Masonic Organizations and Charitable Causes
Omega Lodge, as with all Masons, are obligated to help our fellow citizens through service and charity. We at Omega Lodge do so, (along with those listed below), by sponsoring a local teacher with a donation for classroom supplies, a donation to Covanant Hospice, donate to a college scolarship program, we adopt a family and provide cash and food for a Thanksgiving Meal, adopt a family and provide cash, childrens presents and food for a Christmas family in need as well as other worthy causes. We at Omega Lodge are proud to help our community
The program is called the "Masonic Widows Fund Association". The association exists and operates under the authority and permission from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Florida.
The purpose of the association is to provide funds for helping to defray expenses of the widows or other survivors in case of the death of a Member: to more firmly cement the bonds of friendship and brotherhood, plus to inculcate the practice of brotherly love in Masonic Fraternity.
Masonic Child Identification Programs (CHIP) are a charitable initiative by North American Masonic lodges to aid in the identification and recovery of missing children. CHIP programs are supported monetarily at the Grand Lodge level, and are staffed by volunteers from subordinate lodges as well as law enforcement and dental professionals.
The CHIP programs allow parents the opportunity to create a kit of identifying materials for their child, free of charge. The kit contains a fingerprint card, a physical description, a video, computer disk, or DVD of the child, a dental imprint, and a DNA sample. The purpose of the kit is to provide critical information to the public and to law enforcement in the event that a child goes missing. The program has been lauded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.[1]
The videotape or DVD, besides capturing appearance and voice, includes questions tailored toward the child's age group and can assist in finding children who might be missing for other reasons besides abduction.
The Masonic Child ID Program has been referenced by state and local law enforcement agencies as their model for establishing this service. The difference between Masonic CHIP and others is that municipal and law enforcement agencies typically place all data that is collected (including fingerprints) into a database. The Masonic Child ID Program operates with strict confidentiality, with all data on portable computers being removed from systems immediately after the DVD data has been written. If a DVD or video is lost by a parent or guardian, they can simply have another created free of charge by attending another Masonic Child ID event.
