Our Projects

Our Projects....

Defibrillator Program

Sixth-grader saved with school’s new AED

On a morning in late October, sixth-grade student Daniel Golden, 11, collapsed at the bottom of a staircase at the Monsignor McHugh School in Cresco, Pennsylvania. School nurse, Theresa O’Malley, and a crisis response team, rushed to his side with the school’s new automated external defibrillator (AED). Among the responders was Daniel’s mother, Karen Golden, who teaches seventh and eighth grades. After several shocks, Daniel’s heartbeat was restored and he was taken to Scranton Mercy Hospital, where he is recuperating. Daniel has a congenital heart defect and has previously undergone four open-heart surgeries.

The AED had been donated to the school less than two weeks earlier through the Gregory W. Moyer Defibrillator Fund, which received a matching grant from the J. Simpson Africa Lodge #628, Free and Accepted Masons. The fund was established in honor of Gregory Moyer whose death during a school basketball game last December inspired a movement to provide defibrillators to schools in Pennsylvania.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a condition in which the heart stops, without warning. An SCA will result in death of the victim if not treated immediately. In most instances, emergency care providers cannot get there fast enough. In this day and age, the victim may have a chance with the help of an on-site AED Automated External Defibrillator

The New Logo for 2007

D.A.R.E. Staff and Consultants

The D.A.R.E. Cheer team

Miss Teen USA with Daren-the-Lion and one of her fans

The Official DARE Safety Buddy, RETRO BILL

with High School DARE Role-Models

The Official Rimrock Masonic Center DARE Car Show Held At our lodge, the proceeds going to DARE and CHIPS. JSA Helping the community!

D.A.R.E. Community Support

JSA Lodge supports the D.A.R.E. program in Monroe County PA through Phil Riley and the Pocono Township Police. Here the funds are put to use in instructing our local youth to be better citizens and to really buy into the D.A.R.E. process. We support them through our annual car show the last weekend of July and through fund raising projects like raffles and dinners.

This year millions of school children around the world will benefit from D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

Here is some new stuff in 2007 that we are helping with!

The Launching of D.A.R.E. America

Overwhelming national and international demand for D.A.R.E. led to the creation of D.A.R.E. America, a national non-profit organization. D.A.R.E. America serves as a resource to communities, helping to establish and improve local D.A.R.E. programs. D.A.R.E. America provides officer training, supports the development and evaluation of the D.A.R.E. curriculum, provides student educational materials, monitors instruction standards and program results, and creates national awareness for D.A.R.E.

Specially Trained Cops Assigned D.A.R.E. Classroom "Beats"

The D.A.R.E. curriculum is designed to be taught by police officers whose training and experience gave them the background needed to answer the sophisticated questions often posed by young students about drugs and crime. Prior to entering the D.A.R.E. program, officers undergo 80 hours of special training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques, and communication skills. 40 hours of additional training are provided to D.A.R.E. instructors to prepare them to teach the high school curriculum.

D.A.R.E. Receives High Marks From America's Leaders

Presidential administrations, governors, members of congress, and state legislators have praised D.A.R.E. Since 1988, Presidential Proclamation declares one day each year National D.A.R.E. Day. State legislatures have joined with the President and Congress by proclaiming D.A.R.E. day within their respective states.

D.A.R.E. Training is Unique

D.A.R.E. goes beyond traditional drug abuse and violence prevention programs. It gives children the skills needed to recognize and resist the subtle and overt pressures that cause them to experiment with drugs or become involved in gangs or violent activities.

