By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A Marion High School junior got an early start on college scholarships April 24 when Alyera Koehn received a Masonic scholarship from Centre Lodge in Marion.

Alyera won the scholarship for writing the winning essay in a contest.

In addition to awarding the scholarship, the lodge sponsored an open house for the public to see renovation of its building.

The lodge’s roof began leaking in February, 2022. Its 40 members did needed repair and renovation themselves.

They ripped up carpets, installed and painted flooring, completely redid and repainted walls, and installed new lowered tile ceilings. The work took a year. Now the walls are a cheery yellow throughout.

Kansas Masons support outreach cancer screening clinics, cancer research, scholarships, teacher and student recognition, a Shrine Bowl band camp, hearing clinics, veterans programs, community Pride programs, a Masonic Literacy Center, a Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge program, and hundreds of local charities.