Young members of the Butler Squires cap year with sizable donation
Joyce Rauschenberger has advised many young members of the William C. Graham Order of Squires, but she never aided an 11-year-old who used a flowchart to plan a fundraising dinner.
Theo Spiegel is wrapping up his half-year term as the Master Squire for the order, which is based in Butler and has its meetings at the Masonic Temple on Main Street. He used a flowchart for the order’s Pasta for Pets event, aiming to make sure it ran smoothly.
“I didn’t even know I could do it,” Theo said at a meeting of the Squires on Dec. 3. “I just drew squares and arrows.”
The William C. Graham Squires made a $1,700 donation to the beneficiary of the Pasta for Pets fundraiser, the Butler County Humane Society, on Dec. 3. Theo said the handful of members chose the Humane Society because most of them are animal lovers, and they wanted to help take care of the dogs and cats as they wait to be adopted.
Theo said the Humane Society was an easy charity for him to pitch, but also one that is important to him personally. He and his family love animals and own a dog.
“We tried to agree on something that we thought would be a good charity to donate to,” Theo said.
But this fundraiser was not the only effort the group took on in the past six months. The Squires, made up of 9- to 11-year-old boys, organizes fellowship events as well as other community outreach efforts meant to benefit people of the Butler area. Rauschenberger, the group’s adviser and state Squire director for Pennsylvania DeMolay, said Theo was a good Master Squire because of his organizational skills.
“He did a flowchart when guests came in, they stopped here, then here, then this happens,” Rauschenberger said. “He would come to planning meetings with his laptop and Google Spreadsheet, where he had it all plotted out as to what places we would ask for donations for what.
“For an 11-year-old to be that organized and project planning, he’s got it.”
The Butler County Humane Society’s executive director, Janna Unik, accepted the donation at the Squires’ Dec. 3 meeting. She said she was surprised by the amount donated, and she was further surprised when the youths unveiled a pile of blankets to give to the animals as well.
Unik said the shelter always needs blankets for the animals in its care.
“We’re really impressed,” she said. “I didn’t know they were going to give us blankets, but there is always a need for blankets.”
The pasta dinner the Squires hosted to raise the money was also an impressive effort, even to Rauschenberger, who said the youths performed pretty much every task involved in running a restaurant, from cooking to seating guests.
“It was a full-service restaurant for one day,” Rauschenberger said. “(The Squires) helped prep the salads and the condiments and the salad dressings.”
The Squires served more than 70 people at the meal, and they donated the leftover food to the firefighters who responded to the Bantam Jeep building fire on Nov. 2.
After making the donation to the Humane Society on Dec. 3, the Squires went about their regular business meeting.
Rauschenberger said the Masonic youth organizations aim to teach members civic duty and responsibility, but also the benefits of personal connection.
Theo said the outings the group organized to spend time together were rewarding as well, and they included bowling, movie nights and house visits.
“We did a ‘Roll for Ramen’ — we had ramen while watching the D&D movie,” Theo said.
Austin Kaufman, the Master Squire elect who will take the lead position in January, said he hopes to organize more friendship-building events with his colleagues, particularly a program that eluded the Squires in 2025.
“I was hoping to do a lock-in, if I get the chance,” said Austin, a senior Squire.
