Since August 2018 the brethren of D44 MCI* decided to establish an Op-Shop in the ground floor of the Taree Masonic Centre.
The shop is staffed by an entirely volunteer group of over twenty helpers, mainly ladies of whom only three have masonic connections. The stock which is sourced from donations by the local communities is sorted, cleaned and processed by our willing team.
The great support in donations from the local communities is due to virtually all donations of funds raised going back to the local area which is stressed by the shop volunteers.
In the 2019-20 financial year over $50,000 was given in donations, and in the current period so far the following donations have been made:
- Riding for the Disabled $6,000;
- GM's Bushfire Appeal $5,000;
- Port Macquarie Hospital Child Oncology Unit $6,000;
- Wingham Art and Soul $2,000;
- Forster Family assist $1,000.
Other further donations are currently under consideration.
- District 44 Masonic Charities Incorporated which is now part of District 13 is a charitable body set up by the lodges of the former District 44; consisting of Lodge Greater Taree, Lodge Cowper, Forster Great Lakes United, Lodge Gloucester and the former Lodge Laurieton Haven United with the object of raising funds for local charitable causes in the area surrounding those lodges.
