What is Masonichip?
There is no "chip" in Masonichip as it stands for Masonic Child Identification Program and includes Abduction Awareness and "Safe Kids" Education benefits to all children and parents attend events and participate. At Masonichip EVENTs, comprehensive Safety ID packages are generated “at no cost...free of charge” to participants in North America. At Masonichip EVENTs, the Masons set up the equipment and enlist the volunteers necessary to generate individual completed identification packages. Pariticipation in a Masonichip EVENT offers much to educate and give parents and children alike a chance to contemplate the consequenses of being missing or exploited while they are progressing through the Event. Young children think..."why are my parents making me go through this...it must be important." They realize that there are really bad people out in the world that can do them harm and they take the "Safe Kids Tips" handed out more seriously.
All items and information generated at our "Events" are the property of and are given to the individual child's parent or guardian (who accompanied them through the event) to take home for safe keeping. No one involved keeps any information but a signed permission form. It is the responsibility of the parents to keep the pack available in a know place, and if the individual identified becomes missing, to then provide the package to law enforcement as an aid in recovery. Each participant progresses through the several stations of the Event (it takes about 10-15 minutes) generating an identifying item at each station and placing them in his or her package. Parents are reminded to take the package with them on trips and vacations (it does no good leaving it home). When it is needed it must be readily available. It is true that Parents who bring the packs with them are constantly reminded and less likely to loose site of their children. This prevention aspect is the greatest benefit that every participant receives by going through a Masonichip Event. With todays privacy laws we may never know when one of our completed ID packs are used...but we do know that every praticipant who spends a half hour waiting in line, another half hour progressing through the Event stations, who takes it home and with them on vacation is better prepared to avoid abduction and exploitation situations.
Identifying items completed are placed in packs and given to individuals include: physical description and features card, fingerprint card or scanned print, several still photos of various profiles, a video recording of mannerisms with voice interview, and various DNA samples collected on dental impressions and/or cheek swabs.
From the MYCHIP Program:
A CBS news clip from May 25th in Massachusetts Featuring Mason the Scent Discriminating Dog!
(Courtesy of CBS 4)
MASONICHIP EVENTS are being sponsored on an ever-increasing level by the Freemason Grand Lodges in the jurisdictions of the United States and Provinces of Canada. We are proud to announce that several of our Masonic Grand Lodges have evolved the initiative into a complete Masonic Safety ID Program that provides this vital community service to students, adults and recently special needs seniors as well.
Our Vision.....assist our Masonic Grand Lodges to conduct MasoniCHIP Events in our communities so that any individual wanting to receive this “free comprehensive service” will find it regularly offered.
We endeavor to raise public awareness concerning the risk of abduction or exploitation our children now face in today’s society. Masonichip Events provide a Completed ID Package of identifying items generated at the event (NOT a blank KIT to be filled out at home). The packs contain vital identifying items to be given to law enforcement if their child is missing. MASONIC SAFETY ID EVENTS also serve as an opportunity to educate both children and their parents about Abduction Prevention and other safety information.
We continue our collaboration with the Natl Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and proud that our efforts are recognized by the NCMEC and that we receive their strong support. Other national non-profit organizations we are collaborating with include the American Dental Association (ADA), and new this year is the General Federation of Woman's Clubs who have asked all their Junior Woman's Clubs to become active in their communities with Identification Programs like ours.