It is with a great deal of pride and gratitude that I welcome you to the Beacon Program and thank you for agreeing to be Beacon Coordinator.

Your job is unquestionably the most important one in the entire program. If you do your job well, the Beacon Program should run like clockwork. If you do not, the program will falter and we will fall short of our goal.

As the Coordinator for your lodge, you have agreed to first identify those members who have or will agree to serve as the Beacon volunteers, and then enroll them as volunteers and help them understand the important role they will play. To assist you in this work we have developed this kit. We will arrange a training session covering a variety of essential topics. You will also be supported by a Beacon Task Force member, the Grand Lodge and by my office and staff.  We are committed to your success.

Here is what the Beacon Project is all about.

·      Masons agree to volunteer in their community elementary school. Volunteer activities may range from mentoring to grounds keeping. Total commitment need not exceed 20 hours per man in any school year.

·      Each lodge coordinator, working with the Master, initiates contact with their community school, beginning with the superintendent. By early December the Michigan State Department of Education will have contacted schools regarding their endorsement of the program.

·      Beacon Coordinators will act as liaison between volunteers and school representatives. In some cases this will require correspondence (samples included) and school visits.

·      Many schools already participate in a program called HOSTS. This volunteer program is specifically structured to accommodate Beacon volunteers and should be considered first. (see enclosed booklet in your coordinator kit "Developing a Masonic Model for Involving a Lodge with a School")

·     Customized volunteer projects will need to be created in schools where neither HOSTS nor pre-existing programs exist. This will be a collaboration between Beacon Coordinators and the school representative.

·      Other Beacon Coordinator responsibilities include scheduling, training and tracking volunteers, public relations, and reporting.

The benefits of a successful Beacon Project go far beyond the classroom. You are ensuring the future of the fraternity and its place in the world. I thank you.

Robert P. Conley
Past Grand Master