Charity groups welcome Freemasons’ grants

SURF Coast Freemasons have again handed out grants to community organisations in the region.

The $15,000 in grants were presented at a ceremony at Bomboras in Torquay late last month.

Surf Coast Freemasons – also known as the Lodge of the Great Ocean Road – raised the money via donations from members of the lodge as well as some support from Freemasons Foundation Victoria.

The recipients in 2020 were:

Torquay Food Aid, represented by president Michael Buckley, which will use $5,000 to assist with the purchase of household food items to support those in need in the community

Anglesea and Aireys Inlet Foodlink, represented by president Margaret Renkin, which will use $5,000 to assist with the purchase of household food items to support those in need in the community, and

The Anglesea and District War Memorial Appeal, represented by Angie Hunt, which will use $5,000 as financial aid to support the construction of a war memorial in Anglesea.

Since the Lodge of the Great Ocean Road started in 1985, it has donated more than $180,000 to various charitable entities, mostly along the Surf Coast.

As well as the $15,000 given out last month, Surf Coast Freemasons will also donate a further $3,200 through the Surf Coast Freemasons Junior Citizenship Awards.

The $200 awards are presented to two pupils at eight Surf Coast primary schools at the completion of Grade 6, typically towards the end of the year.

The funds are to assist those students with some of the costs of their further education.

The Lodge of the Great Ocean Road meets at the Torquay Improvement Association Building, 12 Price Street, Torquay.