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Fundraising

Breakingstereotypes

Registered User
My brothers,

I've been posting recently, in anticipation of my impending MM degree.

Lately, my home lodge has been involved in fundraising, but for other charities, exhausting the lodge's funds. Other then dues, are there fundraisers that your lodge does to build up the fund?

I would love to hear general fundraising ideas as well!!

Fraternally,

John
 

Bloke

Premium Member
Trivia Nights are always good.
Passing the hat often works.
Raffles are easy
Many lodges here hold dinner dances and dinners where they chase big funds using ticket cost, raffles and silent auctions and games.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
When I get back in the line here, I'd like to maybe do a 5K type of fundraiser. I know those do well here as a lot of folks run. Charge 20-25 bucks, give the participants a t-shirt with the Masonic symbol and whatever charity's symbol as well. Have half of your proceeds go to some local charity such as Shriners or otherwise and then have the other half go to the lodge. You could do more than one per year as well if running is a big thing where you are. This also would do a little advertising for your lodge and may increase growth among younger gents who run and are into those sort of things.

I'm sure your lodge does this already, but you could rent out your lodge if it's nice enough for receptions or whatever. You could even have other groups (masonic or non-masonic) rent it out for use on nights you don't use it. For example, OTO or HOGD, Martinist groups or if a certain appendant body is struggling to pay their current rent or looking for a permanent 'home', you could offer something affordable perhaps.
 

CLewey44

Registered User
One of the lodges that I belong to, Suburban 740, has a big fish fry every Saturday March through November and has some of the best fish in the city. The place is always packed.
That sounds like a big success. I know in OK they had weekly pancake dinners haha. They did ok. They may get a handful of retirees coming in for some breakfast. I think an evening even, fish fry, maybe even a little music if someone in the lodge plays would be cool too.
 

Howard Giang

Registered User
I'd like to maybe do a 5K type of fundraiser. I know those do well here as a lot of folks run. Charge 20-25 bucks, give the participants a t-shirt with the Masonic symbol and whatever charity's symbol as well.
This type of fundraising generates a lot of participants and moneys. Last year, I participated and ran 10 miles for “Run for the hunger campaign”. My estimation of about 8-10 thousand participants were there on that day. However, putting up this type of event requires a lot of volunteers. If done correctly, it can generate over a million in $ revenue including info commercial ads, etc.
 

Howard Giang

Registered User
Trivia Nights are always good.
Passing the hat often works.
Raffles are easy
Many lodges here hold dinner dances and dinners where they chase big funds using ticket cost, raffles and silent auctions and games.
I like the idea of having a formal dressed night including dance and dinner that includes a spouse as a fundraising event. Auction off some donated collectible items before dinner and dance would be great too. The money can be raised from over bidding bidders to impress their wives.
 

KentuckyMason

Registered User
Put on a car show! Determine a registration fee. Determine a charity to donate to. Scout out businesses that will donate promotional items for charity. Use these items along with other donated items to have various raffles or bids on gift baskets with said items. The lodge will hopefully attract men interested in our fraternity as well. It's a win win. My lodge has done this 3 years so far. It keeps growing and growing each year. Lots of fun, good money maker.
 

Howard Giang

Registered User
Put on a car show! Determine a registration fee. Determine a charity to donate to. Scout out businesses that will donate promotional items for charity. Use these items along with other donated items to have various raffles or bids on gift baskets with said items. The lodge will hopefully attract men interested in our fraternity as well. It's a win win. My lodge has done this 3 years so far. It keeps growing and growing each year. Lots of fun, good money maker.
Great ideas! Missed this place.
 

Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
We hire the hall out to other organisations and to private parties, from Zumba classes to Funerals and Birthday parties, (it helps having a bar and a kitchen). At every meeting we have 2 collections and a raffle, and then twice a year we hold a Cork Lodge. As an individual I raised £1918 for the Poppy Appeal last year, to mark the centenary of the end of WW1, by selling etched and engraved glassware. I now donate half my profits to my Mother Lodge for the charity fund.
 

