EducationMadison Lodge No. 196 Donates $2,500 to the USD 386 Jump Start Program

Madison, Kansas (November 23, 2021)—The Kansas Masonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to benefitting Kansas communities, has partnered with Madison Lodge No. 196 to donate $2,500 to the Madison-Virgil USD 386 Jump Start Program, a program allowing high school juniors and seniors to enroll in free college courses from Butler County Community College. 

Founded in 1881, Madison Lodge No. 196 is a Kansas Masonic Lodge dedicated to Freemasonry, the oldest surviving fraternal organization in the world. The lodge has 33 Master Masons and supports various community organizations and events, including the community food bank, the Verdigris Valley Foundation, the local high school marching band, and the annual Kansas Masonic Essay Contest. The lodge also performs fundraising activities such as selling raffle tickets for the Kansas Masonic Foundation’s Thunderbird Raffle. 

“Since 2018, Madison Lodge No. 196 has donated a total of $3,000 to the Jump Start Program, with this being the first year following COVID-19 that our Brothers have been able to get out and fundraise,” said Madison Lodge No. 196 Secretary Joe Schindler. “In total, we were able to raise $1,250, which we are excited to donate to the organization, along with the matching funds from the Kansas Masonic Foundation.”

The mission of Madison Lodge No. 196 is to provide sufficient funding each year for any local high school junior or senior to enroll in Butler County Community College classes for free through the Jump Start Program. To further this mission, the Brothers at Madison Lodge No. 196 have teamed up with the Kansas Masonic Foundation to provide a monetary donation of $2,500 to USD 386 this year. The funds donated will help make the program available for as many local high school students who qualify for these free classes as possible, which will count toward both high school and college credits. A formal donation presentation will be made later this year.

About the Kansas Masonic Foundation:
As the philanthropic arm of Kansas Masons, the Kansas Masonic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to benefiting Kansas communities and supporting fellow Masons and their families. Since its inception, the foundation has invested more than $50 million in Kansas communities and individuals through funding academic, scientific, and charitable endeavors. For additional information about the Kansas Masonic Foundation and to get involved, click here.