The North Carolina Mason

The Mason Official Publication of e Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 146 Number 2 Oxford, North Carolina March/April 2021 NORTH CAROLINA ■ see MAKEOVER, page 2 MAKEOVER LODGE EDITION Extreme é New lodge outreach program will 'Help you start to dream again' By Beth Grace Mason Editor What does your lodge building say to the world? Does it welcome? Does it please the eye? What message does it send? Does it make you want to step in and attend a stated? If you were interested in asking the question, would you be willing to walk in? Every lodge in North Carolina can meet those criteria, and the Grand Lodge stands ready to help with a first-of-its kind program designed to help each lodge help itself. And the only money the lodge will spend is on its own improve- ments. Matthew Robbins, the new GL outreach director and administrative assistant, holds a Master's in archi- tecture with an eye for design. He's also a major history buff. He was the leader behind the campaign to finish the Memorial Belltower on the North Carolina State University campus after he had discovered it was never completed as designed. e project sought to follow the 1920 plans that called for a bell carillon instrument, playing cabin, and stairway leading to them. e project will be completed this year, exactly a century after the cornerstone of the tower was laid and dedicated by NC Freemasons in 1921. e Grand Lodge is offering his experience and training at no charge to lodges wishing to fix things up, repair and renovate – and don't know where to start. He helps lodges determine what needs to be fixed, how it can be done, and even works out a financial plan that lodges can implement. "is is a face-to-face on-site interaction between the Grand Lodge and lodges in need of physical help," he says. "But it's about more than just fixing things up. It's about who we are as Masons. Who we are in our communities. It's about how we speak to the world through our physical presence about our cultural and charitable pres- ence." Working with Grand Secretary Walt Clapp and Jonathan Under- wood, assistant to the Grand Secretary, they created a program that helps lodges pinpoint, prioritize and make needed fixes at their own pace and on their own budget. Robbins is a consulting resource (a resource that normally could cost thousands of dollars) who offers an expert's eye to lodges seeking help in fixing major problems, renovating rooms or simply trying to restore their lodges to their original glory. Derek Sollom, senior steward of State College #770, gives a Gastonia Temple lobby column a fresh coat of white paint. Top photo, an example of the digi- tal resources Brother Robbins creates for each lodge.

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