The George M. Dallas Lodge #531 of Free and Accepted Mason's recently donated $500 to the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Student Government Association Benefiting THON Committee. This donation will go directly to benefit children with cancer at the Hershey Medical Center through the Four Diamond Fund and Penn State University's THON. Accepting the donation was this year's THON Chair and Surveying Major, Carmen Chiampi.
"It is through donations such as this from the George M. Dallas Lodge that the most benefit is seen. We are so very grateful for their donation through the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Benefiting THON Committee to the 4 Diamonds Fund," stated Chiampi.
THON has a mission of conquering childhood cancer by providing outstanding emotional and financial support to the children, families, researchers and staff of the Four Diamonds Fund. The Four Diamonds Fund, based out of Penn State Hershey Medical Center, was established in 1972 by Charles and Irma Millard after the death of their son, Christopher, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 11. The funds raised mainly benefit research but they also help to benefit Four Diamonds Families to cover expenses which insurance will not. These benefits cover everything from hotel arrangements to chemotherapy treatments; essentially these families will never see a bill. Since the start of THON there have been over 2,000 Four Diamond's Families that have benefited from the charity.
Since 1977, THON has raised more than $89 million dollars benefiting the Four Diamond's Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. THON is a yearlong fund raising event, making it the largest student run philanthropy in the world. It all leads up to THON weekend in which about 700 dancers participate in the 46-hour no sitting or sleeping event.
The George M. Dallas Lodge #531 of Free and Accepted Mason's was constituted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania on March 1st of 1875. Freemasonry is considered to be one of the oldest known fraternities in the world with the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge being one of the oldest Grand Lodges in the United States. The George M. Dallas Lodge #531 works to uphold the ideals of Pennsylvania Freemasonry in "Making Good Men Better." Freemasonry has a membership of around 3 million members worldwide who donate approximately $2.5 million to charitable works every day.
The George M. Dallas Lodge #531 is one of the larger Lodges in the state, maintaining an active membership roster of about 900 people. The Lodge sponsors an annual golf tournament every year. The proceeds of which of are used to support community related activities and other charitable causes in the surrounding counties and Back Mountain, where many of the members reside.