Is it Spring Yet?

Why Not?

As this is being written ice and snow are finally melting, and it is a balmy 40 degrees.  Grass has yet to make its appearance, but we are sure is it under there somewhere.  Weather prognosticators are trumpeting the early arrival of spring rains, breathlessly claiming this is the actual start of the growing season.  There might be some truth to this, as snow is high in nitrogen, facilitating crop growth as well as lawn grass.  But don’t worry – there is no need to chip ice off the mower just yet.

By now you have most likely received one of the yellow post cards from the Grand Lodge of Ohio, with a return address of Chesapeake, Virginia.  If not, don’t worry – yours will be arriving soon.  Essentially this represents an opportunity to purchase a directory of Members of Ohio Lodges.  Similar in concept to school alumni directories, it is the first experience this writer has had with Masonic groups.  There is no obligation to purchase, and it is a sales pitch, not a scam.  The Virginia address is the home office of the publisher, and has been authorized by Grand Lodge.  If you are interested, the Grand Lodge of Ohio has additional information on the topic.  Clicking on the link on left side of this page will take you there.

Speaking of the internet, time and change have been happening around us, expanding and improving access to information and services.  That is a cryptic way of saying there are some local web sites we’d like to bring to your attention. 

The Village of La Rue has had a Face Book account for some time now.  It has been used to post boil alerts, closings, outages, celebrations, and observances.  They have added a web site which is even more full-featured.  The community calendar, Village Council minutes, and other important information are posted regularly.  You don’t need to live in the Village to make use of the information.  Check them out at:

http://www.laruevillage.com/

https://www.facebook.com/villageoflarue

The La Rue Community Alliance was formed as a non-profit group to improve and enhance local businesses, and address flooding issues.  You can check out their site at:

https://www.laruecommunityalliance.org/

Food is not only necessary for existence, but a prominent feature of many meetings.  Recent Inspection dinners have been catered by Coonie’s, many regular meetings feature pizza from JC’s, and Lynch’s Cash & Carry has provided ingredients for many others.  Each has a web presence which features the offerings and specials.  We encourage you to check them out:

Coonie’s:

https://www.facebook.com/coonies.place

JC’s Pizza:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/J-Cs-Pizza/113597468674308?rf=104113823127537

Lynch’s Cash & Carry:

http://www.lynchscashandcarry.com/

There is one more site to bring to your attention.  Many local residents have this book marked, and check it regularly during rainy periods.  As you probably have guessed, it is the water level for the Scioto River:

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=cle&gage=laro1

There are other services, activities, and organizations within and around our community.  Many have web sites and/or Face Book pages, which has almost supplanted word-of-mouth advertising.  Our plan is to add a “Local Interests” page to our site in the coming months.  If you have a suggested listing, please let us know at larue463@yahoo.com. 

Here are some dates to remember:

March 27, 2015        15^th District Grand Master’s Reception.  Listed as starting at 7pm, it will be held at Marion #70, at a cost of $20 per person.  In a departure from previous years, attire is listed as business casual (no coats or ties), and the menu is a loaded potato bar.  Reservations are needed by March 20^th.

March 20, 2015        Spring !

April 5, 2015             Easter

April 15, 2015           Tax Day.  Make sure your paperwork is postmarked accordingly.

May 10, 2015            Mother’s Day.  Everybody has one, knows one, and has been influenced by one.  This is your official day to let them know how much that means to you.

May 25, 2015            Memorial Day.  An opportunity to express appreciation for those who have sacrificed to keep our country free.

June 14, 2015          Flag Day

June 21, 2015          Father’s Day.  An opportunity to honor fathers and fatherhood, and celebrate the contributions they have made in our lives.

July 4, 2015             Independence Day.  Celebrating the birth of a nation doesn’t have to include parades, picnics, and fireworks, but it is fun when it does.

September 7, 2015             Labor Day.  Dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers, it constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

October 23-24, 2015           Annual Communication of Grand Lodge, held at the Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio.  Details will be posted as they become available.

Along the way we will add more dates and information.  Check back often.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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We Passed!

OK, it wasn’t completely in doubt, but there were some difficulties to overcome.  Practices during the holidays were a little rough, and fitting in visits by Distinguished Guests disrupted our schedule, but we were sure we had everything covered.  Then illness struck 3 of our key members, one on the afternoon of Inspection.  Our WM put together a plan to address the issues, our members stepped up, and the evening came off with only the occasional glitch.  We learned many things during the process, including how resourceful our leadership can be, and that giving the lecture corresponding to the Inspection degree is kind of important.