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Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
Brother, I would be grateful if you explained to me what a Cork Lodge is..

Cork Lodges are a "fun" or "side" degree. Membership is open to all Master Masons in good standing. Our sole aim (more or less) is to raise money for children's charities. As with any lodge, we also want to have loads of fun in so doing, and imbibe, a bit. The "flavour" of the meeting is distinctly nautical, and all lodge officers have naval titles - the Master, for example, is referred to as the Admiral, the treasurer is called the purser and so on. It's a rather affectionate parody of RAM.
As well as partaking in the occasional drop of liquid refreshment, we also get to wear hats during the meeting - the only degree where hat wearing is compulsory. (KTs might disagree, but we get to choose our head-gear - and the sillier, the better!)
We hold raffles and an auction whilst enjoying the company of brethren from many lodges across Scotland and the all important bit is the money raised is for Children's charities.
 
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Bloke

Premium Member
Cork Lodges are a "fun" or "side" degree. Membership is open to all Master Masons in good standing. Our sole aim (more or less) is to raise money for children's charities. As with any lodge, we also want to have loads of fun in so doing, and imbibe, a bit. The "flavour" of the meeting is distinctly nautical, and all lodge officers have naval titles - the Master, for example, is referred to as the Admiral, the treasurer is called the purser and so on. It's a rather affectionate parody of RAM.
As well as partaking in the occasional drop of liquid refreshment, we also get to wear hats during the meeting - the only degree where hat wearing is compulsory. (KTs might disagree, but we get to choose our head-gear - and the sillier, the better!)
We hold raffles and an auction whilst enjoying the company of brethren from many lodges across Scotland and the all important bit is the money raised is for Children's charities.
Thanks Bro - do the RAM guys think it is a parody of the Royal Ark Mariners (or do you mean Royal Arch Masons) and am pretty sure there are other degrees where hat wearing is compulsory, such as a Craft WM in many places in the USA, the Shrine, Grotto but there in the UK, I think you will find the KTPs in hats ? (or do the KTPs there come under the KTs - here they are a separate body ?)
 

Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
Thanks Bro - do the RAM guys think it is a parody of the Royal Ark Mariners (or do you mean Royal Arch Masons) and am pretty sure there are other degrees where hat wearing is compulsory, such as a Craft WM in many places in the USA, the Shrine, Grotto but there in the UK, I think you will find the KTPs in hats ? (or do the KTPs there come under the KTs - here they are a separate body ?)

yes, Royal Ark Mariners, we have a few that attend, as it's all for charity with a whole heap of fun thrown in. I wouldn't know about the KTP, or even much about the KT here, I've only been a MM for a year, so I'm just enjoying my masonic journey and think it's far too early for me to be looking at other bodies.
 

Mark Stockdale

Premium Member
We have a Facebook page 'Fife Masonic News' and as a group we have just donated another £1918 to the Poppy Appeal, most of which was organised by 1 Brother, who bought and sold masonic items, with all profits being donated. There was also a raffle, with the usual prizes of alcohol and various other masonic bits and pieces, including a special plate as first prize. A cheque for the £1918 was presented to PoppyScotland earlier this week. Then the winner of the plate announced he would like it to be auctioned to raise yet more funds, and has made a further £270 on it's own today.

What's so special about the plate, well it dates back to when there were 50 Lodges in our province, (now only 49) and has the names and numbers of the 50 lodges showing on the front. On the back of the plate are the signatures of the current Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, as well as the Immediate Past GMM and the Provincial Grand Master of The Provincial Grand Lodge of Fife and Kinross, so a truly unique piece of Scottish Freemason history.
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Plateback.jpg
 

Winter

Premium Member
What's so special about the plate, well it dates back to when there were 50 Lodges in our province, (now only 49) and has the names and numbers of the 50 lodges showing on the front. On the back of the plate are the signatures of the current Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, as well as the Immediate Past GMM and the Provincial Grand Master of The Provincial Grand Lodge of Fife and Kinross, so a truly unique piece of Scottish Freemason history.
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That plate is amazing. Is there any way for people to buy one or are they no longer produced?
 
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