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Demolay Young men in their teens learn to practice the principles of Masonic charity in the Order of DeMolay. An organization for boys aged 12-21 (12-year-olds must have completed the 7th grade), DeMolay provides opportunities for community service, charity, public speaking and leadership development. Its members are young men who are striving to grow by taking on the responsibilities of adulthood. To raise funds for charity, members participate in various sales, fairs and community festivals. They conduct walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, all-night dances, and other programs to encourage donors to pledge charitable gifts. Some chapters work at telethons, others ring bells for the Salvation Army. Many chapters participate in food bank and clothing drives, while others volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. The amount of money contributed, or the number of hours worked, is of little consequence. What matters most is that DeMolay members learn to make the act of service and caring for others a part of their daily routine. The Order of DeMolay is a charitable extension of Masonic concern for the community. Freemasonry serves future generations of leaders by providing a safe, wholesome, fun and educational environment in which young people can grow. Masons have traditionally provided the adult leaders needed to conduct a quality program. Masons have provided quality meeting facilities and financial support of DeMolay chapters all across the country. Most importantly, Freemasonry has provided the model of a successful fraternity from which DeMolays learn the values of brotherly love, relief and truth. The basic chapter program allows young men to select their own leaders, plan their own programs and conduct their own activities. The members learn and grow by planning, budgeting, and administering their own programs; the advisors guide and suggest. Other programs are essential to the complete DeMolay chapter and include visitations to other chapters, civic and Masonic service projects and fund-raisers. All DeMolay chapters observe an annual Day of Comfort, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, to emphasize the needs of others. Each chapter has its own program of service. Typical projects include volunteering at a local nursing home, raising money for local and national charities, community clean-ups and renewal work parties. The success of DeMolay is demonstrated by its members, both active and senior. Senior members include newscasters Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, the late actor John Wayne, weatherman Willard Scott, athletes Bob Mathias and Fran Tarkenton, the late Walt Disney, radio personality Paul Harvey, President Bill Clinton and Senator Bill Bradley. For further information about the Order of DeMolay, visit their web site http://www.demolay.org
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