To give a general recap, there were 53 members who signed our registration book, 11 of our own members, of which 9 were Past Masters, with a total of 32 Past Masters.  Dinner was catered by Coonie’s, serving a total of 42 meals.  Unofficially, that meant that 11 attendees missed out on an excellent meal.

New this year were the 15th District attendance sheets.  As some will recall, traveling awards are determined by a complex system of points.  Allegations that the formulas used were discovered as part of Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions cannot be verified. 

Essentially, the most points are given for the lowest level officers in attendance, while some officers are combined with non-officers into the “Good Brethren” category, and awarded the least number of points.  Previous years saw the District Officers huddled with calculators, and the occasional abacus, listening to numbers and categories being shouted out while making their calculations.  Instead, this year there were individual sign-in sheets for each Lodge, plus our own Lodge sign-in book.  Absent some basic instruction, some signed in the correct places, some signed elsewhere, and some didn’t sign anything.  As with all the other “firsts” experienced this year, this is certainly a work in progress.

As the first Inspection of the year we provided an opportunity to demonstrate how many new processes would work, or not.  Most of the adjustments streamlined the process, with the intent of starting at 7:30, and having everything complete by 9:30pm.  Our District takes over 2 hours to travel from one end to the other, so this is a significant issue.  The introduction process provided the largest single change.  We did not have to introduce dignitaries in one degree (MM), switch to another (EA) to continue, and switch back (MM) to conclude the evening.  With the new standards of who is introduced, and how, over 30 minutes were shaved off the process.  At our official starting time we received instruction on how things were going to be different this year.  When the gavel finally rapped to close the meeting, it had not yet reached 9pm.  That was a good thing, and everyone present appreciated it.

As the first Inspection of the season, obviously there are more to follow.  The complete list of Inspection dates and locations can be found on the 15^th District web site by using the tab on the left. 

Other notes for your calendar:

February 16, 2015 President’s Day

March 27, 2015        15^th District Grand Master’s Reception.  Listed as starting at 7pm, it was announced this would be held in Marion, Ohio.  Additional details will be posted as they become available.

April 5, 2015             Easter

May 10, 2015            Mother’s Day.  Everybody has one, knows one, and has been influenced by one.  This is your official day to let them know how much that means to you.

May 25, 2015            Memorial Day.  An opportunity to express appreciation for those who have sacrificed to keep our country free.

June 21, 2015          Father’s Day.  An opportunity to honor fathers and fatherhood, and celebrate the contributions they have made in our lives.

July 4, 2015              Independence Day.  Celebrating the birth of a nation doesn’t have to include parades, picnics, and fireworks, but it is fun when it does.

September 7, 2015 Labor Day.  Dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers, it constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Along the way we will add more dates and information.  Check back often.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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Christmas!

It has already been a wonderful time of the year, and we haven’t even gotten to the big day!  We were just calming down from an action-packed week when the Buckeyes met Wisconsin in Indianapolis.  After that we kind of lost focus for a while, but we’re back.

The Masonic Service Awards program at our last meeting was an excellent experience.  MWB Steven E. Cokonougher, accompanied by RWBs P. Pat Davis - Grand Tyler, RWB Frank Carson - Grand Chaplain, and Charles Buck - DDGM, made the evening special for each of the Award recipients.  A delicious dinner, prepared by Bro. Mike Wells, set the mood for the evening.  Of course the highlight of the evening was the Award presentations.  A 25-year Award was presented to WM Brian Lightfoot, and a 70-year Award to Bro. Joseph F. Spitzer.  Photos were taken, and with any luck appear below this column.

Following the Award presentations, MWB Cokonougher entertained those present with two personal stories that describe commitment to the fraternity.  One involved a chance meeting with an elderly member making his way up the stairs at a Lodge in Massachusetts.  MWB Cokonougher noticed the Brother wore a Masonic Service Award pin with four diamonds and one other stone, and asked about its significance.  The Brother responded that it was specially designed by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for him, and was a 90-year pin.  MWB Cokonougher asked his age, and the Brother responded he was 111.  Despite his age and the stairs, he was maintaining his streak of 72 years of perfect attendance in his Lodge.

