So that was Winter?

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We know, we know. It is too soon to think about such things. Spring actually starts on March 20^th at 1:14am. Even after that it is too soon to declare that winter is over. Some of our older members remember horrendous snows in April. One shared a story from his grandmother, who recalled that snow flurries made an appearance the morning of an Independence Day parade in the early 1900’s. No matter how you view it, spring is on the way. Daylight is increasing at the rate of 2 minutes 40+ seconds per day. As this is being written the forecast is for a high of 68 degrees, with a gentle rain. Lest we forget, February last year saw the worst snow of the winter, immediately followed by the worst flooding to hit our village since 1963. Like winter, even spring has its challenges.

Speaking of challenges, we received information from Grand Lodge that recommends changes to what we post to this site. The basis of their guidelines is the confidentiality of member information, which we have always tried to respect. We have never published residential addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses of members. We have posted birthdays and Masonic anniversaries, and photos from special ceremonies with the parties identified. During discussion at a recent meeting we determined the following approach best fits our situation.

- In the future no member will be identified on our site without signing a permission form before the posting. A separate form will not be required for each instance.

- Permission slips will be mailed to each of our members to sign and return. Signed forms will permit us to continue posting birthdays, Masonic anniversaries, and historical photos.

- If not already on file, permission slips will be requested for each person photographed receiving an award, other special recognition at the Lodge, or participating in the ceremony.

- The WM will be offered the opportunity to review and adjust each item intended for posting.

- The content of “LaRue Lodge – The First 100 Years” from 1972 will remain available, as it is also found on local historical sites.

This area is an appropriate concern, the ripples of which will be felt for years to come. A quick survey of Masonic web sites assures us we are not alone. At this point portions of both the 15^th Masonic District and Grand Lodge web sites would appear to require revision also. As with any major change, it will take us some time to become comfortable with the new processes. Please bear with us during the transition.

We still have events to mark on your calendar, indicated below:

March 6, 2012. Election Day. If you haven’t already cast your ballot through the early voting or absentee options, this is your chance to make your thoughts count. For this reason it is called participatory government.

March 11, 2012. Daylight Savings Time. The official change takes place at 2am. The phrase “spring forward, fall back” suggests we should move our clocks forward one hour.

March 17, 2012. Our Inspection in the EA degree. Inspection starts at 2:30pm, and at this point refreshments are not scheduled. Please Note: This is a change from the date and time previous posted.

April 13, 2012. 15th District Grand Masters Reception. Held at the Huntsville Event Center, 6886 Wishart Street, Huntsville, OH 43324. Dinner is scheduled to start at 7pm. The cost is $17.50, and reservations can be made through the Lodge Secretary prior to April 6, 2012. The menu has been released, and is:

Chicken Breast
Roasted Potatoes
Mixed Vegetables
Salad
Rolls
Coffee, lemonade, ice tea, soda
Dessert Bar

Additional Inspection dates are listed on the 15^th Masonic District web site, noted in the left margin.

This summarizes what is happening with Lodge “as we type”. As more information becomes available, we will share.

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See you in Lodge!

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