Photo by Chris Sykes A woman waits to get some of the free fruits and vegetables that were available for Irvington seniors on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the Garden State Grand Lodge Freemasons headquarters on Sanford Avenue, thanks to the Essex County Department of Senior Services.
A woman waits to get some of the free fruits and vegetables that were available for Irvington seniors on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at the Garden State Grand Lodge Freemasons headquarters on Sanford Avenue, thanks to the Essex County Department of Senior Services.
IRVINGTON, NJ — The Freemasons of the Garden State Grand Lodge of Irvington held a pre-Thanksgiving Farmers Market, giving away food at its building on Sanford Avenue on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in conjunction with the Essex County Department of Senior Services.
“What we do is an annual partnership with the county, where we allow them to use our site, our location, to have a farmer’s market, where they pass our fresh fruits and vegetables to the seniors and the citizens of Essex County at no cost,” Omar Bilal Beasley, the Garden State Grand Lodge most worshipful master, said Tuesday, Nov. 22. “We understand you have a lot of people living below their average pay scale and this right here helps them to where they can have something nourishing on the plate, on the table, for the family during this holiday season. This organization, we deal with community. We try to help out with scholarships, we do the Christmas Toy Drive, we do Halloween. Anything that we can do in order to enhance the community and bring peace, that’s what we’re about.”
The Freemasons’ motto is “Making good men better.” And Beasley said freemasonry is all about helping people and uplifting the community.
“Don’t believe everything you hear; believe what you see and that’s what we’re doing today,” Beasley said Tuesday, Nov. 22. “We’re trying to show people: regardless of what you hear, regardless of what the Internet says, regardless of what Google says, it’s about showing and proving, and that’s what we do each and every day.”
Paul O’Loughlin, 29, said that ethos and the work ethic behind it drew him to freemasonry. He wants to join the Garden State Grand Lodge, so he can work with Beasley and the others more often.
“Today’s my birthday and I just thought, instead of asking for gifts, I want to give back, because I’ve been blessed with a lot and I just want to help,” O’Loughlin said Tuesday, Nov. 22. “I wanted to do something different and the gifts that I’m giving out feel just as good as receiving. So I am receiving a gift, just from helping other people and making other people happy.”
“These are some great guys. This is about brotherhood and bringing people together. I’ve met some great people out here today and, for the past several months, I’ve been associated with them. I like how they treat each other as a family member. I like to see nice people doing positive things.”
Clyde Tyler, 72, said he was positive about the joint pre-Thanksgiving Farmers Market.
“It’s a good idea because a lot of people in the community can’t afford to buy food to feed their families,” said Tyler on Wednesday, Nov. 23. “I’m going to eat it because it’s fresh. Where can you go to get fresh vegetables for free? You should be thankful that you’re getting it.”
Another resident, Lady Di, came to the joint Freemason and Essex County Department of Senior Services Farmers Market with her great granddaughter. She agreed with Tyler that free is the best price around, especially when it comes to fresh vegetables and fruit.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” she said Tuesday, Nov. 22. “Some people don’t have at all. But then some people just need something to supplement what they do have. It’s really a blessing and you never know where this is going to go. … I’m going to take it and share it with some other people that’s in need. It’s getting and passing it on.”
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