Malden Area Wildfires

I think that most Washington Freemasons are aware of the wildfire that destroyed the towns of Malden and Pine City last year. The Fraternity lost the Malden Masonic Temple, but much more importantly, people, including Masons, lost their homes.

We can not of course do everything, but the Grand Lodge of Washington, and our charitable arm, Washington Masonic Charities has been in the area, doing what we can to to help. Since day one.

If the fires were not bad enough, adding insult to injury, when a request was made for Individual Federal Disaster Assistance, that request was delayed for months. Worse yet, it was recently denied.

Rightly or wrongly, this state, like all states, relies heavily on Federal Disaster Assistance to help people who lose everything in natural disasters. For whatever reason, that help has not been there for the people who lost everything in last summer's fires.

In answer to this lack of Federal help a bill was introduced to our Legislature that would give a property tax break to those who lost their homes in the fire. It isn't much, and it certainly can't rebuild shattered lives, but it is something. A small measure of help.

It is Senate Bill 5454.

The Grand Lodge of Washington is pleased to offer its support for this measure. We have provided written support to our State Legislators, and we have testified in support of the bill.

What I am asking of you today is that you contact your Senator about SB 5454. It will be up for a vote in the Senate very soon. Tell them that you support SB 5454 to give some relief to those who suffered so much in the wildfires, and ask them to support it too.

You can find your Senator, and contact information at:

https://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

#LegislativeCommittee

-Cameron

Cameron M. Bailey Past Grand Master The MW Grand Lodge F&AM of Washington

Subscribe to receive posts via email.