By Dawn Scotland
The Truth Reporter
The Toledo Prince Hall Masonic Family held their third annual back to school drive Sunday, July 26th from 2-6pm at Octagon Hall (638 N. University Ave.) The event, which has grown to 400 bags since its inception, included free school supplies, food, ice cream and health screenings for the community.
Jerome Gordon, Junior Warden of Amazon Lodge No 4., and co-chairman of the event stated, “We stared out with 50 bookbags [in 2024], last year we had 150 and this year we’re up to about 400 backpacks… the lines keep on getting bigger every year.”
The event included donations from Local 500, Sheet Metal Union, Chick-fil-A and Five Below, with a grand total of about $1500 in donations, he shared. ProMedica’s Ronald McDonald Care Mobile and Explorers Academy were also onsite to provide additional resources.
Supplies included but were not limited to bookbags, notebooks, pencils, glue sticks, crayons, markers, highlighters, scissors and notebook paper all in an effort to ensure families have what they need to start the school year.
The event was hosted by Amazon Lodge No. 4 and the Toledo Prince Hall Masonic Family. The organizers of the event were co-chairmen Jerome Gordon, Junior Warden of Amazon Lodge No. 4 and Justin Powell, Senior Warden of Amazon Lodge No. 4.
More about Amazon Lodge No. 4
The Prince Hall Masons are the oldest and largest black fraternal organization in the nation dating back to 1784. In Toledo, the first Prince Hall lodge was created in 1864 later becoming the current Amazon Lodge No. 4 as it is today. The organization hosts many events throughout the year for the community, including awarding thousands of dollars in scholarships to local youth, a free bicycle give away, back to school drives and more.
