That was the motivation behind orchestrating a surprise skype experience at the Nebraska Masonic Youth Leadership Conference in Kearney featuring Jen and giving her the opportunity to remind each of the youth participants to “dream big dreams”.
Technology and its invisible elements can be challenging, uncontrollable, and at times just plain frustrating! Skype uses a wide band for transmission, so we were venturing into a realm that is even more unpredictable than the mail service! But, we felt it was worth a try.
Yes, it was definitely worth the try! It worked! And up on the big screen in the Loper Ballroom came Jen and her message of encouragement and the reminder of “all things are possible” even for Nebraska youth! Live your dream! The gasps from the youth and their adult chaperones as they realized they were seeing one of their peers from 5500 miles away was LOUD! ALmost as loud as the “Go Big Red” chant she left them with!
Our youth are our future. They are capable, valuable, and inspiring! Let me share what they accomplished that day:
A donation of 3500 pounds of food and non-pershiable goods should not be taken lightly. Actually it can’t be. It is more than 3400 items whose collective weight becomes a ton and three-quarters. That is more weight than the Husker Offensive Line could press! It is a contribution that would take almost 400 grocery bags to deliver and thousands of dollars to procure! In addition to the donation of food and items, more than 1000 hours of hands on assistance left its mark on the central Nebraska agency.
This is the scope and magnitude of the donation that the attenders of the Masonic Youth Leadership Conference left with the Mid-Nebraska Food Bank on Saturday, October 1
The flood of food was part of the fourth triennial Masonic Youth Leadership Conference in Kearney, funded and directed by the Nebraska Masonic Youth Foundation and its supporters. Twenty-four Jobs Daughter Bethels, Rainbow for Girls Assemblies, and DeMolay Chapters brought donations of food with them to the event. These donations totaled 1500 pounds of food, more than 1400 items. These donations were generated by the efforts of the youth groups’ members. Weeping Water Assembly #5, International Order of Rainbow for Girls led the efforts and donated 460 pounds of food! Second largest donation came from Plattsmouth Bethel #24, International Order of Jobs Daughters. Lincoln Assembly #6 (Rainbow) and Bethel #63 Lincoln (Jobs Daughters) were the third and fourth largest donations.
During the afternoon conference sessions, attenders each spent time procuring more donations for the Food Bank by shopping at the Apple Market grocery store, delivering food to the Food bank, assisting in sorting and stocking at the Food Bank.
Each of the youth attenders is committed to serving individually in their home communities and as groups of members; however the impact of all of them working together in one place, at one time, with the same goal is powerful. To experience what can be accomplished as a large group serves as a reminder of the strength that comes from unity and is found in the larger group.
Thank you to all who supported this service project! The Nebraska Masonic family has again left its mark on the 23 Nebraska counties that are served by the food bank. Together, we can make a difference!
Let us never take lightly the possibilities that lie ahead in the coming generation!
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