STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Moving from darkness into light on Blue Christmas — the longest night of the year — a group of “tough elves” with hearts of gold presented Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) with a $20,000 check to fight pediatric cancer.
Members of the Cornerstones Chapter of the Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association share a love for motorcycles. They have a soft, generous side and support a number of charitable efforts, particularly when it comes to children in need.
The Staten Island fraternal organization is built on three basic principles: brotherly love, relief, and truth.
The Widows Sons organization, which takes its name from a Masonic distress call — ”Who would help the widow’s son?” — is built on the principles of helping others.
The worldwide organization is more than 20 years old.
The Cornerstones NYC chapter, which launched just over 10 years ago, is one of three Widows Sons chapters in New York State.
“From the beginning, we have always been a charity driven group,” explained Danny Calemine, one of the group’s founding memers. “We love riding motorcycles, of course, but our main priority is the charity work that we do.”
During a toy drive, four years ago, the group stopped by Staten Island University Hospital with bags filled with new toys for the pediatric unit. And that visit was just the start of something wonderful.
Members of the Cornerstones Chapter of the Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association visit Staten Island University Hospital. (Courtesy/SIUH/Jillian O’Hara)Staten Island Advance
The group met with SIUH administration and doctors as they toured the facility, “There was this little squirt around 7-years-old receiving his treatment and it was heart breaking,” noted Calemine.
That was enough to shatter their tough shells as they explored the pediatric cancer treatment unit. And from that experience, they formulated an idea to begin their next steps in fundraising.
Through raffles, tip cup donations, and…
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