Humboldt Masonic Lodge #79 recognizes Fortuna Police Chief Bill Dobberstein

Fortuna Police Chief Bill Dobberstein welcomed the Master of Humboldt Masonic Lodge # 79 at Tuesday night’s City Council Meeting to present him with a certificate of recognition. The certificate recognizes a recent donation made to the department by the Masonic Lodge.

The Lodge donated money to the Police Department to enable it to purchase ballistic plates for officers’ vests. The plates, costing several hundred dollars each, provide an additional measure of safety for officers who might encounter a suspect with a high velocity firearm.

Half a dozen of the patrol officers did not have the equipment available, and the purchase was made possible through a donation from the Masons.

“This generous donation is greatly appreciated, and it allowed us to purchase the plates for our officers right away,” said Chief Dobberstein. He added that, “getting approval to buy these through the regular process would have taken quite some time, while our officers now have that extra margin of safety available as they patrol our community.”

Humboldt Masonic Lodge # 79 has a very long history in our county, having been founded on June 30th, 1854; first organized in April of that year by six Masons at a meeting in Bucksport which was located where the Bayshore Mall is today.

The Lodge has been active in directly supporting many community organizations and activities over the years including Hospice of Humboldt, local Volunteer Fire Departments, community schools, and many other worthy causes including the Shriner’s Hospitals.

The fraternity aspires to make good men better men. The stated mission of the Masonic order in California is that “a man who strives to improve himself can also improve his community and the world at large.”