Douglas Lodge #361 Supports a Safe Place for Fun and Learning
Douglas Lodge #361 presents the Leu Civic Center with a microgrant. Pictured Left to Right: Douglas Lodge #361 Junior Deacon Darrell Sanderson, Douglas Lodge #361 Worshipful Master Keith Cedergren, Leu Civic Center Executive Director Jenna Smith, Leu Civic Center Board President Chris Bandre, and Douglas Lodge #361 Junior Warden Steve Beimfohr.
The Leu Civic Center provides a place for low-cost after-school programs and sporting events in Mascoutah, Illinois. With the challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Leu Civic Center saw that there was another need in the community that they could address. They started an educational resource center for parents to obtain help on navigating the new educational challenges. During this time, the Leu Civic Center offered free Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and General Education Consultants, free tutoring, a curriculum and resource library with free check-out, and daytime homeschool classes.
This year, the Leu Civic Center was not able to recieve as much funding from it’s partner, United Way, due to the pandemic depleating available funds. Seeing how much the Leu Civic Center does for the Mascoutah, Scott Air Force Base, and surrounding communities, Douglas Lodge #361 stepped up. Douglas Lodge #361 provided a donation of $1000 to the Leu Civic Center, but they did not stop there.
Knowing that the Leu Civic Center needed more assistance, Douglas Lodge #361 applied to the Illinois Masonic Children’s Program’s (IMCAP) Youth Organization Connection. This program partners with Illinois Masonic Lodges to provide microgrants to youth organizations in Lodge communities. Through the Youth Organization Connection, Douglas Lodge #361 was able to provide an additional $3,000 microgrant to the Leu Civic Center.
Does your Lodge know of a youth organziation that needs your support? Visit https://imcap.org/youth-organization-connection to learn more about how to apply for the Youth Organization Connection and make a difference in your community today!