Charity looms large in that story. As a 21st Century Club donor, Herwegh is among the fraternity’s most generous supporters. “One of the reasons we become Freemasons is to give,” he says. “There’s the Jewish concept called tzedakah. It can be translated as charity, but it’s really more than that. It’s an obligation to God and to other people. It’s about caring about others and how you can affect their lives. I think that’s why you need to believe in God to be a Mason. You need to look outside of yourself to something bigger. As Masons, we work on improving ourselves. But we also try to improve the world and help others.”

Among the fraternity’s charitable programs, he feels an emotional tie to Masons4Mitts. He played baseball from age 8 through 16, and counts it among his most meaningful childhood experiences. He is now raising his own children in the same neighborhood where he grew up, and he still runs into guys he played ball with as a kid. “Little league was always special for me,” he says: “the camaraderie, the coaches, the teamwork. I want to help other kids to have that experience. And it’s as simple as a baseball glove.”

It’s a poignant observation from a man who, as a craftsman, collector, and Mason, understands the power of the tangible. Whether on the baseball field, in the display case, or in the lodge room, objects mean something to Herwegh. They connect him to those that made them or used them in the past. They connect him to core parts of himself – in his words, the story of who he is. And they can evoke lessons that are hard to teach in words alone.

When Herwegh scours an antique shop for some new treasure, or contemplates his curio cabinet of Masonic keepsakes and bookshelves of esoteric lore, he thinks about the collective experiences and wisdom within. “I believe there’s information in Masonry that we have not yet figured out,” he says, “but it’s our duty to learn from it and pass it on.” The right objects, collected with care, can help.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Jason Frank