What Your Support Makes Possible

In 1937, five-year-old Richard “Dick” Snow arrived at The Ohio Masonic Home’s children’s home (now Springfield Masonic Community) in Springfield, Ohio, as part of a long tradition of serving children, wives, senior adults, and families of Masons that continued through 1956.

Before his father’s passing, he entrusted Dick and his brother to the care of the Brothers of York Lodge No. 563, confident they would receive the support his family would soon need.

Dick remembers arriving frightened and unsure. He watched his mother leave and, for a moment, believed he had been left behind. Mrs. Lyons, who cared for the youngest boys, took his hand and helped ease him into the rhythm of daily life.

What first felt unfamiliar gradually became home.

As Dick grew older, he became immersed in the opportunities around him. He attended school in Springfield, learned to play instruments, and performed with The Ohio Masonic Home’s band at events across Ohio. The campus offered open grounds, a working farm, a woodshop, and a printshop, giving children opportunities for education, hands-on learning, exploration, and greater independence.

Reflecting on those years, Dick said:

“These children became my brothers and my sisters, and the older residents became my grandmothers and my grandfathers.”

Dick remained at The Ohio Masonic Home throughout his childhood and graduated from Springfield High School in 1950. He later served in the U.S. Marine Corps but never lost his connection to Springfield, returning over the years for visits and reunions.

In 2023, nearly 86 years after he first arrived, Dick and his wife, Margie, returned to Springfield Masonic Community for retirement. Today, they live in an apartment in the same building where Dick once lived as a boy.

“I came back home, and that is what I tell people. I came back to the place where I grew up. This has always been my home.”

Dick’s story is a reminder that home can shape a life, remain part of it, and welcome you back decades later.

In March 2024, Chris Gibbs faced several unexpected challenges at once. He lost his job while his fiancée was experiencing health concerns, then learned he needed immediate open-heart bypass surgery.

With mounting medical bills and no clear solution in sight, Chris recalled hearing about The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center. Reaching out for help had always seemed like a last resort, but with one phone call he found the assistance he desperately needed.

Through donor-funded financial support, Chris was able to ease some of the immediate strain and focus on his surgery, recovery, and family.

Our resource center supports individuals and families throughout Ohio by connecting them with financial, social, and clinical resources during some of life’s most difficult moments. For Chris, that assistance provided more than short-term relief. It showed him the difference timely support and a caring connection can make.

As his health improved, Chris was inspired to give back. He became a resource center volunteer, helping others find the guidance and support they may need.

Chris’s story reflects the full impact of The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center — providing help when it is needed and inspiring those who receive it to extend that support to someone else.

Life at The Ohio Masonic Communities is shaped by more than the services available on campus. It is shaped by the friendships formed, the confidence that support is close by, and the sense of belonging that grows when surrounded by others who care.

At Springfield Masonic Community, that spirit comes to life through residents like Debbie, Sandy, and Betty Jane.

Debbie and Sandy met after moving to Springfield Masonic Community and quickly became close friends. Today, they help run the campus boutique, plan fundraisers, and stay busier than they ever expected in retirement.

For Debbie, the decision to move to Springfield was shaped by family experience. Her mother had lived there and loved being surrounded by friends. Years later, when Debbie’s husband worried about how she would manage without him, he encouraged her to choose a place where she would have support, comfort, and people around her.

Sandy and her husband, Ken, had always planned to retire at one of our three communities. Ken found a place in the woodshop, while Sandy found peace of mind in their new lifestyle. When her children told her they had never heard her sound so relaxed, she answered, “What do I have to worry about? If something happens, all I need to do is pick up the phone and it is taken care of.”

As more women joined the conversation, Betty Jane was asked what she loved most about life on campus. Looking around the group, she simply said, “All these people.”

Their stories show what donor support helps create: activities, amenities, and, most importantly, friendships, confidence, and a sense of belonging in a community where people continue to build full and active lives.