The Official Publication of the Audubon Park Lodge #272
January 2005
Volume7, Number 1
From the East ...
By the time you read this - assuming our mailing service gets it out on time
- it will be after the Christmas and New Years Holidays. I sincerely hope
that you had a blessed and very Merry Christmas and wish you all a Joyous
New Year. To at least one of our Brothers, and perhaps others, I want to wish
you a belated but just the same a very Happy Hanukkah as well. I also want
to extend to WB Paul Vielle a hearty "welcome home". Paul recently returned
home from several months of intense study in Berkeley California. Paul tells
me he is anxious to get back to Lodge but he has some pretty heavy commitments
through January.
If you didn't make it to the Christmas Pot Luck and Toys for Tots donation
dinner on Wednesday December 22 you missed a wonderful evening and meal. I
don't think I have ever seen so much food at one of our potlucks. There was
spaghetti courtesy of WB Floyd Morse plus lasagna and ravioli courtesy of
Bro Bill Queen. There was additional lasagna, salads, and plenty of wonderful
desserts. Everyone brought Toys for Tots and Bro Bill Wilson assured me all
the Toys would be delivered to Toys for Tots Headquarters in plenty of time
for Christmas Day. Brother Senior Warden - thanks so much for doing this for
us and for the kids.
In addition to the Brethren and Ladies who attended, WB Eric Berman was pleased
to introduce his daughter, son in law, and three grandchildren. I was very
pleased to introduce our daughter Melinda, home from graduate school for the
Holidays. Many thanks to Bro Bill Queen and Lady Libby for all their hard
work. Thanks also to the Brothers and Ladies who stayed around to help clean
up after the wonderful event.
I'm sure WB Eric will report elsewhere in this issue of The Pillars how well
we are doing with our investments. It appears the markets will close out 2004
on a positive note and that is good news for the Foundation. We also moved
the Memorial Fund to the Foundation for management and will be depositing
$10 in memory of every brother who has passed in the last three years.
I'm going to try something beginning in 2005 but I need your help. I'd like
to encourage more Brethren to attend Stated Meetings. I know many have been
traveling and others have been "under the weather". What I'd like to do -
beginning with myself and the Wardens is regularly call the members and invite
and encourage them to attend Stated Meetings.
Have any of you seen any of the following Brothers recently? How about calling
and encouraging them to attend Stated Meetings and our Family Potluck dinners.
We need to contact the following: Dick Hawley, Dick Roark, Dick Sayre, Bob
Faulkner, Max Etter, Don Foster, Doug Brossoit, Jim Mathias, Jim Howland,
Gordon Vails, Mac McElroy, Richard Turner, Cartwright Van Houten, Tom Bost,
and many others. Please help me and the Wardens - give these Brothers a call
and invite them to a Stated Meeting.
WB Eric Berman has volunteered to be our Junior Steward for the remainder
of the year, many thanks. He will be installed at the January 12 State Meeting.
That's all for this month. Again, best wished for a Joyous and Happy New Year!
Chuck Young
Worshipful Master
From the West...
On that note, I want to give a heartfelt and grateful "Thank You" to all who
donated to the Toys for Tots. What you have done, very few are able to do
... make a less fortunate child happy! I have seen some of the kids that get
these toys, and you have never seen bigger smiles when they see that they
will have presents from Santa this year. Some of these kids are getting presents
for the first time in their life, and others for the first time in many years.
Thank you from Toys for Tots and from me for a job well done. You can be very
proud of what you have done.
Bill Wilson
Senior Warden
I want to thank everyone
for attending the Family Night on 12/22/04. We all enjoyed an Italian feast
fit for "The Godfather" it was delicious!! With the addition of salads, desert
and bread sticks it was a very good dinner. The attendance was good and fellowship
even better! We were joined by Brother Eric's Family and it was a pleasure
to have little ones around for the evening.
The "Toys for Tots" drive was a huge success; we all brought "extra" toys
in lieu of the gift exchange using those monies toward additional toys. W
B Chuck brought some toys from the Shriners Hospital toy drive that was a
wonderful addition to the evening's gift of toys. The "door prize" was won
by Brother Floyd. It was a basket of goodies including teas, coffee and cookies
with a cup to drink it all out of. We will have to see what next months door
prize brings.
We are looking forward to seeing you at next months Family Night on 1/26/04.
This evening will be a "Chinese Night", in honor of the Chinese New Year.
Now dig deep for your favorite oriental recipe. Tea, rice and fortune cookies
will be furnished. Chopsticks will also be provided. This evening is also
Honoring Concordant Bodies.
Libby and I want to wish each of you a Happy and Safe New Year and may the
Year 2005 be kind to each of you. See you in January and always "Remember
to share your smiles as you never know who might need one."
Bill Queen
Junior Warden
The 2005 Temple Board includes the officers of the lodge - Chuck Young,
Bill Wilson, and Bill Queen, along with the elected officers Chet Echelbarger
- Chairman, Bob McVicker - Vice Chairman, Jerel Rowe - Secretary, Allan Jones
- Treasurer. Eric Berman, Foundation Secretary, and Floyd Morse, Temple Manager,
are Ex-Officio members.
