Dan Rauchman, Kate Rauchman and Lane Merritt

Earlier in the year, Dan Rauchman, whose wife Kate is on the Wellness Committee with Field PTA, was approached by David Hartman of Minnehaha Masonic Lodge located at 5149 Bloomington Ave. S. and asked if there was anything the PTA and Field Elementary needed in regards to financial help. Dan, who is also a member of the lodge, explained the situation they were in, and wheels were quickly set in motion to help the school. 

On Saturday May 7th, the Freemason’s lodges of Minnehaha, Cataract, and Braden held a breakfast fundraiser with an amazing menu, and incredible support from the community! Over four hundred people consisting of Field Elementary parents, students, and members of the Freemason community, came together over tres-leches buttermilk pancakes with strawberry mascarpone topping and a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. Fresh strawberries, scrambled eggs, and cheesy hashbrowns too! 

Cataract and Minnehaha lodge members and professional chefs, Andrew Hall and Allen Domingo, conceived the menu. “We’re not going to do just plain old pancakes and sausage fundraisers, we’re going to take it up a notch” exclaimed chef Hall.

“With this amazing donation on behalf of the Freemasons of Minnehaha, Cataract, and Braden Lodges, along with matching funds from Minnesota Masonic Charities, we have accomplished our fundraising needs! The families and neighborhood members that make up our south Minneapolis community can’t thank you enough”, exclaimed Lane Merritt during the check presentation.

“Minnesota Masonic Charities is known for larger impacts in the areas of cancer research and healing children in hospitals through our efforts with the U of M Cancer Center, and Masonic Children's Hospital, but we also graciously extend our matching funds, when our masonic lodges work hard in strengthening their communities” remarked John Schwietz, COO of Minnesota Masonic Charities.

Huge thanks to Doug and Rachel Meyer of Finer Meats & Eats. To learn more about Field Elementary PTA got to www.fieldpta.com To learn more about the Freemasons of Minnehaha Masonic Center send a message to: minnehahamasoniccenter@gmail.com, and Minnesota Masonic Charities and their impact: mnfreemasons.org/mmc/ 

Lane Merritt, PTA Adviser Chair stated,  “The school had changed from being a grade 5-8 school, to being a grade 3-5, and needed a playground set, which encourages collaborative play and social skills amongst young children, for our younger students.”  Merritt continued: “Our fundraising efforts for playgroup equipment were successful, due to the generosity of the community and parents. But after all of those generous contributions, we wondered how we would raise the funds to install the playground equipment.”