Lockhart Hermann Sons Lodge make plexiglass barriers for local assisted living facilities

Hermann Sons Life Lockhart Lodge members, Ray Pfefferkorn and Darrell Hess built two tabletop shields. These shields were custom built for Golden Age Home Assisted Living and Bois D’Arc Assisted Living. By having the shields in place, both Assisted Living facilities could offer their residents a way to connect with family and friends in a COVID-friendly way. Some of the residents had not seen their families in 4-5 months prior to this type of visit.

“With the cold weather upon us, the Plexiglas shield is literally a life-saving blessing for residents being able to have inside visits with their loved ones,” stated Carol Scheffler, Director of Bois D’Arc Assisted Living.

“When the Assisted Living facilities reached out to our lodge asking for help, it was natural for us to say yes,” shared Ray Pfefferkorn, Lockhart Lodge Financial Secretary / Treasurer. Pfefferkorn further explained, “Our Lodge participates annually in a couple of community service projects.

One of those community service projects is held in October of each year to coincide with the Make A Difference Day celebration, which is one of the largest volunteer service days nationwide. This year with COVID, building the shields allowed us the opportunity to give back to facilities that had taken care of our loved ones in previous years, and to let the current residents, some of whom are Lodge members, know we care about them.”

Make A Difference Day was created in 1992 by USA WEEKEND Magazine in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation and challenges all of us to spend one Saturday “making a difference” in our communities and in the lives of others by participating in a community service project. In previous years the Lockhart Hermann and Sons Lodge has celebrated Make A Difference Day with projects such as providing meals for Habitat for Humanity workers and BINGO for seniors.

“We are grateful to the Lockhart Hermann Sons Lodge for providing a way for our residents to reconnect with their loved ones,” stated Sarah Juarez, Resident Care Manager at Golden Age Home.

Hermann Sons Life is a fraternal, membership-based Life Insurance with a motto of FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND LOYALTY. Their unique approach develops lodges in local communities to give back to the community. Their website states “One of the greatest ways we strengthen community is through lodges. Lodges are groups of people gathering for social causes as well as for community service initiatives. You and your family can be active in the lodge of your choosing. You will find activities for all generations with a special focus on programs for children in many lodges.”

Lockhart Lodge was chartered in 1893 and currently has 627 adult members and 92 junior members. This project was the lodge’s 2020 Make a Difference Day project.

Golden Age Home is celebrating 60 years of Compassionate, Christian Care in the community of Lockhart. Golden Age Home is a 44-bed assisted living facility that also houses 10-low income independent living residents.

Bois D’Arc Assisted Living is a 16-bed Assisted Living facility situated in a neighborhood setting. In 2007, the 1928 private residence was converted to a 16-suite assisted living facility with an additional living area by extending the original structure and adding two wings in the back.