News

RiteCare Children’s Language & Literacy Conference

It is with an abundance of caution for our community’s health and safety that we reschedule the 2020 Children’s Language & Literacy Conference in St. Louis, Missouri originally scheduled for September 9th-11th, 2020.

Please mark your calendars for the NEW (and improved!) date, Wednesday, May 19th to Friday, May 21, 2021 in St. Louis, Missouri.

We hear the call, more than ever before, to gather as a community again next Spring to retool and repurpose this historic gathering of our Northern Masonic and Southern Masonic Scottish Rite Children’s Charity programs. These times we are living through will have many stories to share and impactful learning tools to implement as we redefine and build an even greater service horizon together.

If you have any further questions or concerns please visit:
www.2021conference.moritecare.org

We look forward to seeing you in 2021!

It is heartwarming to be part of the Oregon Scottish Rite and to know during these unsettling times of the coronavirus that our Speech and Language Charity is continuing to assist Oregon children.

While most Universities across our country who provided Speech therapy have closed their doors, this was never required nor considered by the Oregon Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Speech & Language Clinic at Portland State University.

All clinic services have been moved to a Telepractice format and, according to PSU staff, not one single child has been abandoned. In fact, they report that clinic service has even expanded to assist more children than ever.

This inspiring result has been made possible, in no small part, by the funding over the past years of research in Teletherapy by Dr. Megann McGill, a professor at the PSU Speech and Language department. Only with the support of your Scottish Rite Speech & Language Charity, Dr. McGill has developed the techniques, training, and technical structure necessary to now provide this service on a larger scale.

Dr. McGill and Scottish Rite Clinic director Professor Claudia Meyer have been able to train all 41 Speech Graduate students on how to conduct therapy sessions via Tablet or Computer, making possible the continued aid to all clinic children. Clinic Director Meyer stated, “All the children are doing great, even those 4 years old and younger. The children and their families have adapted and are finding the new format motivating.”

Every child receiving clinic services gets them for free with the help provide by your Oregon Scottish Rite Speech & Language Charity.  Professor Meyer indicated that the gratitude expressed by the families has been overwhelming.

Remember your Oregon Speech & Language Charity is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and 100% of your donation stays in Oregon. Speech Charity Donation Form 2019-fillable

Bill Anton, 33°
Orient Personal Representative & Past President
Oregon Scottish Rite Speech & Language Board