Athens Masonic Lodge #165 hosted Carter BloodCare for a blood drive at Brookshire’s on Saturday, August 18, 2018. The goal for the blood drive was 30 units. The Lodge has had this same goal for 4 years, and the most units ever collected was previously 28 units. That changed this past Saturday, when 31 units were donated.
The blood drive was held in the Brookshire’s parking lot at 807 East Tyler Street. The Masons cooked hot dogs and fixins for all who came. Mooyah donated certificates for small hamburgers, Schlotzski’s donated certificates for small sandwiches, El Presidente Restaurant in Brownsboro donated two $25 gift certificates, and the Texas Rangers Baseball Club donated a Rangers baseball cap signed by a player. Everyone who donated or attempted to donate had their name in the drawing for thee door prizes. Carter BloodCare gave free T-shirts to those who donated or attempted to donate.
This is the 8th semi-annual Athens Masonic Lodge blood drive for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. “We are so excited to have finanly met and exceeded our goal for donations. We want to thank our sponsors, Mooyah, Schlotzski’s, El Presidente Restaurant, the Texas Rangers, and Brookshire’s Grocery. We especially want to thank all those who came out and donated or tried to donate. We couldn’t have done it without them” said Daniel Hunt, Blood Drive Chairman for the Athens Masonic Lodge.
The blood collected will go to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas. Texas Scottish Rite Hospital is a world-renowned leader in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions, sports injuries and fractures, as well as certain related arthritic and neurological disorders and learning disorders, such as dyslexia.
Athens Masonic Lodge #165 is a men’s fraternal organization that conducts charitable work in the Athens area. The Lodge has been active in Athens since 1854.