It is with great appreciation that Masonic Villages acknowledges the many gifts in support of the Masonic Children's Home Wish Lists that have been published in recent months. The outpouring of generosity from lodges, the Grand Chapter and very gracious individuals has been most gratifying. As a result of the tremendous caring for young people, many of the Masonic Children's Home Wish List items have now been supported, including office desks, dining room chairs, a stove, a fan and a deck for one of the cottages.

The Masonic Children's Home Wish List items are things that make a difference for the children in a practical way every day. These items support the educational and recreational needs of the youth, as well as the essential operational functions of the home. A childhood without a bicycle? No computer access in today's world? A shortage of modern office equipment for managing the home? Fortunately for our youth, the generous Masonic and Eastern Star communities have stepped forward to ensure that our children are on equal footing with other children their age.

Because the Wish List items for our youth have been supported so generously, we now turn to the needs of the villages' older residents with the publication this month of the Masonic Villages' Wish List. As many readers will recognize from Chief Executive Officer Bro. Joseph E. Murphy's communications in recent months, the challenging economy has affected the Masonic Villages' budgets, cutting out many vital capital purchases that would normally be made for the fulfillment of our Mission of Love.

The items in the Masonic Villages' Wish List below serve the needs of residents receiving health care services, as well as the broader campuses. Contributions to support these needs will be hard-working gifts indeed, bringing physical aid and comfort to village residents every day. For further information, please call the Office of Gift Planning at (800) 599-6454.

WISH LIST ITEMS NEEDED Quantity Capital Need Cost per Single Item Total Cost Masonic Village at Elizabethtown 10 APM2 mattresses $1,000 $10,000 2 Bariatric beds $5,000 $10,000 4 Specialty Wheelchairs $1,500 $6,000 2 Whirlpool Tubs $20,000 $40,000 Children's Home 10 Chairs for Study Room $200 $2,000 1 Locked Cabinet $1,146 $1,146 1 Pool Slide for Outdoor Pool $15,000 $15,000   Vacations/Day Trips     Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill 1 Boiler Pump and Valve System $31,000 $31,000 Masonic Village at Sewickley 2 Menu Boards $300 $600 4 Alternating Pressure Mattresses $1,000 $4,000 85 Light Switch Pull Chords $10 $850 33 Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Tickets- Nursing Care Resident Outing $24 $792 24 Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Tickets- Personal Care Resident Outing $24 $576 24 Kennywood Day Trip-Personal Care Resident Outing $24 $576 18 Just Ducky Tour-Personal Care Resident Outing $19 $342 18 Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium- Personal Care Outing $17 $306 12 Ed Min Tour-Personal Care Resident Outing $8 $96 Masonic Village at Warminster 1 Hand Held Pulse Oximeter $800 $800 1 Single Unit Freezer $3,800 $3,800