San Jose Masonic Lodge 10 began our annual Child ID
Program in 1999. Each year on Labor Day weekend, the
lodge sets up a booth at the San Jose Tapestry Arts
Festival in downtown San Jose. During this three day
event volunteer brothers from the lodge help fingerprint
and photograph children and produce an identification
form for the parents to keep in case their child turns
up missing, and law enforcement need this information.
Annually, 500 to 600 children are processed during this
event. Last year, a new system utilizing Polaroid ID
equipment, produces a credit card size ID card for the
parents. In addition to the ID card, parents and children
are made aware of safety concerns and kidnap prevention.
Brothers who volunteer receive navy blue T-shirts with the
San Jose Masonic Lodge 10 logo that they can use at
each subsequent event. This has become our most popular
Community service activity, and parallels the Grand
Lodge promotion of this activity.
Brothers interested in this activity can
volunteer by calling Brother Greg Cheung
Serving food to the homeless:
Through arrangements made by Brother Irwin Cohen, San
Jose Masonic Lodge 10 has helped to serve food at InnVision,
a homeless shelter in downtown San Jose, during Thanksgiving
Day and Christmas Day. Volunteers help to carve turkey,
cut pies, set up the buffet lines and dining tables,
and then serve the holiday dinners. With many hands helping, it becomes an easy and enjoyable
activity, much appreciated by those we server.
Brother interested in volunteering
for this activities can contact Brother Cheung above,
or Brother Cohen
