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Greetings Brethren,
It's a relief to see that Spring is about to blossom once again with an apparent bumper crop of dandelions.
I've long since decided to stop trying to get rid of them and just treat them as colorful wild flowers. For me, there are better things to spend my time getting rid of. Such as, wondering whether or not our Lodge is an example of what I personally joined for. I was told that I could find "fellowship, brotherly love, comradeship and friendship" at our Lodge. Well, that's what I found and consequently have dropped it from my wonder-about list.
We continue to be very
busy with activities that ultimately affect all of us in the Lodge. We are fortunate in having more than several new Brothers join us and therefore our degree work is being honed to an even sharper skill. If you haven't been to Lodge for a while, please come on by. Even if it's just to sit on the sidelines. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised at learning firsthand what been going on. If you'd like a chuckle, come to our meeting on 4/14 and watch me at my first attempt to sit in the East!
By the way, on that night we'll be conferring a couple of Fellowcraft Degrees and your presence would help these Brothers really appreciate the significance of the event (Lodge opens at 7 PM that night).
Before I forget, please remember the Brotherhood Fund. ANY
amount is absolutely great. Again, please get it to Brother Hollis Cochran instead of sending it directly to Grand Lodge.
At the suggestion of RW Otto Tatar, I've drafted a letter that you should send to Senator Steven Saland and Assemblyman
Dr. Joel Miller ASAP. It's about asking them to support bills that have been introduced into the NY Senate and Assembly which, if upheld, could relieve us from having to pay real estate taxes on our Lodge
property.
Please date and sign the draft which is attached. Be sure to add your address to the bottom of the letters so they can be validated as coming from constituents in their districts. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!!
The Master Mason of the Year dinner which was scheduled for 4/22 has been moved up to 4/15 because of conflicts at Mariners
Harbor. Please come out to, not only honor a worthy recipient but, have bit of fun. Cost is $18.00 / person and is all-inclusive. Prime Rib, Chicken Marsala and Grilled Salmon is the fare. Contact
Bill Crane at 758-4164.
Remember a couple of Trestleboards ago, I mentioned that I wanted us to go into the 21st century with our own Internet
web-page (whatever that is)? Well, we are almost there thanks to Brother Nick Sialmas of Beacon Lodge. I might have had the idea for our Lodge, but he's
the one that's making it happen from a technical point of view for us and Beacon Lodge. Incidentally, Brother Bob Hanaburgh, Jr. of Shekomeko Lodge beat us
to the punch and you ought to look at their site. Nevertheless, we have our site up and running at www.njs.com/masonic/hendrick875 and we link to Shekomeko and Grand Lodge.
It's a web-site that is "work-in-process" and open to suggestions. Thanks also to Brother Larry Wills whose photos of our Lodge are on our web site. If you have access to the Internet and have a chance to look at our site, please give me suggestions as to what improvements might be made to it.
It's not linked into the Grand Lodge web site at this time for a couple of reasons that I won't bore you with. After the chaos recedes for me, and if you all agree, I'm hoping to be the
Lodge Web master and maintain our site. Why is this something I consider important?
Well, someone in Edinburgh, Beijing, Hyde Park or at Bard College, as an example, can see our Trestleboard and learn what we are about. It's all about spreading the word, isn't it?
Another reminder... Dues are Due so Do send yours in if you haven't already!
The Dutchess District Charity Ball was a blast! It's the first one I've attended and I plan to make all of those in
the future.
The band was even pretty good and surprisingly my back didn't ache the next morning from my feeble attempts at dancing. It was a lot of fun and you really ought to plan to attend next year. Oh, the food the Sheridan served up was darned good also.
W Brother Bob Hendrickson has graciously agreed to be our Lodge focal point for the Oklahoma Indian Fellowcraft Degree that
will be conferred at Grand Lodge on 6/5. Contact him at 658-3851.
The Red Hook Little League is in business again for the upcoming season thanks, in part, to our contribution.
They've really come to rely on us and that's not bad in my opinion.
By the way, even if you think you only play a small part in the conferring of Degrees, it's really
important that you come to rehearsals. It just makes things go a lot smoother on the real night.
Below are a bunch of dates which I'm sure I'll screw up and omit something from.
But, if I end up confusing you or forgetting something, give me a call.
Dates to Remember
- 4/5... 1st Degree at Wappingers Lodge
- 4/7... AGL visit at Rhinebeck Lodge
- 4/10.. Spring has arrived for real! Meet at Lodge at 8:15AM for Save A Highway road pickup.
- 4/11.. Communion Breakfast, cost is $7.00, contact Herb Simmons at 758-8788 for tickets.
- 4/11.. Rehearsal at 7 PM for Fellowcraft Degree
- 4/13.. Rehearsal at 7 PM for Fellowcraft Degree (may move to 4/12)
- 4/13.. Building Committee Meeting at 7 PM
- 4/14.. Conferral of Fellowcraft Degrees, Lodge opens at 7 PM
- 4/15..
Master Mason of the Year Dinner at Mariners Harbor, contact Bill Crane at 758-4164 - Horse Overs at 6PM with dinner at 7 PM
- 4/19.. AGL at Wappingers Lodge
- 4/24.. Shriners "Jubilee" in Albany, contact RW Otto Tatar for details at 758-6564
- 4/28.. Stated Communication, Lodge opens at 7:30
- 5/1... Shriners Screening Clinic at Vassar Hospital, contact RW Otto Tatar for details
- 5/4... OES District Deputy Night, waiters needed from our Lodge around 9PM
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