Student Army initiative wins over Freemasons

Caption Story from Freemasons New Zealand
10 May 2011
CAPTION STORY – JPG File attached - Sam, shovels and Grand Master

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Sam Johnson, the Canterbury University student, who initiated the Student Army in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes, won over Freemasons, A-grade university students from throughout New Zealand and their parents at a gathering in Hamilton where $220,000 in Freemasons Postgraduate and University Scholarships were yesterday presented.

Freemasons presented Sam with a cheque for $5,000 towards the operation of the Student Army, which has shoveled thousands of tons of liquefaction from homes and streets in Christchurch. Sam returned on Sunday from a fortnight in Japan where he spent time working along side and encouraging Japanese university students to pitch in following the Japanese Tsunami, as Canterbury students had done in Christchurch.

Freemasons Grand Master, Selwyn Cooper, pictured with Sam Johnson, said the community service displayed by the Sam and the Student Army deserved recognition.

“It is important that young people carry on the mantle of community service from their parents and grandparents generations”.

ENDS