May/June 2013
The North Carolina Mason
Page 3
Southern Pines
Traveling the
Tar Heel State
The R. C. Yoder Memorial Scholarship is a
center of activity for Southern Pines 484. Each
year, it goes to a graduating senior from nearby
Union Pines or Pinecrest High School. The 2013
award was to be presented on May 4 at Pinewild
Country Club in Pinehurst. Pinewild is the same
place they will play a golf tournament fundraiser
for the scholarship August 10. Other fundraisers for the grant are Southern Pines' Springfest
which was held April 27 and their regular first
Saturday Fellowship Breakfasts.
On April 6, Southern Pines raised their local
fire chief. Getting members in local emergency
services departments often leads to growing
membership.
— The Trestle Board
News from
North Carolina's
Lodges
By Ric Carter
Manteo
Clayton
Granite 191's Chuck Coats spent two years
working up a program on finding our Masonic
ritual in the Holy Bible. And, he's all about sharing it. He spent the month of March touring the
16th Masonic District presenting his experience
and findings with most of the lodges there.
DDGM David Ellis was inspired by Coats'
example. Ellis asked his lodges to look among
their members for similar opportunities. "Each
lodge has at least one knowledgeable brother who
may be willing to prepare one or two 10–15 minute programs to share at his own lodge and then
with at least two other lodges in the district."
— David Ellis
Wilson
The Annual Area Masonic Blood Drive was
being held here at the Wilson County Shrine
Club on August 8. Area lodges wishing to participate are welcomed. Last year seven lodges
took part and collected 44 pints. Bradley Moore
is coordinating.
— David Ellis
Spencer
At Spencer 543, they never stop collecting school supplies for the kids at the Masonic
Home for Children. They are currently pushing
zip up binders, whiteout pens, correction tape,
index cards, mechanical pencils, and tab dividers.
They are also collecting bottle caps and box flaps
from Coke products to trade for gifts for the
annual pool party at the Home. They've already
collected enough sandwich makers and flatware
for each of the cottages.
— On the Square
Marble
Marble Springs 439 hosted its 22nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt this year. They invite the
whole community to this event at the Old Coats
American Baseball Field on Easter Sunday.
The lodge's Pancake Breakfast fundraiser was
set for March 23.
— Brian Rau
Smithfield
Fellowship 84 had two special guests present
a program April 18. Former NC Chief Justice I.
Beverly Lake Jr. and NC Supreme Court Public Information Officer Dick Ellis came to share
stories about Masonry and other adventures.
Both are Raleigh Masons, Ellis in Hiram 40 and
Lake in Raleigh 500.
— Keith Brinson
Carthage
Cathage 181 recently had their best fundraiser in years bringing in $2,100 for the Masonic
Home for Children.
Their Past Masters' and Awards Night was set
for June 28. Grand Master Dewey Preslar was to
present service awards for them.
Wes McIntyre was elected to honorary membership in Carthage Lodge in January.
— Trestle Board
Selma
Selma 320 held a cookout featuring hot dogs
and hamburgers before their April stated communication. They finished the meal off with
blueberry dumpcake and ice cream.
At that meeting, Joe Carter from Selma Parks
and Recreation talked with them about renting
the lodge yard for the town's Endless Yard Sale
event in June.
The lodge is holding a raffle to support their
scholarship program. The prizes this year are a
42-inch television, a Galaxy tablet, and a $25
gift card. Chances are five dollars each.
— Virgil Yansome
Kannapolis
Allen-Graham 695 have set their Ladies'
Night Banquet for November 17.
— Wallace Sheppard
Cannon Memorial 626 participated in the local Relay for Life again this year. Last year was
their first time helping out. They helped raise
$30,000 last year to fight cancer.
— Thomas Van Etten
Gastonia
March 30 was the pickup day for Gastonia
369's Boston butt sale. Butts were $25 and special sauce was seven bucks. The lodge's charity
breakfast was set for April 20. It was to aid our
Masonic Homes.
Members of the lodge were being reminded
to contact brothers they hadn't seen lately and
invite them out to a lodge meeting.