We have constructed a lodge improvement list that includes short, mid and
long-term goals. The members of the Temple Board have accepted responsibility
for making many of these improvements, and several have been accomplished
already. There will some "work days" scheduled in the near future and we are
asking our lodge brothers to participate in completing these identified goals.
Please contact any of the Temple Board members to get a list of these goals
or to volunteer to help. If you have ideas of what needs to be fixed or improved
ask that it be placed on the appropriate list of goals.
We will continue to provide Temple Board reports in the "Pillars" and in our
lodge meetings.
Happening at the lodge
The December stated meeting welcomed VWB Norm Peterson from Almira Lodge.
The Worshipful Master presented the mission statement for Audubon Park Lodge
and the annual communication from the Grand Secretary was presented. A thank
you from Second Harvest for moneys received for Tom's Turkey drive was read.
A report from the proficiency team on several brothers' progress was made
by each mentor. Brother Allan Jones presented the Masonic education this month
titled The Celestial Lodge and what a Lodge it is.
The APMF had a very active year starting with a New Years Eve party and dance.
A Valentines dinner and dance followed and then the eleventh annual Corned
Beef Dinner. The Buckaroo Ball and the 2004 New Years Eve party and ball room
dance rounded out the year. In addition to these "Fun Raisers" we received
donations from Masons, families, and friends. These donations were from our
fund raising letters, sustaining pledge program, memorials, serendipity jars,
aluminum cans, raffle tickets, and a donation of $50,000.00 from the sale
of the Hillyard property.
In September, we were slightly under $100,000. Today, we are over $114,000.
In December the board of directors completed a year end portfolio review and
implemented a number of changes. They sold three minor common stocks, redeemed
two mutual funds and purchased an additional amount of another mutual fund.
The board of directors will meet January 11 and February 8, 2005. At these
times they will review the asset base of the foundation as well as Temple
Board requests for funding projects. These projects are for improvements to
the interior of our fine Temple building.
The current balance of the Memorial Fund is $1893.00. The income from this
fund will be paid to the Temple Board for improvements to the building. In
December we received $150.00 in memory of the brothers and mother of our Past
Master, John Smith. APMF also received a memorial contribution in memory of
V.W. Br. Virgil Bendix who also was an Illustrious Brother, 33*. Virgil served
as Deputy of the Grand Master and held many positions in Grand Lodge of WA.
and the Scottish Rite. Contributions to the Memorial Fund are an ideal way
to remember someone important to you.
The APMF Wishes all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.
Fraternally Yours: W.B. Eric E. Berman, Sec-Tres. 509-328-2910.
Wanted
1. Temple Manager - We are looking for one or two Brethren to assume responsibilities
as Temple Manager. Duties will involve coordinating rentals of the building,
maintenance, and upkeep. Interested persons please contact VWB Chet Echelbarger,
WM Chuck Young, or WB Floyd Morse for more details.
2. Temple Work Party - Volunteers are needed Saturday morning January 15 at
9:00 a.m. for approximately three hours. We will be cleaning, sorting, hauling,
tossing, and generally giving the building a good "going over". If you can
help please contact Bro Allan Jones so we will know how many donuts to purchase!"
Famous Masons' Corner
Denton True "Cy" Young (1867-1955) The grand old man of baseball and the first
pitcher honored with membership in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the only
pitcher in the first 100 years of baseball to win 500 games. Raised in Mystic
Tie Lodge No. 194, Ohio, 1904. He remained an active member until his death.
Masonic Quiz
Q: What is the oldest Masonic document in existence in the United
States?
A: The ledger for 1731 if St. John's Lodge of Philadelphia.
Q: Who published the first Masonic monitor?
A: See the February issue of Pillars for the answer.
Calendar of Events
January 2005
1/4 Bethel #64 Job's Daughters Meeting 7:00 p.m.
1/12 January Stated Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
1/13 Ivanhoe Chapter #80 - Order of Eastern Star - 7:30 p.m.
1/18 Bethel # 64 Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
1/25 Temple Board Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
1/26 Family Night - "Honoring Concordant Bodies" - 6:30 p.m.
February 2005
2/1 Bethel #64 Job's Daughters Meeting 7:00 p.m.
2/9 February Stated Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
2/10 Ivanhoe Chapter #80 - Order of Eastern Star - 7:30 p.m.
2/15 Bethel # 64 Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
2/22 Temple Board Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
2/23 Family Night - "Valentine Celebration" - 6:30 p.m.
Officers 2004-2005
Worshipful Master WB Chuck Young
Senior Warden
B Bill Wilson
Junior Warden B
Bill Queen
Treasurer
VWB Douglas Tucker
Secretary
WB Floyd Morse
Chaplain
WB David Ferguson
Marshal B
Robert McVicker
Senior Deacon
B Allan Jones
Junior Deacon
B Barry Rettkowski
Senior Steward -------
Junior Steward
WB Eric Bermen
Tyler
B Rob Queen
Grand Lodge Lecturer VWB Douglas Tucker