The Official Publication of the Audubon Park Lodge #272
April 2006
Volume 8, Number 4
From the East ...
"As visions of sugar plums danced in their heads" may seem a little off the
wall, but visions of friendship and corned beef still remain in my head! Another
example of Brotherhood and Friendship has been laid up in the archives of
our Lodge, with the passing of our annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner.
It was awe inspiring to see all the brethren and their families Wednesday
the 15th at the Lodge! There were the "Old Guard", the new Entered Apprentices,
and Brothers I have never met at Lodge. This was truly a night of that will
last in the memories of all that attended!
The MWB Al Jorgenson and his Lady were there, along with VWB Dean Heinemann,
and our own RWB Doug Tucker; along with other members of the Grand Lodge team.
The Grand Master was there awarding numerous service pins for years of dedicated
service to the fraternity. Thanks to WB Eric Berman, the Grand Master was
quite busy for awhile handing out pins for service to the fraternity; some
for 25 years, all the way up to 60 year pins! A "Hiram" award was presented
to WB Chuck Young for his hard work and dedicated service in the restoration
and "remodeling" of the Lodge!
WB Dean Whittier and WB Floyd Morse came through with flying colors for "whipping
up" the main menu, and seeing that it was ready right on time. The Jobies
were there, doing another awesome job of serving and attending to the tables
and cleaning up. This brethren is what is meant by Brotherly Love and Friendship!
So many pulling together for the betterment and good of all! My hat is off
to all that helped and attended!
See you in Lodge,
Bill Wilson
Worshipful Master
From the West...
I am looking forward to seeing you all in Lodge, Family Night and at the various
concordant organizations that makeup our Fraternal Family Relationships. On
that note, Jobs Daughters are having an initiation of 2 new members April
24, 2006 at 7:00 at North Hill Lodge. I would like to see as many as possible
attend to support our youth. I would like to send prayers and well wishes
to Worshipful Brother Chuck Young for a speedy recovery.
Bill Queen
Senior Warden
As Secretary I recognized it was my obligation to clean up and organize the
Secretary's office and storage areas. In the past six months I came to the
conclusion that we Masons tend to hold onto important and unimportant things
past the point of meaningful reasoning. I found bank statements and checks
dating back to 1952, Grand Lodge monthly reports, cash registers, correspondence,
petitions, demits dating back to 1928. I have disposed of some items such
as the Bank Statements, checks and meaningless correspondence more than 10
years old. When I asked how long to keep some items, for example petitions,
the response was "forever." I did keep these things.
I noticed the monthly cycle of events and paperwork required: agenda, minutes,
reports, etc. leading to monthly and annual reports to Grand Lodge reporting
summary of the number of degrees and summary of new members gained versus
the number of members lost. Audubon Park Lodge 272's ending numbers for 2005
will be 134 members. Some Lodges have considerably less and others more. What
the ending number will be for 2006 will be up to us and the Grand Architect.
We must continue adding meaningful numbers to our membership roll for we don't
know when the Grand Architect will seek one or more of our members.
Is there interest in a group RV, camping or picnic experience? If so please
call or email me and let me know your thoughts; if there is enough interest
we will try to plan one.
Fraternally Yours:
It's my sad duty to inform the Brethren that for the second time in less than
a month some one has thought it was "fun" to shoot out the lamps on the main
entrance to the Lodge. I found them shot out on Sunday March 5 and replaced
the globes and lamps. I filed a police report but we have no idea who did
the damage. Then this past Sunday, March 26, when I was at Lodge to work on
EAM proficiency with Brothers Sam Atwood and Ray Lader I noted the lamps had
been damaged again. I can't tell for sure if they were shot out or just broken.
It is vandalism pure and simple and I'm not sure what we can do to prevent
it from happening again. If you have any ideas be sure to share them with
a member of the Temple Board.
We had a work party on Saturday March 18 but I had to eat all the donuts as
WM Bill Wilson didn't want any. Even though there were just the two of us,
we managed to get a few projects completed. There is still much to be done
and we will be scheduling more work parties in the months ahead. We will try
to give sufficient notice and if you can find the time to give a couple hours
it would be appreciated if you could come down and help a bit.
If you notice the large "bulletin board" in the dining room I am told by WB
Chet Echelbarger that he is going to be installing it in strips around the
walls of the dining room. This will give our renters something they can use
when they want to hang decorations.
Fraternally,
25 Years: Monte Allen, John Angeli, Willard Davenport, Grady Garmon, Larry
Keller, Fred Krewson, Donald Mandersheid, James McAllister, Frank Rotter,
Richard Sayre, Gordon Vails and Dean Whittier.
