Tag Archive for: #masonichomeforchildrenatoxford

Masonic Home for Children

Visit Sept. 15 Open House At MHCO To Learn More About Community Support Center

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Plans are underway to create a community support center on the campus of the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford to offer resources, training and other services to families in the community.

Through a partnership with the Granville County United Way, FGV Smart Start, Granville Education Foundation and Baptist Children’s Home the Masonic Home for Children invites interested community agencies  to an open house on Thursday, Sept. 15. Drop by between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to learn more about how to identify and address family needs, provide services, network and make referrals for services on behalf of families in need.

Some of the proposed services include:

  • Parenting Education
  • Nutrition Classes
  • Family Counseling
  • Foster Care Training
  • Adolescent Group Counseling
  • Financial Management Education
  • Recreation
  • Networking to a variety of services

Visitors can come to the Parham Cottage at the children’s home, whose main campus is located at 600 College St., Oxford.

MHC Homecoming Oct. 7-9 Offers Something For Everyone – Music, Food, Fellowship

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The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford is gearing up for its Homecoming festival in early October – there’s a golf tourney, barbecue contest a parade and plenty of live music sure to provide plenty of entertainment for all in attendance.

The 10th annual festival, cancelled in 2021 because of COVID-19, is set for Saturday, Oct. 8, according to information from MHCO. The free event is open to the public and includes campus tours, food trucks and a kid zone as well as alumni and homecoming activities.

The barbecue contest teams assemble and set up on Friday afternoon, followed by DJ Reese’s music and then an evening performance by the band East Coast Rhythm and Blues.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, beginning at the fire department and continuing down College Street to the MHCO campus, 600 College St.

This year’s Grand Marshal is Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker, meteorologist for ABC11 Eyewitness News.

The Saturday schedule is jam-packed with activities, including an afternoon concert by the band Too Much Sylvia.

The 24th annual Chip Shots for Children charity golf tournament will take place on Friday, Oct. 7 at South Granville Country Club & Golf Course. Contact Eddie Dickerson at 919.441.3003 to learn more about registering for this event.

A light breakfast will be provided at registration, which begins at 7:30 a.m., with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Registration fee is $75. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $700,000 for the Masonic Home for Children.

Teams of up to 5 people can register for the barbecue contest. Registration is $100 per team and contest details, as well as the complete schedule of events, can be found at https://mhc-oxford.org/masonic-homecoming-festival/

The Local Skinny! BBQ Fundraiser Will Benefit Masonic Home In Oxford

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The John H. Mills Masonic Lodge 624 in Epsom is having a barbecue fundraiser coming up on April 2, and Jeremy Hetrick, local lodge secretary, said tickets are on sale now from any lodge member.

Hetrick spoke with John C. Rose and Bill Harris about the upcoming event on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny! One-pound containers of pork barbecue will be ready for pickup at the lodge on Saturday, April 2 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $10. The lodge is located on NC Hwy 39 in Epsom, just across from the fire department.

Proceeds will benefit lodge activities and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford.

Hetrick is retired from the U.S. Army and currently is commander of the Department of American Legion Division 1. He works full-time at Henderson Collegiate Charter School and also is a member of the Henderson Masonic Lodge.

The Henderson and Epsom lodges are in the same 13th district of the Division 1, which includes a total of 49 lodges from Person County all the way to the Outer Banks and toward the Wilson area, he said.

The Epsom lodge was founded in 1935 by local farmers who decided to name it after a local minister and Mason, who was instrumental in the founding of the orphanage in Oxford.

Hetrick explained that it was Mills who recognized the need for a home for the numerous orphans at the end of the Civil War.

The group is being a little conservative this year with how many pounds of barbecue they’re producing, largely due to the fact that the fundraiser hasn’t been held in a couple of years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re only going to do 500 this year,” Hetrick said, about half the amount as in previous pre-COVID-19 years.

He encourages anyone interested in purchasing a ticket to do so now – there won’t be many left as the April 2 event day nears. Lodge members will oversee the cooking, which will begin by mid-afternoon on Friday. The pork butts will cook all night and then will be chopped and put in containers Saturday morning in time for pickup.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Hetrick at 252.204.4742.

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COVID-19 Concerns Halt MHCO Homecoming Event For Second Straight Year

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The 2021 Homecoming celebration at Masonic Home for Children in Oxford has been cancelled, marking the second year in a row that plans have had to be put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MHCO Administrator Kevin Otis issued a statement to WIZS News stating that the event would be cancelled due to health concerns. The executive committee of the board made the decision, with staff input, Otis said.

“We’re going to have a quiet weekend,” Otis said, adding that perhaps some sort of special meal would be shared by those on campus.

The event had been scheduled for Oct. 7-9, with food trucks, children’s activities, parade, live music and a barbecue cookoff, just to name a few.

The homecoming weekend is a time when alumni, Shriners, Masons, staff and families converge to have fun, reminisce and conduct business.

Visit mhc-oxford.org to learn more about services MHCO provides or to donate.

New Parade Time, Route for Masonic Home’s 8th Annual Homecoming Festival

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Kevin Otis, administrator with the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the upcoming 8th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival.

The two-day event kicks off Friday, October 12 at 9 a.m. with the 20th Annual “Chip Shots for Children” golf tournament at South Granville Country Club. Sponsored by the Masonic Home’s Alumni Association, the shotgun start tournament raises funds for the Home’s current youth.

Food preparation gets underway at 5 p.m. on Friday as the BBQ teams begin cooking “under the oaks.” Teams will compete in best BBQ categories and prepare food for the masses expected to attend events on Saturday.

