Brethren,
It is both my privilege and my duty to bring to your attention the remarkable work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. (www.thehikefund.org), an initiative of Job’s Daughters International that embodies the highest ideals of our Craft.
The HIKE Fund provides hearing aids and assistive devices to children in need, offering them not just sound, but opportunity, the opportunity to learn, to connect, and to thrive. It is charity in its purest form, given without condition and received with life-changing impact.
What makes this effort particularly meaningful is that it is led, in large part, by the young women of Job’s Daughters. Through their work, they demonstrate that the principles we hold dear are not only taught, but lived.
I encourage each of you to learn more about The HIKE Fund, to share its mission within your Lodges, and to support it as you are able. In doing so, we affirm our commitment to relief, to compassion, and to the enduring values of Freemasonry.
Fraternally,
Matthew T. Szramoski
Grand Master of Masons in Virginia
A child hears their parent’s voice for the first time. Not as vibration, not as imagination but clearly, unmistakably, and fully. In that moment, the world changes.
This is the work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. – Hearing Improvement Kids Endowment (www.thehikefund.org) – an extraordinary charitable initiative supported by Job’s Daughters International and embraced by the Masonic Family. HIKE exists for a simple yet profound purpose: to provide children with the gift of hearing, regardless of financial circumstance.
Since its founding in 1985, HIKE has helped over 3,000 children receive hearing aids and assistive devices, with more than six million dollars raised to support that mission. What makes this effort especially meaningful is not only the impact, but the spirit behind it. Job’s Daughters, young women connected to Master Masons, play a direct role in fundraising and awareness, truly embodying the principle of “Kids Helping Kids.”
HIKE reflects the very best of our Masonic values. It is charity without condition, given quietly and with dignity. It asks nothing in return and serves without regard for background, belief, or affiliation. It is, in many ways, a living expression of the lessons we profess.
The stewardship of HIKE is equally remarkable. Operated entirely by volunteers, the organization ensures that more than ninety percent of every dollar raised goes directly to helping children. This level of accountability and dedication reinforces the trust placed in it by the Masonic community.
Today, the need continues. At any given time, there are children who qualify for assistance, children ready to receive the gift of hearing, pending available funding. As awareness grows, so does the opportunity to serve.
For the Grand Lodge of Virginia, and for all who labor within our gentle Craft, supporting HIKE is more than a charitable act. It is an affirmation of who we are and what we stand for. It is a chance to extend our principles beyond our walls and into the lives of those who need them most.
When a child hears for the first time, it is not just sound, it is connection, learning, and life itself.