As a follow-up, the Grand Master explained that there are many reasons why a member might stay home instead of attend meetings, but when motivated, there are just as many reasons to attend.  He shared that at one Lodge he visited, a member told him since he lived 30 miles away, it wasn’t realistic to expect him to make every meeting.  The Grand Master’s response was that although he lived in Bradenton, Florida for a time, he still maintained perfect attendance at Linden Lodge #637, around 1,100 miles away.  While that is only one member’s response, it provides reason to rethink priorities for all of us.

December is a month of parties, events, and festivities. It is hard to resist being included in gatherings at work, with family, and within our social groups. Culminating with New Year’s Eve celebrations, December is probably the brightest month of the year. Each community has special displays and programs, Nativity scenes and services. Even if you enjoy the bustle of the season, these are a great way to relax, recharge, and reconnect with the things most meaningful during the holidays. Don’t know where any of these might be? Just ask your family or neighbors! Chances are they will point you in the right direction.

We feel one celebration merits special mention.  La Rue’s Christmas in the Village celebration will be on Thursday, December 18th.  A stroll through town reveals that preparations have already begun.  Downtown decorations are already up, window displays are receiving last minute touchups, and areas are being prepared for location specific activities.  The family-friendly celebration has a number of attractions.  Keeping with tradition, the parade starts things off.  The event continues with performances by the Elgin band and show choir, local church choirs, carriage rides, train rides, live reindeer, food, and visits with the Big Guy – Santa!  And did we mention this was all free?  This is truly an event that only a small community could do right.

Our Lodge focus is now on Inspection, scheduled for January 17, 2015.  Toward that end, our DDGM, RWB Charles Buck, will be reviewing our books and procedures at our meeting on December 17^th.  We will also be practicing the EA degree, with a focus on the introduction procedures.

As usual there are a number of calendar listings to note. 

December 17, 2014            Pre-Inspection visitation by RWB Charles Buck, and practice in the EA degree.

December 18, 2014            La Rue’s Christmas in the Village, from 5-8pm.

December 25, 2014            Christmas. 

Please remember the reason for the season.

December 31, 2014            New Year’s Eve.  Please select a Designated Driver!

January 1, 2015                  New Year’s Day.  Your first opportunity to stick to those resolutions, or not.

January 10, 2015                Leadership Training event at Palestine #158, at 9am.  Advance registration is required.

January 17, 2015                Annual Inspection in the EA degree.  Dinner, catered by Coonie’s, will be served at 6:30pm.  Lodge opens at 7:30pm.

March 27, 2015                    Grand Master’s Reception at 7pm. 

Location to be announced.

Along the way we will add more dates and information.  Check back often.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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 Photo #1:  WB Milton Lightfoot, WM Brian Lightfoot, and RWB Charles Buck 

Photo #2:  MWB Steven E. Cokonougher, WM Brian Lightfoot, Bro. Joseph F. Spitzer, 

and RWB Charles Buck

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Cold!

We have updates to the information posted on November 1^st.  As you might have guessed, some things have changed.  Yes, it is still Fall, or Autumn for readers of the Farmer’s Almanac.  Yes, it has turned cool, with the first whispers of snow.  But for the real news you will have to read on.

At our Annual Meeting we elected officers for 2014-15.  The complete list is provided elsewhere on our web site.  After our WM-Elect, Brian Lightfoot, studied the list of Masonic Service Awards, several things were set into motion.

First, our Installation of Officers will take place at our second Stated Meeting in November.  WB Mark Wamack will preside at the closed Installation, assisted by several members of Latham #154. 

Second, our presentation of Masonic Service Awards has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 3rd.  There will be a dinner at 6:30pm, with Lodge opening at 7:30pm.  This year we are fortunate to be presenting a 70-year award, to WB Joseph Frank Spitzer.  MWB Steven E. Cokonougher will be in attendance, and will preside over that portion of our meeting.  A brief check of our history suggests the last visit of an active Grand Master to our humble Lodge was by MWB Jerry C. Rasor in 1978.  You might want to mark this on your schedule in ink.

Third, as our Pre-Inspection visit nears by RWB Charles Buck (December 17^th), we are also reminded of the many holiday celebrations between now and our Inspection on January 17^th.  One of our favorites is La Rue’s Christmas in the Village, scheduled for Thursday, December 18 from 5-8pm.  This is an annual celebration in downtown La Rue. It is certainly a family-friendly event, starting with a parade at 5pm. Previous years have featured choirs caroling, free refreshments, carriage rides, live reindeer, and the Big Guy (Santa) making a special appearance. And did we mention free food?  If you haven’t attended in the past, it is truly an event that only a small town can do right.

