical need. They are representative of all of 
the great work done by Masons in helping to 
overcome adversity.
 
When you have an opportunity to read the 
many letters that come with the checks, you 
have a very wonderful feeling toward the 
Fraternity. It is a pleasure to be a part of this 
kind of outreach.
 
The concluding pages of this Short Talk 
Bulletin are a summary of all the Disaster 
Relief Appeals that have been put out by the 
Masonic Service Association.

Summary of Masonic Relief

Japanese Earthquake Relief       1923        $1.577.25
Florida Hurricane                1926       114,236.97
Mississippi Valley Flood         1927       608,291.91
Puerto Rico Hurricane            1928        86,316.58
Florida Hurricane                1928       107,622.14
Kentucky Flood                   1937        33,771.01
Austrian Relief Fund             1938         5,202.36
Chilean Earthquake               1939         7,387.27
Philippine Relief Fund           1945        46,798.46
Ecuador Relief Fund              1949        20,734.51
Manitoba Relief Fund             1950        19.210.44
Holland Relief Fund              1953        29,985.32
Tamaulipas Relief Fund           1955        I8,024.42
Miscellaneous Relief             1958         1,000.00
Chilean Relief                   1960        11,436.75
Cuban Relief                     1962        54,718.90
Louisiana Hurricane Relief       1965        59,395.54
Italy Flood Relief               1967        20,008.68
Mississippi Relief               1969        87.367.33
Peru Relief                      1970        19,220.82
Philippine Flood Relief          1972         5,960.00
Niearagua Earthquake Relief      1973        13,696.60
Honduras Relief                  1974         7,320.00
Guatemala Relief                 1976        66.130.26
Mississippi Flood Relief         1979        80,560.63
Dominican Republic Disaster      1979        32,859.55
Chilean Earthquake               1985        36,927.00
Florida Hurricane                1985        20,244.00
Mexico Earthquake                198S         6,220.00
Colombian Earthquake             198S           100.00
Chilean Flood                    198S        32.500.00
South Carolina Hurricane         1989       243,325.00
Puerto Rico Hurricane            1989        45,625.00
California Earthquake            1989        62,000.00
Philippine Islands Flood         1991        30,500.00
Florida Hurricane                1992       279,750.00
Louisiana Hurricane              1992       243,150.00
Hawaii Hurricanc                 1992        76,900.00
lowa Flood                       1993       126,600.00
Illinois Flood                   1993       103,775.00
Missouri Flood                   1993        88,225.00
K;msas Flood                     1993        47,850.00
Ncbraska Flood                   1993        47,825,00
South Dakota Flood               1993        46,650,00

                               Total      3,096,999.70

Masonic Scrvice Centers 1941-1946         1,538,334.42
kuropean Masonic Relief 1946-1955           206,780.5I
Hospital Visitation Program 1946-1993    11,644,956.00

Grand Total                              16,487,070.63



















