The North Carolina Mason

May/June 2013

North Carolina Mason

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NORTH CAROLINA The Mason Official Publication of The Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina Volume 138 Number 3 Oxford, North Carolina May/June 2013 John Moore brings back your fun By Ric Carter sportsman's broadcast. They are now entering their 20th year on the air. What you may not know is that Moore, born in Hookerton and raised in Farmville, is a Mason. He's a member of Farmville 517 and Jerusalem 95 (his grandfather's lodge). Moore never intended a broadcast career. On his way to a job interview elsewhere more than 40 years ago, he dropped by WNCT's Greenville offices/studio to see a friend. When the station manager learned Moore had a First Class Radio License, he was invited into the office for a chat. He's been broadcasting on radio and television ever since. "I was lucky. I went through AM radio when it was the Boss Format. That was the last great format in radio. I came through the days of pioneering FM radio when you needed a converter [to pick up the stations]." John also worked local television. While working on Carolina Today, WNCT-TV's see SOCK HOP, page 4 Ric Car ter photos GREENVILLE — "Border to border, coast to coast, and all around the world, we finally made it to Friday night! It's the "Sock Hop" on WNCT!" booms from your speaker. If you're hearing that, it's Friday evening, 6:00 o'clock (ET), and you're listening to someone you regard as a friend, John Moore the host of one of North Carolina's most popular radio shows. Regulars from all over the country tune in by radio and the Internet each week. It's comfort food for the ears. In a time when radio dissects its audiences into smaller and smaller constituencies, the Sock Hop aims broad. Moore says, "[Our music is] all '50s and '60s with an emphasis on '62 plus. We have an amazing mix of listeners. We have one of the biggest concentrations of black audience outside urban music stations." If you're not a child of the 1960s who loves music, you may know John instead from "Carolina Outdoor Journal." He and Joe Albea cohost North Carolina Public Television's premier Farmville 517's John Moore is at home in the studio, be it WNCT's radio studios (above) spinning tunes on "Sock Hop" or talking fishing in WUNC-TV's sound stages (left) with Joe Albea on "Carolina Sportsman's Journal." Tennessee's GL marks 200 years Knoxville — Once upon a time, North Carolina extended all the way to the Mississippi River. Then, after the American Revolution, the part from the mountains to the Mississippi was broken off to form the Tennessee Territory. Our Grand Lodge had already chartered a number of lodges in the territory. From 1803 to 1813, we operated under the name Grand Lodge of North Carolina and Tennessee. By 1813, there were enough lodges operating in Tennessee to sustain a grand lodge of their own. Our Grand Lodge passed a resolution regarding forming such a grand lodge to our west. Some say we chartered them. Others say we gave them our blessing to form their own grand lodge by convention. The effect was the same — the Grand Lodge of Tennessee was formed in 1813. They are celebrating their bicentennial through 2013. Earlier this year, Grand Master Dewey Preslar and a contingent of representatives from North Carolina visited Knoxville to present a special gift. Raleigh calligrapher Don King did a special commission, hand lettering and decorating a copy of the resolution first delivered to the Volunteer State. — Ric Carter Designs Grand Lodge awards grants RALEIGH — The Grand Lodge awarded eight scholarships this year. The $1,000 scholarships go to North Carolina high school seniors who are college bound. This year's recipients are Brianna N. Russo, David W. Butler High, Matthews; Whitney L. O'Quinn, Lee Christian School, Sanford; Brian P. Rishe, Weddington High, Matthews; Diana Perez, Ocracoke High, Ocracoke; Katherine M. Starnes, South Rowan High, China Grove; Jacob M. Simpson, Surry Early College High, Dobson; Sierra N. Garrison, North Buncombe High, Weaverville; and Ronnie L. Tackett, Lincolnton High, Lincolnton. If you know a graduating senior who could use some college help, applications for the scholarship are posted on the Grand Lodge website early each year. They are usually due in mid-March. upon our trestle board Own and deliver your Masonry By Dewey R. Preslar Jr. Grand Master Brethren, I speak often about the advice which I received from a past grand master about having fun this year. I am having the time of my life, but it is not without a few bumps in the road well-traveled. We have had a busy month in May. Our first Fun Day at Camp Rainbow was well attended, even though it was a cool and damp day. At Oxford, we celebrated with our seven graduating seniors at a special dinner, and dedicated the last of the seven cottages built some twelve years ago. Our 100-year celebration continued at WhiteStone with a recent Family Day in Greensboro. We completed the twenty-six district meetings on May 15 at my home lodge in Salisbury, Andrew Jackson 576. Also, from my viewpoint, it appears that the Pig Jig in Raleigh was well attended and a huge success. It has been a wonderful journey across this beautiful state of ours, meeting and making new friends, and celebrating our Masonry. I can't claim that I have traveled from Murphy to Manteo, as the old saying goes, but I can lay claim from Robbinsville to Elizabeth City. I again thank the lodges that hosted the district meetings and the courtesies extended to me. During my conversations, I have been talking about the wages that I am being paid as grand master. Let me explain what I mean by that. I recently visited with a Brother who was very ill. There was a concern that he didn't have much time left, so my visit was to be a surprise. When he heard my voice at his back door, he called out, "Let the grand master in." I spent about an hour and a half with our Brother, which was most enjoyable as we talked about our love and passion for our fraternity. I share this with you as I received the best thank you note I have ever received. He couldn't believe that the grand master could take time out of his busy schedule and spend so much time with him. Brethren, I was reminded how we are taught to divide our time. I just wish that I could have stayed longer. He ended up in a nursing home, and I had the opportunity to visit with him once again. Our Brother has since passed to that House not made by hands, but I will forever cherish his kindness and note. My friends, my wages have been paid in full by this Brother. Our Brother's kindness is only one of the many examples of how our wages are being paid. The number of children in our care at Oxford is the highest that it has been in recent years. We continue to provide for our fraternally-related Brothers and Sisters at WhiteStone, and I understand that our fundraising efforts have increased to support our charities. Thanks to all individuals and lodges who have worked harder this year to cause this to happen. Let's keep this going to become even bigger and better each year. At the district meetings, we talked about reversing the trend of loss in membership. We lost some 1,130 members for nonpayment of dues last year. If we could have cut that number in half, we would have had a net gain in 2012. That would have been an example of causing an extraordinary outcome in our work. Another example: twenty percent of our new initiates were not passed to the Fellow Craft degree. Just imagine the outcome that could have been produced with an improvement in these numbers. Brethren, we also talked at the district meetings about the need to enroll and engage others in our cause to produce an extraordinary outcome in our Masonry. We talked about the need to cause and inspire passion. Yes, here I go again… are we drawing plans upon our trestle boards to produce an extraordinary outcome for our beloved fraternity? How are our fundraising efforts going for our charities in your lodge, and are we doing it for the fellowship? Are we inspiring and causing passion in our work, and are our wages being paid in full? Lastly, are we all "owning and delivering our Masonry?"

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