As usual there are a number of calendar listings to note. 

November 19, 2014            Installation of Officers for 2014-15.

November 27, 2014            Thanksgiving

December 3, 2014              Masonic Service Awards presentations, MWB Steven E. Cokonougher presiding.  Dinner at 6:30pm, Lodge opens at 7:30pm.

December 6, 2014              Past Master Convocation at Marion #70 at 9am.

December 18, 2014            La Rue’s Christmas in the Village, from 5-8pm.

December 25, 2014            Christmas

December 31, 2014            New Year’s Eve.  Please select a Designated Driver!

January 1, 2015                  New Year’s Day.  Your first opportunity to stick to those resolutions, or not.

January 17, 2015                Annual Inspection in the EA degree.  Dinner, catered by Coonie’s, will be served at 6:30pm. 

Lodge opens at 7:30pm.

Along the way we will add more dates and information.  Check back often.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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Fall!

Judging from the last post, it has been a while since we’ve provided an update.  The wait is over!

Although we are still celebrating our new lift chair (see below), other things are on the horizon.  Next up is our Annual Meeting, during which we elect the slate of officers to serve for the coming year.  As usual, a dinner is part of the program, starting at 6:30pm.  Rumor has it that RWB Spracklen has been very successful fishing this year, and we will be enjoying the fruits of his harvest.  By the way, attending doesn’t mean you have to accept an office, just that you enjoy the fellowship.

The Annual Communication of Grand Lodge is now in our rear view mirror, but the effects will be felt for some time to come.  The first impact was announced during the DGM’s Roll Out Programs this summer – training sessions for Wardens and Deacons.  The first of these in our District is scheduled for November 15^th at Oliver #447.  Previously known as the District Secretary Meeting, and later the District Education Meeting, it is now known as the Wardens and Deacons Training Meeting.  As you might guess from the title, the focus is now on Wardens, Deacons, and LEOs.  Other Brethren are welcome to attend, and who knows, you might learn a thing or three.

We anticipate additional information from Grand Lodge concerning the other activities mentioned in the DGM’s Roll Out Programs.  Until then, we have received a summary of the proceedings of Grand Lodge, along with an Edict from the Grand Master. 

On Friday, October 17^th, at the Ohio Grand Lodge session, proposed legislation 2014-2 was approved.  This legislation removed section 11.05, Gambling and Penalties, from the Ohio Masonic Code.  In short, this permits Lodges to hold gambling activities subject to the laws of the Ohio Revised Code.  To say this is a big deal doesn’t do it justice, and it isn’t as simple as it might sound. 

Despite the vote, at this time we have more questions than answers.  Here are some samples:

What does the Ohio Revised Code say on this topic?

How might this impact our Lodge 501-C-10 status for taxes?

How might this impact the Ohio property tax exemption for our Lodge?

To give Grand Lodge time to research these and other questions, MWB Cokonougher issued an edict putting on hold the execution of this legislation for a period of 90 days.  This will expire on January 18, 2015, unless extended.

If you’d like us to email you a copy of the proceedings, or the edict, let us know at larue463@yahoo.com.

As usual there are a number of calendar listings to note. 

November 5, 2014              Fish Dinner and Annual Meeting. 

Dinner at 6:30pm, Lodge opens at 7:30pm.

November 15, 2014            Fall Education Meeting at Oliver #447 at 9am.

November 27, 2014            Thanksgiving

December 6, 2014              Past Master Convocation at Marion #70 at 9am.

December 25, 2014            Christmas

December 31, 2014            New Year’s Eve.  Please select a Designated Driver!

January 1, 2015                  New Year’s Day.  Your first opportunity to stick to those resolutions, or not.

January 17, 2015                Annual Inspection in the EA degree.  Dinner, catered by Coonie’s, will be served at 6:30pm. 

Lodge opens at 7:30pm.

Along the way, after our Annual Meeting, our Installation of Officers will be scheduled.  As soon as that date is known, it will be added to our list.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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Summer?

It barely feels like it now!  As we head toward our first meeting of the fall, it dawns on us that summer is quickly drawing to a close.  It has been everything you’d expect in Ohio:  periods of heavy rain, many days of drought, hot weather, cool weather, and it changes every couple days.  Jokes abound describing running the A/C in the afternoon and the furnace at night, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Deputy Grand Master’s Roll Out Programs have made their last appearance, at least until next year.  For those who missed the events, it was an opportunity to hear from the source what is planned for the coming year, and why.  It is hard to summarize the content in just a few phrases, but here are some high points from my notes on RWB Steven Cokonougher’s presentation:

1 – All possible communications will be digital.  Grand Lodge spent over $110,000 last year on postage, much of which could have been better spent elsewhere.

