The Grotto Philanthropy:

The World's Greatest Philanthropy

The GROTTO as a great fraternal Order, with an even greater charitable program which has earned the cognomen of "The World's Greatest Philanthropy" is certainly a GROTTO on the forward march. The organization which started as a fun Order in 1892 and founded its humanitarian project in June 1949, is now on its way to bigger and better thins. The GROTTO has proven that it has the power to survive and the spirit to grow.

At its Supreme Council Annual Session in June 1949 held in Long Beach, California, the Supreme Council adopted as its national objective the cause of Cerebral Palsy and, as of this day, has supported the research for this dread disease.

The Supreme Council has contributed over a half million dollars to the United Cerebral Research Foundation since the day this program was adopted This ;money is used exclusively for research purposes.

In adopting the Cerebral Palsy program, the Supreme Council, Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm, has taken its place among organizations with worthwhile objectives, justifying their existence.

Dentistry for the Handicapped

The image of a handicapped child evokes immediate sympathy Some of the needs of these special children are clearly obvious and easily met: wheel chairs, prostheses, and crutches. Other needs are not as obvious but are just as important. Dental care is one of these significant but often overlooked necessities for good health that is being provided by the Masons in the Grottoes of North America.

The Supreme Council, Mystic Order Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm (to use the Grottoes formal name), saw a need and leaped at the opportunity to meet it. Because of their handicaps, many children cannot receive traditional dental services; their muscle control will not let them keep their mouths open for a dental exam. Dentists with specific training are needed to provide this care, and it is the goal of the Grottos of North America to provide these special services to the children who need it.

Dental care is available to any child 18 or younger with cerebral palsy muscular dystrophy mental retardation, or myasthenia gravis. The dentistry program is administered locally through a network of volunteer members known as Doctors of Smiles. Applicants must be sponsored by a local Grotto, though in areas where no Grotto is convenient, parents can apply directly to the Grottoes' Humanitarian Foundation.

In addition, the Grottoes of North America have two National Regional Treatment Centers, one at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago and the other at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. In either location, the Grottoes can supply the most advanced dental treatment possible to patients who are severely medically compromised. Also, dentists who have hospital privileges in their respective communities often utilize hospital facilities to serve children who would otherwise be untreatable in a regular office environment.

Whatever the service, the only return on their time and money expected by the Masons in the Grottoes is intangible - the smile of a child they helped.

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