— Rick Clanton
King Solomon 704 was heading up Team
Gastonia Freemasons at the April 26 Relay for
Life. They were bringing a canopy to shelter
team members.
— Chris Hall
A number of service awards have been
handed out by King Solomon 704. Charles W.
Eggers got his Diamond Jubilee for 60 years
membership. For their 50 years membership,
George R. Gottschall and Robert A. Grant were
honored with Veteran's Emblems. Tim Daniels
was named Treasurer of Distinction and Frank
Smith was named Tyler of Distinction. Chaplain Bill Wiggins was recognized with a Resolution of Appreciation.
June is expected to be hopping for King Solomon Lodge. Their annual lodge cookout is set
for June 18 at Riverwood Plantation Clubhouse,
and they are having a breakfast and Past Masters
Master Mason Degree June 22.
Coming up November 2, the lodge is sponsoring a Private Pheasant Tower Shoot at Poplar
Springs Farm in Shelby. Tickets are $250 and
32 must be sold to hold the event. Two hundred
pheasants will be released. Retrieving dogs and
pickup men will be furnished, as will a country
style buffet lunch. Call Scott Queen for details
(704) 860-9443.
— The Plumb Line
Ranger
Montgomery 426 was holding their blood
drive March 18.
— 41st Masonic District
On March 23, the children of western Cherokee County were being invited to the Ranger
Community Center for an Easter Egg Scramble.
Montgomery Lodge sponsors the fun.
— Brian Rau
Grand master gets a Facebook page
You can follow Grand Master Dewey Preslar as he travels this year. He's as close as Facebook.
You can "friend" him here: . You must have a Facebook account of your own to follow this site.
Kernersville
Mooresville
Things are busy, busy, busy at Kernersville
669. They had a lodge cleanup/maintenance day
March 30. There was a spaghetti supper fundraiser April 13, and in May, they were doing
their roadside pickup. They are already looking
forward to their September 29 lunch with the
kids at the Masonic Home for Children.
— Masonic Lodge News
Richard's Coffee Shop here provides a place
for veterans to gather and enjoy camaraderie. It
also serves as a museum of memorabilia from all
conflicts. On Thursdays, they offer free coffee.
It's free music on Saturdays. Mooresville 496
recently donated $500 to support those programs. There were 75 Masons and veterans on
hand for the presentation.
— David Wendt
Just in time for their annual spaghetti luncheon, Warsaw 677 finished the remodelling of
their kitchen. They've replaced the floor covering, added a new wall cabinet, put on a fresh coat
of paint, and rearranged the appliances.
— Warsaw Lodge
Don Steichen has been assigned to be membership officer for James B. Green 735. He coordinates a new program in which each officer
of the lodge is given eight to ten lodge members
to keep up with. They call them regularly and
check on how the lodge is suiting their needs.
They also make sure that the lodge has current
contact information.
Michael Thompson has relit the stained glass
over the front door at Green Lodge.
Joel Liptak, from J. J. Crowder 743, took the
honors when James B. Green 735 held their fifth
annual Chili Cook off in February. The trophy
is named in honor of "legendary JBG cook extraordinaire Pumpkin Truelove."
Jimmy and Sheila Lassiter organized the
lodge's March Ladies' Night. The Karen Pahl
Trio entertained.
— James B. Green Scene
Warsaw
Charlotte
Mint Hill 742 held their Awards Night May
2. Denny Allen (aka Boogie Walker) entertained.
Mint Hill's spring fish fry fundraiser was reportedly their "most successful ever." John Bunting organized and facilitated it.
— Mint Hill Lodge
On April 6, Derita 715 held a cleaning day to
prepare for their April 19 Annual Chicken Fry
Fundraiser. — Derita Lodge
Charles M. Setzer 693 Senior Warden Kenny Barnette was asking his lodge members to
volunteer to become catechism coaches. It's no
wonder they need them. By early April, they had
14 candidates doing degree work and a new one
waiting for initiation.
Setzer Lodge repeated their beach home vacation raffle this year.
— Trestleboard
East Gate 692 was to hold their barbecue
fundraiser April 27.
