THE FOLLOW IS A MASONS OLIVE BRANCH NO. 38 RELEASE
ABOVE: As AMBUCS Campers play, members of Olive Branch 38, the GAO Grotto, the DeMolay, and AMBUCS leaders celebrate the successful completion of the fund drive for new restrooms at the Grotto.
DANVILLE, IL, July 31, 2023- This past Wednesday, July 26th, several children attended the AMBUCS Summer Day Camp for Children at the GAO Grotto. These children, each of whom has a disability challenging their mobility or independence, played on the playground equipment, enjoyed a Lee’s Famous Recipe lunch, and went for boat rides provided by the Grotto Skippers as AMBUCS campers have done since the summer of 1963.
As the children enjoyed the activities, many Grotto members and Danville area Freemasons gathered with AMBUCS leaders and supporters to celebrate sixty years of AMBUCS camps at the Grotto and the accomplishment of the Grotto’s campaign goal to raise $100,000 to renovate and bring their restrooms into ADA compliance. With new restrooms, the facilities at the Grotto will be able to accommodate AMBUCS campers for many years to come.
Jerry Askren presents checks to Troy West and Mike West, holding poster board, co-chairs of the Grotto’s restroom renovation fundraising campaign as Grotto members and Masons look on.
The Grotto’s fundraising campaign was kicked off late last year by a donation made to AMBUCS and directed to the Grotto restroom renovation. In addition to funding from GAO Grotto organizations, the campaign gained the support of many private donors.
On Wednesday, Jerry Askren, the Worshipful Master of Olive Branch Lodge No. 38, made two check presentations to the leadership of the Grotto—one made by the lodge itself and another from a grant made on behalf of the lodge by the Grand Lodge of Illinois’ Illinois Masonic Childrens Assistance Program. Together these checks brought the campaign over its $100,000 goal and will allow construction to begin. “Today was a great day for Olive Branch Lodge, the GAO Grotto and Danville AMBUCS as the fundraising goal was reached. We look forward to the ribbon cutting upon the completion of the construction project,” said Askren.
The GAO Grotto is an organization of Freemasons who seek to teach their members to express their principles of Masonry as, “doing good for others.” The Freemasons of Olive Branch 38 are pleased that their contributions will help continue the AMBUCS Summer Camps at the Grotto and help the members of the Grotto to put their principles into action.
Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 is a local unit of the Fraternity of Freemasons whose members support each other as they seek to become the best men they can be. For more information about Freemasonry or the lodge, email the lodge at olivebranch38@gmail.com .
