The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center has renewed our efforts to assist Masonic and Eastern star widows’ and widowers’ through our Masonic Bereavement Program. Through this program, we mail out a bereavement packet to any mason or widow upon the death of their spouse. Included in this packet will be information on important documentation to gather and numbers to call (Social Security, Medicare, etc.). Information on grief and loss, local resources, and contact information for the community outreach coordinator closest to the surviving spouse is also included. We will enclose pamphlets tailored to their situation and follow up with a phone call.  This is another way to express our Masonic obligation of caring for our widows. We also mail our newsletter twice a year. If you would like to have a newsletter mailed to those on your widows list, or if you have a recent widow who may need the informational packet, please contact Bobbi Schickler at 513-567-1100 or your local community outreach coordinator.

Special note to Lodge Secretaries:

Our goal is to reach individuals before they are in crisis to be their advocate and to support them through their grieving process. We need your help in our efforts. To that end, we are asking if you would be able to provide information from your current widows list. This will allow us to contact all of these individuals and to mail updated resource center information and newsletters to those who may be in need of assistance. In the newsletter, we plan to offer information on topics such as senior scams, Medicare benefits, estate planning, caregiver stress, and health and wellness tips. This list will not be used for solicitation purposes, and any individual who chooses may be removed from the mailing list.

In districts where we have a Masonic Volunteer Program Committee, our goal is to utilize willing volunteers to follow up with those widows and widowers to offer additional support as needed.

We are providing several options for getting the information to our team:

Mail: The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center, Attn: Bobbi Schickler, PO Box 220, Sadieville, KY 40370

Email: bschickler@ohiomasonichome.org

You may also call the The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center at 877-881-1623 to let us know about a recent death in your Lodge or Chapter of a member or spouse, and one of our bereavement packets will be sent.

Thank you for your help and support of our Masonic Bereavement Program.