Every third Sunday of the month, a community breakfast is held at the Ingleside Masonic Centre. The event provides community members with the opportunity to enjoy a full course breakfast while socializing with friends and neighbours. Thompson Goddard Photo

INGLESIDE – The Ingleside Masonic Centre is located at 11 Memorial Square in Ingleside and serves four masonic lodges as well as providing a number of services to the local community. It is organized and operated by a Board of Directors from the Lost Villages Lodge No. 256 which was with the amalgamation of Farran-Ault Lodge No. 265 in Ingleside with Wales Lodge No. 256 in Long Sault.

The Masonic Lodge in Farran’s Point Lodge No. 256 began in 1871 in that community and in 1901 was moved to Aultsville until it was relocated to ingleside in 1959 due to the development of the St. Lawrence Seaway and was renamed Farran-Ault Lodge No. 256 at that time. Wales Lodge No. 458 began in 1902 in the village of Wales until it was moved to Long Sault in 1958. The lodge remained in Long Sault for several years until the amalgamation of Wales Lodge No. 458 and the Farran-Ault Lodge No. 265 resulted in the creation of the Lost Villages Lodge No. 256.

Board Chairman Kevin Archambault explained the Ingleside Masonic Centre is home to four Masonic Lodges. These include Corinthian Lodge No. 125 from Cornwall, Avonmore Lodge No. 452, North Dundas Lodge No. 320 and Lost Villages Lodge No. 256, with over 150 members in the four lodges.

The goal of the organization is to support both the membership as well as their community. Archambault mentioned the organization is designed to assist the individual member in the development of personal and social skills. While many organizations are having difficulty in securing volunteers, Archambault mentioned there are lots of volunteers ready to serve during events such as the monthly breakfast at the IMC and meals such as the turkey dinner planned for the fall. He noted that this year two bursaries were presented to graduating students at Tagwi Secondary School who had volunteered at the IMC in excess of the 40 hours of volunteer time required by the province in order to graduate.

A community organization supported by the IMC is the House of Lazarus Food Cupboard. Archambault mentioned this is accomplished by hosting fundraising events. He mentioned the Lost Villages Show and Shine car show and chance auction planned for Sept. 12 at the IMC is a good example of supporting a community organization and a community business. Admission to the event will be a non-perishable food item with these donations provided to the HOL Food Cupboard. It is planned that gift certificates from the Ingleside Foodland purchased with proceeds from the chance auction to be provided to the House of Lazarus Food Cupboard.

Other community support provided by the IMC includes the utilization of the hall as community cooling station, and as a meeting place during power outages., Archambault noted that during community events such as the Christmas Parade or Hallowe’en Trick or Treating, access is to the hall and its washrooms are provided. Community organizations, such as Ingleside Needle Crafters, are able to use the centre as a meeting place and the House of Lazarus is provided access in order to sort as well as distribute food and gifts to those in need during the holiday season.

More information on the MIC and the Masonic Lodges located there can be found on their social media pages.

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