Webster Lodge Masons Serve Webster Community
The Webster Masonic Lodge No. 538, in cooperation with the Webster Order of the Eastern Star, now Lilac Star Chapter No 57, had for many years served monthly spaghetti dinners to the public with the proceeds going to support Masonic and Eastern Star charities. As time went on it became increasingly difficult to get enough members of the organizations to volunteer to staff the dinners. The thought of terminating the dinners and thereby decreasing their contribution to charities and the serving of low cost meals to the public was not acceptable to either organization. Fortunately a suggestion was made and approved in 2005 to involve local volunteer organizations. Webster Lodge members would continue to provide the facility and absorb the operating expense, purchase all food and do all of the cooking. Lilac Star Chapter would continue to supervise the dining room. The volunteer organizations would be responsible for setting the tables, acting as waiters, waitresses and providing a cleanup crew – a minimum of 15 volunteers was required, some starting as early as 1 PM and finishing at 8 PM. The volunteer organization would receive 100% of the proceeds to be used to support their organization.
There are 9 dinners each year – the first Friday of each month October through June. This means that 9 local organizations will benefit each year. The average monthly benefit started out at approximately $600. As time went on the attendance has soared, as has the contribution to local organizations.
In the 2008/9 season the following organizations participated:
Friends of Webster Trails, Webster Community Chest, Webster Comfort Care, Webster Schroeder Hockey, Webster Firemen’s Exempt, Girl Scout Troop #490, Webster Assoc. Sr. Support, Boy Scout Troop #233 and Webster Police Explorers.
An average of 186 meals were served at each dinner in the 2008/2009 season with an average contribution of $895 per dinner. The total contribution since 2005 exceeds $22,000.
Friday October 2, 2009 starts the 5th year of service to the Webster Community - and already volunteer organizations have been designated for every month of the 2009/2010 year.
Webster Lodge and Lilac Star Chapter invite all to join us for dinner and enjoy a great meal - where else can you get a spaghetti dinner with our own special sauce, home made meat balls, salad, garlic bread, ice cream and beverage for only $7 - and know that you are assisting local volunteer groups with their programs.