Past grand master John Heisner often described Freemasonry as a lifelong pursuit of personal growth and public good. A lawyer, educator, and U.S. Army veteran, Heisner saw Masonry as not simply a fraternity but as a framework for living with integrity and purpose. Today, that spirit lives on through the lodge that bears his name.
So it’s no surprise that for members of Most Worshipful John R. Heisner № 442, service to others is central to the Masonic experience. Today, that can be seen in an ambitious slate of charitable efforts that includes college scholarships, support of the local Little League, and contributions to the Masonic youth orders in San Diego. It’s also evident in the way lodge members roll up their sleeves to volunteer, most notably at Father Joe’s Villages, a local homeless shelter and supportive services non-profit. There, lodge members have organized fundraisers, mentored young people, and stepped in wherever needed. To lodge master Alexander Vergrugghen, that’s just the way Heisner would have wanted it.
He would know: Verbrugghen was a fellow member of Amity № 42 with Heisner. In 2023, when Amity consolidated into Unity № 642, the members of the two groups christened their new lodge in memory of Heisner, who served as grand master in 2016–2017, and who passed away in June 2022. Heisner, says Verbrugghen, believed that, “Together, we can create lasting change and a positive impact.”
That’s precisely what the lodge has aimed to do. Verbrugghen says the group organizes a deliberately wide range of charity events so busy members can fit them within their schedules, from breakfast fundraisers to afternoon shifts at the local soup kitchen. “The goal is to make service an open door, not an obligation,” he says.
In that mission, the group is carrying forward the legacy of its namesake. It’s a fitting tribute: a lodge defined by action, guided by principle, and united in the belief that a lodge’s greatest impact occurs not within its walls, but beyond them.