2 – To enhance leadership abilities, multiple training opportunities will be offered for Deacons, Wardens, and Education Officers.

3 -   A Speakers Bureau will be developed for each District, the members of which will be made available for Special and Stated Meetings, on both Masonic and non-Masonic topics.

4 – Meetings and activities need to be respectful of the time, effort, and expense of those who attend, especially new candidates.  As a result, some adjustments will be made to the current process of introductions and processes used during meetings, and at related social functions.

The Power Point presentation used during the meetings can be found at: 

http://www.freemason.com/images/headlines/DGM%20Roll%20Out%20Program%20for%202015.pdf

Since our last post we have made a significant change to our entry way.  For over a year we have struggled with the chair lift that runs from downstairs to the first landing.  For reasons unknown to us, it quit one day, and hasn’t operated since.  Although examined by many, no satisfactory explanation was found.  We finally called in professionals from 101 Mobility in Lewis Center (http://columbus.101mobility.com/).  After a thorough examination and discussion of the options, we found it cheaper to have a new chair lift installed than attempt a repair on the old one.  A photo of the new one should appear below.  The technician is in the chair, having demonstrated that it indeed works.  We still have the 2^nd chair lift operating from the landing to the top of the stairs.  The replacement and installation did make a dent in our investment funds, but will make attending Lodge more comfortable for those with mobility issues.

As usual there are a number of calendar listings to note. 

August 23, 2014                  3^rd Annual Road Rally, presented by the Ohio Masonic Home Foundation (memorycaremiles.com).  There are multiple possible starting points, so check out the web site for detailed information.

September 1, 2014             Labor Day.

September 3, 2014             First meeting of the fall, at 7:30pm. 

September 6, 2014             District Meeting at Mt. Carmel #303 at 9am.

September 14, 2014           District Awards Dinner at the Plaza Inn (http://www.plazainn.net/).  Dinner starts at 6pm.  Further details will be posted when they become available.

October 13, 2014                Columbus Day

October 17-18, 2014           205^th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, held at the Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, OH.

November 15, 2014            Fall Education Meeting at Oliver #447 at 9am.

November 27, 2014            Thanksgiving

December 6, 2014              Past Master Convocation at Marion #70 at 9am.

December 25, 2014            Christmas

December 31, 2014            New Year’s Eve.  Please select a Designated Driver!

January 1, 2015                  New Year’s Day.  Your first opportunity to stick to those resolutions, or not.

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, and we’ll

See you in Lodge!

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Summer!

OK, we’re a little early.  The calendar might disagree, but the weather says it all.  Just drive around slowly with the windows down.  You can see kids playing, the aroma of BBQ is everywhere, and exercisers are wearing out their tennis shoes while swatting mosquitoes.  That’s a wonderful difference from the Artic ice storm that was January.

This year both weather and work have combined to make our planned meeting schedule more haphazard than routine.  We’ve had to cancel meetings for both reasons, and rearrange activities to properly take care of business.  One unfortunate cancellation was our dinner and meeting scheduled for this Wednesday, June 18^th.  As a result, our next meeting will be Wednesday, September 3, 2014. 

Every year the Deputy Grand Master conducts a series of meetings, called Roll Out Programs, to bring his message to the membership.  This year’s DGM, RWB Steven Cokonougher, is holding a meeting in each of Ohio’s 25 Masonic Districts.  This year’s edition is structured as a Town Hall meeting, with the ladies welcome.  The meeting for the 15^th District is reflected below, and is the last in the series.  If you are unable to attend that session, the complete list can be found at http://www.freemason.com/. 

There are a number of calendar listings to note.

June 18, 2014          Both dinner and meeting are CANCELLED!

June 27-29, 2014    Ohio Special Olympics, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio. (http://www.sooh.org/index.php )

July 4, 2014              Independence Day, commemorating the birth of our nation.

July 18, 2014            Deputy Grand Master’s Rollout Program, held at Palestine #158, starting at 7:30pm. 

September 1, 2014             Labor Day.

September 3, 2014             First meeting of the fall. 

That’s all we know for now.  Stay warm, watch for robins, and we’ll

See you in the fall!