Masons ‘give a helping hand’ to community

By Deborah Rose

For a while, it seemed we might be in for a fairly mild winter.

But in traditional New England fashion, Winter eventually reared its head, causing temperatures to plummet below freezing – and stick around.

This season often causes havoc for many individuals and families that face financial hardships when it comes to the rising cost of utilities and purchasing clothing and winter gear to stay warm.

Enter St. Peter’s Lodge No. 21, which recently completed its annual coat drive to benefit New Milford Social Services. 

“We are very grateful for the winter donations we have been receiving and we are able to get them out to the families we serve on a weekly basis, as the need presents,” said Social Services Director Ivana Butera.

The Masons' “commitment to help with this kind of need is incredibly appreciated and we are very thankful,” she said.

Impact of giving

The coat drive is the brainchild of Masonic lodge member and Master Mason Warren Hengel, who has coordinated the campaign for 14 years.

“One of the focuses of Free Masonry is to give back to the community,” Hengel said. “And what better way to give back to our community than to give back coats.”

This year yielded the largest donation to Social Services – 300-plus coats – to date.

It comes at a time when Social Services has experienced a 20 to 25 percent increase in individuals seeking the department’s services for several months, Butera said.

The town’s food bank, alone, has seen an average of more than 200 families each week (200-270 range of visits), according to the director.

Coats for individuals of all ages, from child to adult, are included in the Masons’ donation, which was delivered to Social Services Jan. 23 by Hengel and lodge Worshipful Master Dan Keeler.

In addition, a few heavier articles of clothing, such as sweatshirts, which can be layered, were included.

“This is amazing,” said Wanda Fyler, Social Services volunteer and program coordinator.

“This will help out a great deal of families,” Fyler said of the more than 20 bags of pre-washed coats delivered to Social Services located in the John Pettibone Community Center.

She said the department has recently welcomed many new families, some of whom are without any type of coat, even a lightweight one.

Butera said the department has a supply of outerwear to begin the winter season with, but noted the need to replenish in January seems to “be a bit more fierce than the last couple of years.”

Hengel shared his thankfulness for being able to provide hundreds of coats this year, unlike recent past years that yielded anywhere from handfuls to a few bags.

He credited Keeler as being instrumental in making this year’s collection so successful.

“Dan struck gold this year,” he said.

Many of the donations were acquired through a connection of Keeler’s, while other coats were collected among Masons and their friends and families.

“We’ve always been involved in the community,” Keeler related, “but this year we wanted to knock this out of the park.”

He praised Hengel for having coordinated the coat campaign for nearly 15 years and acknowledged his thoughtfulness.

“Warren has a giant heart,” Keeler said. “He’s a perfect exemplar of a good brother.”

Junior Warden Dan Whelan, 24, the lodge’s second youngest member, said he is “ecstatic” at the results of this year’s coat drive.

Both Hengel and Keeler reflected on their childhoods, recalling occasional financial challenges. Being able to give back to those in need of extra support through this Mason project is rewarding, they said.

“Any way we can give a helping hand is nice,” Keeler said. “To take a little burden off of individuals and families.” 

Keeler, a seven-year lodge member, said he is already looking forward to the next coat drive under Hengel’s leadership and indicated that that lodge may start the collection drive earlier than they did this winter.

In addition, he told Fayler that the Masons hope to donate as many coats as this year, if not more, for next winter.

Reaching out into the community

As the recently installed Worshipful Master, Keeler expressed his excitement about the lodge’s engagement with the community and emphasized how he hopes to expand some of the fraternity’s existing programs and possibly launch some new ones.

“We are going to ramp up our efforts,” he said. “Right now, we are exploring multiple additional avenues to give back to the community and be more involved than we already have been.”

Besides the coat collection, St. Peter’s offers a scholarship to two high school seniors (one male, one female) who are from New Milford and attend Abbott Tech who will continue in a trade.

“Now, we are looking at ways to increase that offering, as well as incorporate other trade-oriented schools that New Milford students attend,” Keeler related.

On top of the potential expanded scholarship program, Keeler said he would like to bridge youth interested in the trades with local businesses in some fashion, either through a mentorship program or something similar.

Freemasonry is the largest and oldest organization for men in the world outside of religious organizations.

It teaches and practices the fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons, the largest worldwide society that conceals at least some of its rituals, customs or activities from the public (secret societies do not necessarily conceal their membership or existence).

Whelan, a lodge member of six years, said his interest in membership was sparked by seeing the Masonic compass worn by a member, with whom he initiated a conversation.

“I had no idea what Freemasons were,” Whelan said. “And then I heard about how many of our founding fathers and 14 Presidents were Freemasons, and my general interest in history kind of just helped me pursue it.”

Now that Whelan has been involved for several years, he said he appreciates being involved and supporting the community in various ways.

 St. Peter’s Lodge Nov. 21 is located on Aspetuck Avenue in New Milford. Its official slogan is “Making Good Men Better” through brotherhood, fraternity and community involvement. Those interested in learning more about the lodge or becoming a member can visit https://ctfreemasons.net/.

Deborah Rose/Warren Hengel, Master Mason at St. Peter's Lodge No. 21 in New Milford, wheels in a few of the more than 20 bags of coats the lodge collected this winter for Social Services.

Deborah Rose/More than 300 coats were delivered to New Milford Social Services, thanks to a collection drive by St. Peter's Lodge No. 21 in town.

Deborah Rose/St. Peter's Lodge No. 21 Worship Master Dan Keeler, right, and Master Mason Warren Hengel recently delivered more than 20 bags of winter coats to New Milford Social Services.

Deborah Rose/Dan Keeler, worshipful master at St. Peter's Lodge No. 21 in New Milford, adds more bags to the already overflowing pile of donated coats from the lodge.

Deborah Rose/Wanda Fyler, New Milford Social Services volunteer and program coordinator, receives a delivery of coats from Master Mason Warren Hengel.

Deborah Rose/Dan Keeler arranges the pile of donated coats so the bags don't spill.