The North Carolina Mason

September/October 2018 The North Carolina Mason Page 9 MORE ANNUAL, from page 3 The following lodges have received the 2018 Lion and Pillar Award: ■ Eagle 19 ■ Zion 81 ■ Jerusalem 95 ■ Fulton 99 ■ Columbus 102 ■ Mt. Lebanon 117 * ■ Oxford 122 ■ Mingo 206 ■ William G. Hill 218 ■ Kenly 257 ■ Bingham 272 ■ Pleasant Hill 304 ■ Wilmington 319 ■ Granite 322 * ■ Campbell 374 * ■ State Line 375 ■ Jefferson Penn 384 ■ Bald Creek 397 ■ Bula 409 * ■ Elkin 454 * ■ Thomas M. Holt 492 ■ Pilot 493 ■ Mooresville 496 * ■ Mount Holly 544 * ■ Andrew Jackson 576 ■ Cannon Memorial 626 ■ Semper Fidelis 680 ■ Piedmont-Pioneer 685 * ■ Albemarle 703 ■ Berne 724 ■ Steele Creek 737 ■ Mosaic 762 ■ Ashlar 765 ■ Lux Libertas 772 * denotes first-time recipient 34 lodges take home 2018 Lion & Pillar Honor He holds two bachelor's degrees from Western Carolina University, and an MBA. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force from 1967 to 1971 and is a veteran of the Vietnam Con&ict. He enjoyed a successful 36-year business career as an executive senior vice president and national sales manager in the outdoor power equipment industry. He was also CEO of three major charitable foundations, is a Certi- ed Fundraising Executive and is a licensed insurance broker and agent. Each Grand Master may give three Montfort medals during his tenure. GM Hallman's rst medal went to Past Grand Master Gene Cobb. Joseph Montfort was the only Provincial Grand Master for America. He died before the American Revolution began and is buried in front of Royal White Hart #2 in Halifax, where he was a member. e assembly also took some time to remember those in need. e third annual "Masons Can" food drive netted about $1,610 in cash donations and about 1,600 pounds of food, and brothers chipped in about $4,800 in cash, in addition to cleaning and other supplies, for Hurricane Florence victims. e Board of General Purposes, in a meeting ursday, voted to contribute $4,000 to the Grand Lodge of South Carolina to help brothers and lodges hit by the hurricane. Meanwhile, the Masonic Services Association presented a check for $181,500 donated by lodges and Shriners around the country for brotherly relief in North Carolina. Of that amount, the Grand Lodge of Texas contributed $100,000. Bro. John Pea of Gastonia #369 contributed to this story Worshipful brothers Jim Medlin, left, and Gary Handy, stand to receive the Joseph Montfort Medal, the highest honor among North Carolina Masons. A total of 297 lodges were represented, despite lingering hurricane effects. "My boy's grown up," said PGM Robert Gresham Jr. following the announcement of Sigmon's election as the 166th Grand Master of North Carolina Freemasonry. Greshman appointed Sigmon to the line.

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