I wish to give a salute to Wendy “Mac” McNamara, a special lady living in Posey County.

Who is Wendy “Mac” McNamara? She is a former assistant principal of North High School and former supervisor of social studies. In her 14 years with the school corporation she has also served as a teacher and department chair at Bosse High School and at Harrison High School. She is an adjunct professor of world history at the University of Southern Indiana and has taught political science and social studies methods at the University of Evansville.

Most recently, she was recognized by the Indiana Council for Economic Education as the Lawrence Senesh Administrator of the Year. She has been in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and received the Bosse Teacher of the Year Award for 2001-2002 and the Indiana National Guard Nighthawk Educator Award in 2000 and 2006.

Wendy is a member of the Indiana Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development(IASCD), Association for School Administrators (ASA), Indiana Association of Secondary School Principals (IASSP), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), Program of Excellence Committee Member and the Posey County Republican Women’s Club.

Wendy “Mac” McNamara lives in Mount Vernon area and is involved in future of the youth, the leaders of tomorrow. Because of her background in education some of her friends have donated to “The Friends of Beulah Lodge Scholarship” program in her name.

We on the Lodge Scholarship Committee wish to thank those who have given donations in Wendy’s name, and for the response of the brothers who gave a little extra when paying their dues. We are a long way from our goals of operating the scholarship fund solely from interest earned from investments [the economy the way it is today]. We would like to even increase the amount given in the future. I am not above asking that you give consideration to the future of the youth of the city that your Lodge calls home.

We were the first Lodge in our area and among the oldest if not the oldest Lodge in the state to have its own scholarship program, helping a senior from your own Lodge’s hometown — Mt. Vernon High School. The Friends of Beulah Lodge Scholarship Fund was started in 1993. For many years the scholarship check was written from a brother’s own check book. Now it is written from the fund itself. Noting that it is not written from “fund’s interest” only.

While I’m pulling on the cable-tow of my Brothers and the Friends of Beulah Lodge, we have another school related fund for your consideration. This was started February 12, 2007, and deals with children in the school system of Mt. Vernon. When the School Administer or School Nurse notifies the “Special Committee” of Beulah Lodge, [who has permission to act on the request within 48 hours, to use funds solely donated for this program] to help a needy child directly or indirectly, depending on the funds available or their contacts outside if the need is more larger than our funds on hand. This fund is “Beulah Masonic Children Fund. This year we have had several requests for help and the fund needs your help. These request have been screened by the school system and all we do is to help where it is
needed.

This program has also been used as a “Clearing House”, for a lack of a better word, to help other special children programs. Meaning that if a need comes to the committee by way of a special donation to children, and the donor doesn’t want his or her name used, then that money can only be used for that defined need, and the basic Beulah Masonic Children Fund is not touched.

Brothers, I know that there are good causes that come by you year round, and you can only help so much. We need to be active in our community, and as Masons we could use your help and that of your good friends. Remember these two funds have no overhead; every dollar received is spent on the children.

Thank you for your consideration of these two Lodge programs.

Fraternally Yours,

David Belcher, Editor