The Social Services Department on Wednesday accepted a donation from the St Anthony Freemason Lodge to support its Back to School programme.
The lodge funds amounted to $2500 and will be used to purchase supplies, uniforms and lunch for vulnerable children who are going back to school in September.
Present at the handing over ceremony were, Master of the Lodge Jermaine Wade, Treasurer Mr. Albrun Semper and other executive members of the fraternal organization. The presentation was received by the Director of the Department of Social Services Mrs. Teresena Fergus in the presence of Ms. Edris Wade, the long time liaison person between the department and the lodge.
According to a statement from the group, the back to school assistance project is one of the charitable causes for which the Lodge on Montserrat as a fraternal organization specifically raises funds for on an annual basis. Despite the challenges brought on by the Covid pandemic and members not being able to have formal meetings because of local government and lodge district restrictions, the members were able to keep to the lodge’s commitment to support this cause and are committed to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
On receiving the contribution Mrs. Fergus, the Director of Social Services stated: “Once again this donation from St Anthony Lodge is timely and much appreciated as the department needs all the support it can get because of the great pressure on our limited resources brought on by the Covid pandemic and budgetary constraints.” The Director also urged the lodge and any other organization to continue to see what further support they can provide the department’s community support programmes so that they can reach out to more vulnerable persons especially at this time.