— Mint Hill Lodge
Steele Creek 737 had May 18 as the set date
for their Annual Fish Fry and Car Show Charity
Fundraiser. Top notch hot rods and antique cars
and fried flounder sound like an excellent way to
spend a day.
—Mint Hill Lodge
Excelsior 261 was running their Adopt-AStreet clean up route April 27.
— Mint Hill Lodge
Raleigh
Kinston
St. John's 4 held their Second Annual Cornhole Tournament May 4 during Kinston's Festival on the Neuse. They were holding it beside the
CSS Neuse, a great location for being noticed.
They were also raffling a cornhole board set
to the serious fans of the game. The set was donated by Gary Green and the tickets by Bobby
and Chris Rouse. Proceeds were to go to the
Masonic Home for Children.
On a recent visit to Richard Caswell 705, St.
John's 4 took the Tenth District traveling gavel.
— Lynn Hill
St. John's 4 celebrated their Ladies' and
Awards Night May 10. Herbert G. McCue and
Horace W. Taylor got their Diamond Jubilees
for 60 years in the lodge.
— The Trestleboard
The Second Masonic District is unique in
the state. It has only three lodges, and they are
stretched in a long north/south string along the
Outer Banks — our longest, narrowest district.
Only in that district do you have to schedule
School of Instruction according to a ferry channel being reopened. Manteo 521, Cape Hatteras
698, and Ocracoke 747 are in the district.
Manteo 521 has a casual attire rule. It is a
very workable policy for a lodge at the beach,
frequently visited by tourists.
They're getting ready to replace the columns
on the front porch of Manteo Lodge. They're expecting to spend $9,000.
They were holding their annual charity fundraiser at Applebee's in Nags Head on April 27.
Profits were to go to the Masonic Homes.
— More Light
Winston-Salem
Salem 289 had their Family Picnic set for
May 18 under the covered pavilion at New Philadelphia Moravian Church. Facilities included
several playgrounds, tennis courts, and a kitchen.
They were cooking hot dogs and hamburgers
and bringing pot luck dishes.
On April 19, they were heading over for
some minor league baseball with the WinstonSalem Dash. Happily, it was one of their Thirsty
Thursday promotions.
Eleven past masters attended Salem Lodge's
March 5 Past Masters' Night. The steak dinner
was enjoyed by 40 attendees. Carroll Simmons
and James King were presented Diamond Jubilees for their 60 years lodge membership. Wayne
Redman got his 50-year Veteran's Emblem.
Salem Lodge got a pleasant surprise when
they showed up to do their Adopt-A-Street
clean up. Waiting to help them were the Masonic family kids from the local DeMolay and
Rainbow groups. Accompanying them was Alan
Willard, from Old Town 751 where the kids
hold their meetings.
— The Salem Sentinel
Tyler Leinbach, son of Old Town 751 member Todd Leinbach, expects to be in the Guiness
World Record listing shortly. He shot 25 clays
in 37.2 seconds. See the feat here: .
After giving the carpets at Old Town a
good looking over, the lodge decided that a
good cleaning would take care of things for
the entry way and social hall.
— On the Level at Old Town Lodge
Thomasville
Softball is big at Thomasville 217 these days.
They had a good experience sponsoring a tournament last year and are repeating their efforts.
On March 16, they were hosting a co-ed outlaw
tournament at Hughes Park. A Masonic State
Tournament is set for August with qualifiers in
April and June. They are all fundraisers for Masonic charities.
Thomasville's Brunswick Stew brought in
$1,100 this year.
In April, Rick Smith made a presentation to
the lodge about the Masonic landmarks.
— Trestle Board
Roseboro
May 25 is the scheduled date for the Ray
Hales Bluegrass and Gospel Festival. Roseboro
585 sponsors the fundraiser. G. W. Hall has
bought a new banner for advertising the event.
Roseboro Lodge's Widows' Night Supper
was attended by about 25 people. Four of their
six known widows were on hand.
Watch for their Pancake Breakfast fundraiser October 5.
— Roseboro Lodge
see STATE, page 4
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North Carolina Mason is on your
mailing list. Lodge newsletters
are a major source of news
for Masons around the state. If
you don't have one, think about
starting one. Newsletters are a
good way to keep your members active, happy, and informed.
