EducationAtwood Lodge No. 164 Donates $2,000 to the USD 105 Family Book Carnival

Atwood, Kansas (November 24, 2021)—The Kansas Masonic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to benefitting Kansas communities, has partnered with Atwood Lodge No. 164 to donate $2,000 to the USD 105 Family Book Carnival, an event where students and family members enjoyed a free meal and carnival games while earning points to redeem for books. 

Founded in 1895, Atwood Lodge No. 164 is a Kansas Masonic Lodge dedicated to Freemasonry, the oldest surviving fraternal organization in the world. The lodge has 53 active members and supports various community organizations and events, including Rawlins County Schools, the local community theater, Atwood City Library, the Atwood Awana Program, the Rawlins County Health Center, Rod Run Fireworks, and the local youth center. The Brothers at Atwood Lodge No. 164 have also provided numerous college scholarships to local students and hosted fundraisers to benefit the local fire department and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

“Our lodge has a long history of helping with needy projects that provide a positive improvement in our citizens and community,” said Atwood Lodge No. 164 Secretary Dave Brown. 

Because parent and family engagement activities have been found to promote meaningful communication between homes and schools as well as encourage active involvement from families in the school community, the Brothers at Atwood Lodge No. 164 have teamed up with the Kansas Masonic Foundation to help host a fall festival where students and families were afforded the opportunity to enjoy dinner at school and participate in carnival games, that they could later redeem for books. This fall festival coincided with the district’s Scholastic Book Fair, providing families with a great opportunity to add new books to their at-home library, with twenty-five percent of all purchases being re-invested in the school to replace and add books to the district library. The $2,000 donation provided by Atwood Lodge No. 164 in combination with the Kansas Masonic Foundation helped provide meals to 235 students and parents, and a formal donation presentation was previously made on November 17, 2021.

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.