Like many people, the members of Riverside Masonic Lodge 503 in Wrightsville watched news stories about the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene and wanted to help. The service organization took action and will provide comfort for victims of the natural disaster through comfort food. The lodge will host a cheesesteak fundraiser to benefit people impacted by the hurricane in North Carolina. The drive-through event will be held from 11 a.m. until sold out on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the lodge, 25 Cool Creek Road, Wrightsville.

"One of our brothers, Keith Flaharty, said, 'We ought to do something for the folks in North Carolina that had such tragedy in their lives,'" recalled Ed Reisinger, senior warden for the lodge. "Sometimes, the more time passes after an event like this, the further these people fade from our minds. We thought we'd wait a couple of weeks and do something to help these folks out."

Flaharty often makes cheesesteaks for family outings, so the lodge members decided to expand his efforts for the fundraiser. Sandwiches will feature meat and cheese with individual containers of toppings, including sauce, mushrooms, onions and peppers, provided as well. Meals will also include chips and a bottle of water.

This is the first cheesesteak fundraiser for the lodge, but the members are no strangers to raising funds through food.

"We host a pancake breakfast every February, and our chicken barbecue is always the last Saturday in May," Reisinger said, noting that additional fundraisers held throughout the year include a chicken and waffles dinner, sandwich sales and prize giveaways.

"All the money we raise through these efforts goes back into the community," Reisinger said. The lodge provides three $1,000 scholarships to students at Eastern York High School, supports youth activities and provides holiday meals for people in need, among other initiatives.

"It's important for us to give back," he noted. "We want to let folks know that we are here and that we support the community."

Reisinger thanks the community partners who are helping to make the cheesesteak fundraiser a reality. "We've had several donations come in from different vendors," he said. Star Rock Farms will donate the meat. John Gross & Company will supply the rolls, cheese and other toppings. The Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers will provide the chips, and Jack Giambalvo Buick GMC will donate the water. Support will also be provided by John Wright Restaurant.

Reisinger emphasized that 100% of the cheesesteak sales will support hurricane victims, and the local lodge is working with a Masonic lodge in Asheville, N.C., to distribute the funds.

"We are hoping to raise $5,000," he said. "That's our goal, and if we sell as many cheesesteaks as we're planning to, we'll reach that goal."

For more information, search for "Riverside Lodge 503" on Facebook.