40 Year: Daws Black, Donald De Feyter, Earl Elkins, James Howland, Richard
Moon, Charles Perkins, Howard Petheram, Philip Rhea, Ronald Smith, Donald
Wiley, John Willkinson.
50 Years: Edward Barton, Arthur Bishop, Richard Bixby, John Gowdey, William
Jensen, John Kaye, Robert Patience, Kenneth Rector, Robert Webb.
55 Years: Henry Anderson, Warren Batters, Richard Hubbard, Orin Johnson, Joseph
Perdue, William Sadesk, Wesley Shuford.
60 Years: Arthur LaTurner, John Semoni
Thank you to all these Brothers for their long service to the Fraternity.
Audubon Park Masonic Foundation.
Corned Beef Dinner: Seventy-four Masons and friends attended our annual meeting.
The Jobies, leaders and parents did a suburb job in assisting with setup,
serving and clean up. Audubon Park Masonic Foundation cleared $638.00 from
the dinner, donations and raffle.
The Foundation is doing what it was conceived of doing, "Fun Raising," and
building an asset base, then using a portion of the income to support our
Charities. W. Br. Bill Wilson, assisted by M.W.Br. Alvin Jorgensen, Grand
Master, presented checks to our charities: Job's Daughters, Scottish Rite
Language Speech Center, Audubon Park Lodge "Books for Kids Program," and Audubon
Park Temple for new blinds.
Our asset base is over $138,000, and growing. Your "Fun Raising Director"
established a goal of $160,000 by Dec.31, representing a 25% increase. The
goal is reasonable and attainable! If the asset base goal is reached prior
to Dec 31, 06, Anne & I will host the donors to a "Prime Rib Dinner & Celebration."
I would personally encourage and invite each and every one of "us" to contribute
to a most worthy cause: Our Audubon Park Masonic Foundation
WB Eric E. Berman, Sec-Treas. APMF
Email: eeberman@hotmail.co
The Pillars
Do you find them interesting? Are they relevant? Is there too little or too
much information? Would you like to see something different? Should they be
sent less often? Is email an option for you? Would just a post card listing
the upcoming activities be adequate?
For many years the Lodge officers have struggled with the question of how
we keep our Brothers informed in relation to the expense incurred doing so.
Reviewing the budget and bring expenses in line with projected revenue, one
of the items being discussed is the expense of printing and mailing the Pillars.
W.M. Bill Wilson has taken under consideration several proposals. He may choose
to change nothing or he may make minor or major changes. The Pillars are prepared
and bulk mailed to some 200 addresses 10 times a year at a cost of about $141.00
an issue. The expense is approx one-fifth of the budget. The Lodge officers
are very sensitive to the fact that many of our Brothers live miles from us.
It may have been years since a Brother has had the opportunity to visit his
Lodge, and the Pillars is the only contact he may have with us in Spokane.
We want to make sure everyone still feels welcome and connected to our Lodge.
Please take a moment and give us your opinion.
Thomas J. Watson (1874-1956). He started his business career with the National
Cash Register as branch manager and rose to Chairman of the Board of I.B.M.
Raised in Valley Lodge No. 109, N.Y., 1901
Masonic Quiz
Q: What is the Symbolic
meaning of "Darkness"?
A: Ignorance. Freemasonry seeks to enlighten the candidate and thus rescue
him from a darkened world.
Q: What symbolizes the "Perfect Ashlar"?
A: See the May issue of the Pillars for the answer
Who do I talk to?
If you want something put into the Pillars or to contact
the Lodge secretary:
Audubon Park Masonic Lodge #272
POB 9575
Spokane, WA 99209-9575
Secretary: W.Br. Eric E. Berman 509-328-2910 email: eeberman@hotmail.com
Pillars Editor: Br. Barry Rettkowski 509-928-0075 email: brettkow@mindspring.com
Calendar of Events
April 2006
4/12 April Stated Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
4/13 Ivanhoe Chapter #80 - Order of Eastern Star - 7:30 p.m.
4/25 Temple Board Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
4/26 Family Night - 6:30 p.m.
May 2006
5/10 May Stated Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
5/11 Ivanhoe Chapter #80 - Order of Eastern Star - 7:30 p.m.
5/23 Temple Board Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
5/24 Family Night - 6:30 p.m. Honoring Mothers and Widows
Officers 2005-2006
Worshipful Master WB Bill Wilson
Senior Warden B Bill Queen
Junior Warden B Allan Jones
Treasure WB Floyd Morse
Secretary WB Eric Berman
Chaplain WB Chuck Young
Marshal B Robert McVicker
Senior Deacon B Barry Rettkowski
Junior Deacon B Rob Queen
Senior Steward -------
Junior Steward -------
Tyler
B Bob Shives
Grand Junior Warden RWB Douglas Tucker