02/22/2026
Did you know?
The Masonic commitment to donating blood can be traced back to V.W. Bro. William Hoyle of the Electric Lodge #495 in 1941 when he persuaded his Masters and Wardens Association to take an interest in donating blood. At this time, blood was not collected, but donated directly to the recipient. As a result, a list of donors was required to ensure that when blood was needed, a donor was available. V.W. Bro. Hoyle and a dedicated group of Masons made up the majority of that list. On the evening of May 23rd, 1944 the Moose Hall was the scene of an horrific fire. V.W. Bro. Hoyle was contacted to rally the Masons and report directly to the hospital to help save the lives of the people who had managed to get out of the fire. Shortly after this truly charitable act of brotherly love and relief, V.W. Bro. Hoyle, and the Hamilton Masons, joined forces with The Red Cross to improve the system by which blood donors were recorded and could be contacted.
As time progressed, and the ability to store blood arrived, the Masons continued to aid The Red Cross, and later Canadian Blood Services, in their valiant work. We are needed today, more than ever, to help our fellow man.
https://www.hamiltondistrictcmasons.org/blood.php #:~:text=The%20Masonic%20commitment%20to%20donating,to%20help%20our%20fellow%20man.
Blood Donor Information within Masonic District C in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
