Mars residents view eclipse at Masonic Lodge
MARS — The borough with the space-themed name was one of the hottest places to be for the solar eclipse on Monday afternoon, April 8.
Mars residents gathered at the John E. Mair Masonic Lodge 729 on Clay Avenue to view the eclipse together.
While the Masons hosted the viewing at their lodge, the event was organized by Pam Erskine, owner of Rowdy Roots Salon on Grand Avenue in Mars, as well as the soon-to-open Wrapperz candy and gifts shop.
Erskine said Rowdy Roots has hosted events at the Masonic lodge in the past, including a barbecue fundraiser in August 2023. To return the favor for the Masons offering their lodge grounds for the event, the event organizers took donations for the Masons.
“They've helped us out several times to be able to hold an event in case it rains,” Erskine said. “We feel like we want to give back to them, since they helped us out.”
“(The Masons) were nice enough to donate the hall to us, so that's why Pam wanted to put something out,” said Suzie Mrozek, who assisted during the event and will work at Wrapperz once it opens. “And people have been donating very nicely today. It's been a very good turnout, and people have been very generous.”
Erskine said the Masons’ lodge was the ideal place to host a viewing party for the eclipse.
“It has a nice amount of space, and we have a nice grass area over there,” Erskine said. “I didn't want to have to close down the streets.”
Throughout the event, the air crackled with music which was specially themed for the occasion, thanks to volunteer disc jockey Tom Dorsch. These included “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay, and “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The organizers had plenty of spare “eclipse glasses” to hand out for people who didn’t have their own already. However, not everyone at the lodge watched the eclipse through special glasses. At least one — Jill Ruzich — brought a “pinhole viewer” made out of a cardboard box and tinfoil.
“So there's a little pinhole, and it shows a little dot,” Ruzich said. “And it’s actually showing the eclipse.”
To promote the opening of the Wrapperz store on Grand Avenue, which will take place on April 20, the organizers held a contest to decide who among those in attendance was wearing the best eclipse-themed T-shirt. The winner received a gift basket with candy and other goodies, along with a miniature telescope.
Borough Mayor Gregg Hartung made sure to stop by the lodge for the rare-in-a-lifetime occasion.
“It’s the first time I’ve gotten to look at something like this,” Hartung said. “I look forward to maybe taking a look again in 20 years if I’m still around.”