D.A.R.E. is Community Policing

D.A.R.E. is universally viewed as an internationally recognized model of community policing. The United States Department of Justice has identified how D.A.R.E. benefits local communities:

D.A.R.E. "humanizes" the police: that is, young people can begin to relate to officers as people

D.A.R.E. permits students to see officers in a helping role, not just an enforcement role

D.A.R.E. opens lines of communication between law enforcement and youth

D.A.R.E. Officers can serve as conduits to provide information beyond drug-related topics

D.A.R.E. opens dialogue between the school, police, and parents to deal with other issues

The New D.A.R.E. classroom lessons

Never satisfied, D.A.R.E. America is moving forward with an even better and improved D.A.R.E. program. In fact, it is in the tenth revision of the program. Recognizing that no other school-based program possesses the delivery system of D.A.R.E., the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has provided a generous grant to the University of Akron to develop and test a new D.A.R.E. curriculum. This new state-of-the art substance abuse prevention curriculum will be tested and evaluated over a five-year period with over 50,000 students in six U.S. cities. The goal is to design and test the next generation of science-based program.

The bottom line--to combine the best research and science with the world's most effective delivery system--D.A.R.E.

Some of the car owners have poured thousands of dollars into their cars!

Run For The Red!

JSA Supports The Red Cross with a Water Station for the second year!

May 6, 2007, is the second time more than 1,000 distance runners from Pennsylvania and beyond took part in an officially certified 26.2 mile marathon course through some of the most beautiful scenery in Pennsylvania. and for the second year J. Simpson Africa Lodge #628 was there. At the water stop was George Mason, WM, Secretary Ken Foulkes, Past Master Kevin Booth, and Ray Unger from Pocono Lodge come out. Marc Boorstien allowed the use of his generator, and Jason Foley got out of work long enough to join us as well. Also there were Lee Leonard, Ellen Mason, Zach Mason, Don Mason, his girlfriend Margie, Laura, and Leslie Mason, Linsey Booth and her boyfriend Scott, little Steve Booth, was a BIG help and his mom Sandy Booth. If there were any others this year that I let out, let me know and I will gladly add them!

The race began at 8am at the Clear Run Elementary School on Route 611 in Coolbaugh Township (Near Tobyhanna). The course then traveled through Mt. Pocono onto PA Routes 940 and 191 through Paradise Valley, Henryville, Analomink, and eventually into Stroudsburg, ending at the Stroudsburg High School stadium. The fast course was designed by experienced marathon runners and includes a drop in elevation of nearly 1500 feet. Check out the website for course details and elevation chart - www.poconomarathon.org

We had the first water stop at the Tobyhanna firehouse. It was a cold morning 40 degrees with a northeast wind.

“The success of last year’s marathon was possible due to a tremendous amount of community support, “ according to Race Director Bob Werts, “ and we had even more support for the second annual marathon.”

The Pocono Mountain Run for the Red Marathon benefited the Monroe County Chapter of the American Red Cross. All funds received will go directly to the local chapter’s disaster relief efforts.

Registration was simple, and can be accessed through our website or by visiting www.Active.com . Runners got great results with accurate chip timing. The top finishing male and female received a cash prize of $2,000. All runners who finished the marathon received a medal and high quality souvenir shirt, as

well as a “Goody Bag” stuffed with great items.

Race day also included a Run for the Red –5K Road Race. The 5K run finished at the Stroudsburg High School Stadium. Werts said “This encouraged runners who might not ordinarily think of running a full marathon the opportunity to support our local Red Cross chapter by joining the event and running a shorter distance.”

The Pocono Mountain Run for the Red Marathon is a huge undertaking for the local American Red Cross of Monroe County and volunteers are needed. Martha LaBar, Executive Director for the American Red Cross of Monroe County said, “This event will be a tremendous help for our disaster relief program, and I hope many people will come out to run and to volunteer to help!”

Anyone wishing to volunteer next year or find out more about sponsorship opportunities should contact the Red Cross of Monroe County at 570-476-3800 or visit the website.

www.poconomarathon.org

Jason Foley started the idea for the lodge to join this community project to help the red cross last year. The funds for the water station come out of out charity fundraising effort. An ongoing process to help the community. Those that survived the 1955 flood disaster in the Stroudsburgs, and the other floods that we have had since know how valuable the red cross services are and how much we need to support this worthwhile cause.

All runners were winners that day in 2006 and in 2007,no matter what time they came in!

