|
Greetings Brethren,
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying this beautiful Spring.
Once again, we had a busy month and May promises to be equally busy.
To recap last month, we participated in the Dutchess District Charity Ball fund raising activities and exceeded our goal of
$3,000.00 in ads thanks to W Brother Ford Franklin and his team. That works out to about $1,500.00 we can return to local charities in the form of grants. Super! We also hosted the District Convention and the dinner honoring RW Bob Balzer's receiving of the Demolay Legion of Honor Award. We held the Master Mason of the Year Award dinner at Mariners Harbor honoring W Brother Ralph Douglas's contributions. We physically supported Warren Lodge and their presentation of the Dewitt Clinton Award to the Historical Society who have maintained and improved their Lodge facility. We also cleaned up our section of Rte. 199 as part of the "Adopt-a-Highway" program. And,
we conferred the Third Degree on five Brothers from our District (including our own Brother David Ames). Along the way, we succeeded in winning the Dutchess and Ulster/Greene ritual competition for Lodge
Opening as well as our team placing a very respectable showing for the 1st Degree Qs & As. Whew....
OK... Can we get busier this month? You bet!!
How many of you newer Brothers remember the phrase "I will answer and obey all due signs and regular summons sent to me from a just and duly constituted Lodge......"? Well, there's one attached to this
Trestleboard informing you of the Election of Officers at our next meeting on the 10th of May. That means, unless, you are on deaths' bed, in danger of losing a limb, out of the country or area, you,
as a Master Mason, are required to attend. You need to be there in order to cast your vote for next years' officers. Sure, our nomination committee has come up with recommendations, but it is your Lodge and if you don't agree with them and think someone else ought to serve as an elected officer, you have the chance to nominate and vote for them at this meeting.
Please be there if possible!
Our Lodge is fortunate in that we continue to be in growth mode.
On the 24th, we plan to confer the Entered Apprentice Degree on two more candidates. I hope all of you can make it to show our newly initiated Brothers the hospitality and fellowship that they deserve. Please try to be there to welcome them into the best fraternity on the planet.
The Dutchess District Communion Breakfast is on the 7th at the Millbrook Federated Church. Brother Larry Wills at
758-1845 has the details and tickets which only cost $7.00 for a great breakfast after the service. If you can't get ahold of him, call me for reservations and have your money ready at the door.
Please get out and sell those tickets for our Roast Pork Dinner on the 13th!
This is a great dinner which starts at 4:30 and coincides with Red Hooks' Apple Blossom Festival. It's been a success for us in the past, thanks to your efforts, so let's make it another one. Waiters, kitchen and cleanup help are greatly appreciated.
FYI
Most of you know that for the first part of last month, Barbara and I spent a couple of great weeks in Ireland and we'd go
back in a heartbeat. While in Dublin we visited St. Patricks Cathedral and discovered the entombment (in the Cathedral) of John Boardman, Esq., "who for 23 years fill'd the office of Grand Treasurer to the Freemasons of Ireland and died on the 29th of May, 1814 whilst on a Mission to the United Grand Lodge of England". Chiseled in stone, with the square and compasses, are the names of the Grand Master, Wardens and Secretary commemorating him. As a fraternity, we've sure been around for a long while and have touched many a life. I'm not certain how old George Washington was at the time RW Boardman assumed office in Ireland but it's really not that important. What's important is to know that we, as a fraternity, along with our beliefs, have played such an important part in history. Be proud of your fraternal heritage and strive to uphold and contribute to it in every way you can.
Dates To Remember
- 5/07/00.. Communion Breakfast at Millbrook Federated Church. Service at 7:30 with breakfast at firehouse afterward.
- 5/09/00.. Building Committee meeting at 7 PM. All are welcome.
- 5/10/00.. Election of Officers. Lodge opens at 7:30 PM.
- 5/13/00.. Roast Pork Dinner at 4:30. All hands on board for helping make it a success, please!
- 5/21/00.. Rehearsal for 1st Degree at 7 PM.
- 5/23/00.. Rehearsal for 1st Degree at 7 PM.
- 5/24/00.. Conferral of 1st Degree. Lodge opens at 7 PM. Officers dress is formal.
- 5/25/00.. Investiture of new officers at Poughkeepsie Lodge at 7:30 PM
- 5/29/00.. Memorial Day Parade. Please try to march with us. White shirts, tie and dark slacks are
appropriate. Details on assembly at High School to follow.
- 6/03/00.. Dewitt Clinton Award ceremony planned.
- 6/09/00.. Dutchess District Golf Outing.
- 6/14/00.. Installation of new officers.
Jules Riedel, julesr@netscape.net
|