New to the homecoming festivities this year, The Moonlighters Orchestra, an 11-piece brass and string ensemble, will begin playing at 6 p.m. on Friday evening. While BBQ teams are cooking, the orchestra will entertain with “everything from big band, to rock and roll and beach music.”

The fun continues on Saturday, October 13 with the annual homecoming parade, BBQ feast, live music, campus tours, games and activities for the entire family.

The popular scrap exchange sponsored by the South Granville Rotary Club will allow visitors to repurpose old items into something new. “They have stuff that most people would throw away. Instead of throwing it away, they bring it all together and give you ideas of how you can take scraps and turn them into something fun,” Otis said.

This year’s parade will have both a later start time and a different route than previous years. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. in front of the fire station on McClanahan St. and run down College St. to the front gates of the Masonic Home.

“Saturday is our big day,” said Otis. “School groups, Masonic groups and Shriners all come together. It’s a lot of fun for the whole family.”

Following the parade, the pit will open at noon for a $10 lunch of BBQ, fixings and a drink. Tickets can be purchased on-site.

At 12:30 p.m., Bryan Mayer, country music’s “biggest performer” at 6 foot, 8 inches tall will take the stage.

With questions or if you are interested in playing in the golf tournament or hosting a BBQ team, please call the Masonic Home at (919) 693-5111.

Oxford’s Masonic Home to Hold 8th Annual Homecoming Festival

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-Information and flyer courtesy the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford website

Please plan to join The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford for the 8th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival October 12 – 14, 2018. This celebration of North Carolina’s first Home for children honors those who have lived here and those who have made it possible – our Masons.

The weekend kicks off Friday, October 12 with the Oxford Orphanage/Masonic Home for Children Alumni Association’s annual golf tournament, Chipshots for Children. Spend Friday evening at MHCO’s Yard Party featuring music from The Moonlighters Orchestra.

Join us again on Saturday, October 13 to enjoy the state’s best Shrine parade, dance to the music of Bryan Mayer, and enjoy delicious BBQ and chicken on campus, courtesy of our cooking teams or participate as your own BBQ team.

While at our Home, celebrate our Masonic history of charity and visit the Sallie Mae Ligon Museum and Archives, take a tour of the children’s cottages, and see the School of Graphic Arts.  Make this a weekend trip, enjoy all the activities and support our Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.  Hope to see you there!

Visit www.mhc-oxford.org for more information and updates.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Masonic Home for Children

Masonic Home for Children at Oxford to Hold Annual Public Service Appreciation Day

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-Information courtesy Gene Purvis, Vocational Counselor, Masonic Home for Children at Oxford

The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, 600 College St., Oxford, will hold its 6th Annual Public Service Appreciation Day on Friday, July 13, 2018. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Public service workers who received invitations to the event include those from the Oxford Police Department, Granville County Sheriff’s Office, EMS personnel, Oxford Fire Department, City Commissioners, City Manager, County Manager, Mayor and postal employees.

The luncheon will be held by the children and staff of the Masonic Home in appreciation of all that public service workers do to make the Oxford community a better place.

According to the invitation sent by the Masonic Home, “We recognize the dedication you demonstrate and the long hours and often difficult work that you do. For providing this valuable service to our community, we would like to say thank you and demonstrate our appreciation by treating you to lunch.”

While lunch is served, Masonic Home staff will provide free car washes to the guests of honor.

Please RSVP to (919) 603-3923 or email gpurvis@mhc-oxford.org by Friday, July 6, 2018, with the number from your department who plan to attend the luncheon.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Masonic Home for Children

Masonic Home for Children Landscape Day 4-14-18

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Submitted by Jennifer Grimes, Financial Development Assistant, The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, Inc. Click the story above to visit www.mhc-oxford.org

7th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival Saturday

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The 7th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival continues tomorrow, Saturday, October 14th.

Every year Oxford welcomes home all of its Masonic Home for Children alumni in the fall. Head Administrator for the institution Kevin Otis talked with WIZS TownTalk this past Wednesday – click here for the Oct 11th archive.

Otis said Saturday morning at 9:30 features the largest and best Shrine parade, followed by campus tours and folks can check out the print shop.  He said it’s a family friendly event with great activities for kids.  There’ll be great food on site at the BBQ pit followed by Jim Quick and Coastline with live, free beach music at noon, according to Otis.

The Granville County Tourism web page, at https://www.visitgranvillenc.com/fall, describes it as a “celebration of North Carolina’s oldest and first home for children.”  Check out more at https://mhc-xford.org/masonic-homecoming-festival.

While on TownTalk, Otis discussed the vocational and educational aspects among other topics concerning the Masonic Home and how it serves Vance and Granville Counties and, in fact, 26 counties in NC.

(Granville County Tourism and The Masonic Home for Children are paying advertising clients of WIZS.)

Granville Chamber, Granville Health System and Masonic Home for Children to Host New Teacher Breakfast

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce and Granville Health System are sponsoring the annual New Teacher Breakfast on Friday, August 18th at 7:30 am in the cafeteria at the Masonic Home for Children – Oxford. This event welcomes and recognizes new employees to the Granville County School system and allows them an opportunity to meet local elected officials, as well as  business and agency leaders in Granville County.

Presiding will be Kyle Puryear, President of the Chamber, with remarks from Dr. Lee Isley, Chief Executive Officer of Granville Health System, event sponsor.

Granville County Chamber banks, real estate, property management and insurance members are being invited to set up business displays to provide information for the newcomers.  Chamber of Commerce member businesses contribute items for gift bags for the 100 new teacher employees.  Businesses interested in donating gift bag items should contact either of the Chamber’s offices – Toni Anne Wheeler, 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com or Wanda Garrett, 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com.