With Inspection season finally over (yes, it seems to take years to squeeze in 11 Inspections), and our Open House in the rear view mirror, we are turning our attention to other activities.
First is a reminder of the calendar as we currently know it:
May 29th - Memorial Day. Yes, it is a holiday, but a somber one. It is an opportunity for us to honor those who gave their lives for our country.
June 9 is the 15th District Grand Master's Reception Picnic at Palestine #158, Marysville, Ohio. Transitioning from the informal picnics of recent years, this is a suit-and-tie affair. Regardless, it is a great opportunity to interact with Grand Lodge Officers, getting to know the person, not just the title.
June 10th – Reconsecration of Palestine #158 and Mad River #161, both for 175 years.
July 4th - Independence Day. This commemorates the passing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Parades, fireworks, cookouts, and draping everything in red, white, and blue is how we think of it now. In 1776, it was a day that changed the world.
September 4th - Labor Day. Becoming a federal holiday in 1894, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of the American worker. Those who do the heavy lifting to keep things working deserve, and have earned, this recognition.
September 6 @ 7:30pm is our first meeting of the fall. It is anticipated that we will have petitions to review, and the EA degree to confer. Refreshments? There will be a pizza dinner prior to the meeting @ 6:30pm.
September 16 @ 9am will be the 15th District Annual Meeting at Marion #70. Among other things discussed will be finalization of the 2024 Inspection schedule. Will there be doughnuts? Possibly. Will it be exciting? Depends on your definition of exciting. Will a recap be made available on the 15th District site for those who can't attend? Holding your breath on this is not recommended.
September 17th @ 6pm will be the 15th District Awards Dinner. It will be held at The Plaza Inn, Mt. Victory, Ohio. Even if your Lodge didn't win something (after all, this isn't youth soccer), the food and fellowship are enough to justify attending.
November 11th - Veterans Day. This a day to express gratitude to America's service members, past and present, who served in both war and peace.
November 18th @ 9am is the 15th District Fall Education Meeting, to be held at Mad River #161. This is usually a fun, exciting, and informative session. Yes, doughnuts are usually involved.
November 24 - Thanksgiving Day. Observed in North America, this is meant to celebrate the harvest season, as well as the other blessing of the year. Yes, that means there is more to the holiday than turkey and football.
December 2 @ 9am will be the 15th District Past Master's Convocation, to be held at Mt. Gilead #206.
Next, but not in order of importance, is a recap of our efforts to declutter our location. Members, visitors, and frequent readers recall our abrupt change in location a while back. Quickly we were able to set up one room for traditional Lodge meetings. Although different in every way from our previous location, over time we’ve found it sufficient for our needs. The second room we used to store our treasures, which loosely translates to “everything else”. After months of considering our situation, we reached the difficult decision to part ways with that for which we no longer consider useful.
The goal was to have a useable space for our pre-meeting pizza dinners, which have become very popular, and to have a gathering space prior to opening Lodge. Spearheaded by Bro. Terry Hafer, this seemed like an enormous undertaking, and it was. Accompanied by hard work and some sentimental goodbyes, the results thus far are nothing short of amazing. What once looked like Fibber McGee’s closet (younger folks might have to Google this) is slowly transforming into the multi-use area originally envisioned. Is the transformation completed? Not by any description. But we could never have come this far this quickly without Bro. Hafer’s efforts, plus those who assisted him on this project.
The last topic is one that pops up every spring - What do we do during summer? That answer is much longer than the question might indicate.
Lodges traditionally "go dark" (don't meet) during the months of July and August. In our particular location, with a largely agrarian populous, June also poses challenges. For years we have not had sufficient attendance in June to conduct business. It is clear that our necessary vocations are not to be neglected, and just as clear that we are not permitted to "cancel" meetings. Where does that leave us? Call before you come, unless you are bringing lots of friends.
That summarizes what we are looking at for the present. As additional information becomes available we will post it. Till next time,
See you in Lodge!
