Mission Possible

During most weeks, an army of people fans into shelters, veterans’ homes, schools and community centers in Southern Maryland to do good deeds, fill desperate needs or bring joy to a stranger. From helping teens and collecting eyeglasses for the sight-impaired to feeding the elderly, funding local fire and rescue departments, and reading to kindergartners, our fraternal organizations take their missions and their charitable work seriously.

Terri Palmer is a consummate volunteer who has had a long career with the Optimist Clubs of St. Mary’s County and Mechanicsville, having served as lieutenant governor of the larger organization and president of the local club. She is passionate about work done by the organization, whether mundane, like cooking hot dogs for a youth softball tournament, or profound, like purchasing a new wheelchair for a disadvantaged child.

When asked why anyone would become an Optimist, Palmer replies, “Why not?” She knows support for the community is the bedrock upon which the organization was formed. “If we don’t give back to the community, there won’t be a community,” she says. “The American spirit is alive and kicking. We can and should do for ourselves and each other. If you want to support your community, see a child smile and make a difference, that’s what Optimist is about. I joined because I wanted to be with a group of people who, no matter how long a project took or how hard it was, would be there to help. That’s just what we do.”

If asked, the 19 Rotarians at the Prince Frederick Rotary Club would likely echo Palmer’s sentiment. As in all Rotary Clubs, business and professional people can be invited to join if they believe in humanitarian service, high ethical standards, goodwill and peace. But the club also seeks a variety of people to bring a good mix of talents and interests – which come in handy when tackling diverse projects, such as restoring the Patuxent River oyster population, providing college scholarships to deserving high school seniors, preparing dinners at a homeless shelter, providing hundreds of free dictionaries to third graders, mentoring student-run service projects, or even contributing funds to a project that provides corrective surgery for children suffering from polio in India.

Mike Hammond, who serves as treasurer of the busy little group and has been affiliated with it since 1975, says the work is all done with one thought in mind: a solid commitment to people. “Rotarians are fundamentally hard-working, active people concerned with the community; that telescopes throughout the whole organization,” he says. “Most clubs are focused on their local community, and members use their knowledge and professional networks to get things done.”

Carolyn Rogers, past president of the La Plata Lions Club, admits her 42-member corps pitches in wherever they’re needed. While the Lions Club is traditionally known as an organization dedicated to supporting sight programs and services – including vision screenings, eye banks and eyeglass recycling – they also deliver food baskets and hang holiday lights in town at Christmas, organize blood drives, and plant flower and herb gardens for nursing home residents. Their mission is as varied as the people who volunteer to serve.

“When you see joy and excitement on the faces of the people you help, or when somebody gets their eyes checked for the first time or receives a free pair of glasses, it makes you feel like you’re doing something really worthwhile,” says Rogers. “The real benefit to volunteering is helping the community in which you live. You realize you can make a difference and make somebody’s life better.”

The Kiwanis Club of La Plata holds events, sells holiday ornaments and raffles items throughout the year so it can make baby blankets for Civista Medical Center, teach leadership skills to school children, provide emergency identification stickers for thousands of children, and brighten the walls at a health clinic for uninsured, low-income residents. Emily Ferren, president and charter member says, “Kiwanis is an organization that serves children, one child at a time. We try to match our projects with club members’ strengths and what they enjoy doing. I really like our Terrific Kids program, where we give school children recognition for being helpful and thoughtful – just for being a good kid and having a good soul.”

Continuous fundraising is an integral part of what these organizations do. Moose and Elks rent their halls, host golf tournaments, serve family suppers, and sponsor car shows, bingo games and charity balls – all to support their initiatives. Jean Marie King, secretary of the Elks Lodge in Prince Frederick, says her group’s sole purpose is charitable work. “We pay our bills but every bit of profit we make is given to charity, which we try to keep right here in Calvert County,” she says. “I dearly love this county. Some have asked me to volunteer at the state level but I’m trying to give all my attention to this lodge because I see the good work we do locally.” That work includes honoring and celebrating veterans, donating to the food bank, serving a homeless shelter, and working with Calvert Hospice, Toys for Tots, Boy Scouts and Children’s Hospital. “It’s a wonderful organization and takes a lot of time but we will help anybody. I will do this work as long as I can and as long as I’m healthy,” she says.

Optimist Palmer says fraternal organizations are filled with people who want to make a difference with whatever time they have to give. “Some people hesitate to volunteer because they think they don’t have time. But volunteering is giving of yourself,” she says. “If you can only contribute to one event, God love you! Give what you can; you don’t have to come to meetings if you don’t want to. But when you walk away from a project and see a kid’s happy face or the house you improved for Christmas in April, or after you’ve helped the family who lost a job after things have gotten tough, you know you were able to make a difference in those lives. That’s something special. You can be useful for whatever time you have to give. Allow yourself to be used and you can make a difference.”

With little fanfare and boundless enthusiasm, these philanthropists are the spirit behind the sense of community we all enjoy. Their culture of caring and dedication to the causes for which they work are the foundation of a community that takes care of its less fortunate. For most, this time of year heralds a season of giving and a celebration of the joys of family and friends; for the members of Southern Maryland’s fraternal organizations, that season never ends. ✦

Fraternal Organizations

The Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks
Elks invest in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, by undertaking projects that address unmet need, and by honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans. www.elks.org

Kiwanis International Kiwanis is a global organization of members of every age dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. www.kiwanis.org

Lions Clubs International Volunteers serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding. www.lionsclubs.org

Moose International An international organization of men and women dedicated to caring for young and old, bringing communities closer together, and celebrating life. www.mooseintl.org

Optimist International Optimist International is recognized worldwide as an organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential. www.optimist.org

Rotary International Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service and encourages high ethical standards in all vocations. www.rotary.org

Additionally, throughout Southern Maryland there are organizations of Jaycees, Daughters of the American Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Catholic Daughters, Knights of Columbus and Masons. For more information, visit somd.com/orgs/fraternal/.