We at the Eagle enjoy bringing our readers uplifting stories about the unselfish acts of Butler County’s residents. Especially during the holiday season.

About a half-dozen members of a Masonic youth organization donated just over $1,600 last week to Butler County Children & Youth Services.

Members of William C. Graham Manor Squires not only organized a community spaghetti dinner fundraiser in October, but they also helped get the ingredients, cook them into meals and serve people attending the fundraiser.

Squires adviser Joyce Rauschenberger helped guide the preteens in their quest to help other children in the county, but she said the children did most of the heavy lifting.

“Everybody else took turns taking people to their tables, getting them their beverages, asking them what kind of sauce or salad dressing they wanted,” Rauschenberger said. “Everyone had all the jobs.”

Jameson Curran, the chapter’s 11-year-old master Squire, said it was the first time most of the members of the organization had participated in such a large-scale community event.

“We wanted to lower costs as much as possible to donate as much as possible to CYS,” Jameson said. “It was a long, busy day, but we were happy to do it.”

Charlie Johns, administrator of Butler County Children & Youth Services, said the donation will be used first to supply Christmas gifts to children in foster programs.

The Squires donated money to CYS last year as well, when there were only two members of the group.

Johns said the children in the Squires were eager last year to learn about Children & Youth Services, and he has been happy to keep them in the loop about how their donations help the organization.

Philip Melnick, 10, a recent addition to the Squires, said everyone in the organization was happy to put in the work for people helped by CYS programs.

“We just felt really good about it,” Philip said. “We know it’s going to help a lot of lives.”

— JGG