With the vicissitudes of winter upon us it was absolutely time to get our relief to area shelters. And despite the core leadership of the Lodge being out of state, despite key elements of our project lost in transit, and despite having fewer than 24 hours to complete 450+ kits, Friendship persevered.
For several years now Friendship Lodge has partnered with several homeless outreach services in Portland. The primary beneficiaries being Operation Nightwatch and Hereford House.
While many of the brethren donate of their own time to support such works, Friendship has committed to producing an increasing supply of “homeless kits”: some basic essentials to staying alive and hygienic for those unfortunate enough to be sleeping rough, and more sadly, those who the shelters have to turn away for lack of space.
Things like wool socks, bootlaces, Mylar blankets, toothpaste and rain ponchos may seem trivial to most of us, but are game changing for anyone with nowhere to turn from the elements. And tarps. “Tarps are like gold” we were once told by an outreach coordinator. They have become a cornerstone of our kits.
With multiple brothers away, delivery delays, and wintry weather bearing down time was of the essence.
Winter took its time coming to Portland this year, but it made up for it in volume. Following a week of freezing nighttime temperatures, the ever-promised rains followed.
Several obstacles were threatening our success. Multiple members of the planning group (including the Worshipful Master himself) were out of state on family business. And that key ingredient? The tarps? They were lost in some warehouse somewhere in Portland until one tenacious Brother made a breakthrough the day before the planned delivery.
Come Thursday, the Worshipful Master-Elect coordinated six men to assist in assembling the kits from 20-odd disparate boxes over the course of several hours. Working hard against the clock these brothers exceeded reasonable expectations – assembling all 450+ kits and making the scheduled deliveries to Operation Nightwatch before they closed for the week.
I should mention that while Friendship Lodge makes an effort twice a year to help our area homeless shelters in this manner, we are always committed to contributing to the relief of distressed people, and would always welcome any support in these labors.
A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.
Worshipful Brother Alphonse Cerza
