Ionic Lodge No. 31 Freemasons hosted their supper last Saturday night to raise money for their Memory Box program. The North Battleford Freemasons prepare and provide the specially-handcrafted wooden memory boxes, and donate them to families who suffer the loss of a child, either at birth or stillborn. They are provided through the birthing unit at Battlefords Union Hospital. Placed inside would be physical items from the child’s short life such as locks of hair and a hospital bracelet, as a way for families to be able to remember and heal. The supper is the largest fundraiser for the program, which sees on average 15 memory boxes a year provided to families at the hospital. Seen here are Mark Barclay, Darren McDonald (Saskatoon lodge), and Don Finan (in charge of the program). The individual who built the boxes was Kevin Garner, from Medstead. Also on hand was Natasha Hydukewich, a registered nurse from BUH who spoke at the event to express gratitude for the initiative. Photos by John Cairns