JSA 628!

Helping the community!

Worshipful Master 2007 George T. Mason spins some tunes to encourage the runners!

Jason Foley And Lee Leonard Discuss the temperature and the wind!

Kevin C. Booth, PM Passes Out Gatorade to the runners!

Linsey Booth can attest that mixing Gatorade in 40 degrees with winds can make a person real cold!

The runners really appreciated Freemasonry that day. A cold drink and some music to run by!

Monroe County

Diabetes Society

Getting to know the enemy!


	Diabetes. When carbohydrates enter the body, they are broken down into glucose (sugar), which is absorbed into the blood. Upon absorption, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which allows the glucose to be absorbed into the body’s tissues and cells. Diabetes results when the body is unable to produce sufficient amounts of insulin or does not respond to the insulin produced. As a result, there is a glucose buildup in the body. This buildup can cause an increase in high blood pressure, high levels of LDL cholesterol, and obesity, which all contribute to cardiovascular disease. A controlled diet, regular exercise, and blood glucose testing, as well as oral medication and insulin injections can help patients with diabetes.



	The SYMPTOMS of DIABETES are: Passing large amounts of urine* often, and waking several times at night to go.* Thirst out of the ordinary. Rapid weight loss. Frequent or severe skin and vaginal infections* with non-virulent bugs - candidiasis, thrush, boils, ringworm.* Left untreated the symptoms of diabetes are: Coma. Breath that smells like nail-polish remover. Deep 'sighing' breathing.


	A glucose meter (or glucometer) is a medical device for determining the approximate concentration of glucose in the blood. It is a key element of home blood glucose monitoring (HBGM) by people with diabetes mellitus or with proneness to hypoglycemia. A small drop of blood obtained by pricking the skin with a lancet is placed on a disposable test strip, which the meter reads and uses to calculate the blood glucose level. The meter then displays the level in mg/dl or mmol/l.

The Monroe County Diabetes Society was established in 1987 as a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization with an EIN # 23-2448442.

MCDS was organized by a group of individuals who wanted to make a difference in the lives of all diabetics in Monroe County regardless of their affluence or social standing. Each year through various fund raising efforts, grants and memorial donations, we assist individuals and other organizations to better the lives of diabetics in Monroe County.

Education is key to their organization. Every month they hold meetings to provide speakers to answer questions regarding nutrition, insurance coverage, foot care, eye care, research accomplishments, etc; this is done by numerous health care professionals who donate their time to our organization including family physicians, diabetic specialists, dietitians, pharmacists and others. Our local hospital provides ADA diabetic education classes for adults which we help support by providing the funds for those who cannot afford to attend otherwise, at a cost of almost $200 last year.

Children's education can best be done by sending the kids to special diabetic camps. These camping programs teach the kids how to lead daily lives with diabetes and not be different from any of their friends. The children also find out they are not alone, there are many other kids just like themselves. The camps are all ADA approved and run by professionals who learn about the child from his/her family and physician ahead of time. Some of the children we send eventually help the camps as a counselor or mentor for younger children who have just been diagnosed. Each year we send 10 or more local children to these camps, at a cost of almost $5,500 last year.

Local diabetics are given immediate temporary health care assistance with any and sometimes all of the following medical supplies: a glucometer, test strips, lancets, needles, and prescriptions including insulin and oral medications. These are needed supplies for a one-month period of time until the individual can find permanent coverage through insurance or government programs such as Medicare or Medical Assistance. The cost to us to provide these supplies last year was almost $3,000.

All funds received go directly to assisting diabetics in Monroe County, all of their officers and staff are volunteers and their office space and supplies are donated by other local non-profit organizations such as ourselves.

J. Simpson Africa Lodge is proud to help out in this worthwhile endeavor and we consider it to be one of our pet projects in 2007.

'It hits home for me, I have a Wife, Niece, and a Father who have high sugar." Said George Mason, WM2007 "So I made it one of my pet projects for this year and I hope it will continue in the future!"