The North Carolina Mason

March/April 2011 TRAVELING THE TAR HEEL STATE NEWS FROM NORTH CAROLINA'S LODGES By Ric Carter Hookerton Jerusalem 95 held their Awards and Ladies’ Night January 11 at Hookerton United Meth- odist Church fellowship hall. William Carney Worthington and John Beddard McLawhorn received their 50-year Veteran’s Emblems. Jerusalem Lodge has resumed their first Tuesday coaching and practice sessions. Tey will run until summer schedules get too busy. — Te Jerusalem Journal South Mills Te guys at New Lebanon 314 had an April Tarheel Fish Fry set to entertain their brothers from Indian River Lodge in Virginia. — Te Plumb Line Pilot Mountain Pilot 493 held a blood drive November 29. Tey collected 46 units on a goal of 39. Tom Nu- ckols and Paul Shelton shared personal family stories about the miracle that blood donations can bring to people. Pilot Lodge made more than $1,000 with their fall barbecue. Tey split the money 40% to the Masonic Home for Children and 60% to WhiteStone. At the lodge’s December 13 pot luck supper, Gary Cook was presented his Veteran’s Emblem for 50 years membership. — Te Pilot Mountain Traveler Mount Airy Stephen McGraw is teaching monthly OSW classes at Granite 322. — Te Pilot Mountain Traveler Lexington Te members of Lexington-Memorial 473 held a chicken barbecue fundraiser November 6. Tey were raising money for three members who were in “dire” circumstances. Tey raised more than $4,300. Ahoskie Davie 39 held their Ladies’ Night and Awards Supper on December 10. Wallace McK- eel, Woodrow Tayloe, and Woody Pittman got their 60-year Diamond Jubilee Awards. Veter- an’s Emblems for 50 years membership went to Tom Cherry and John Ezzelle. At Christmas, Davie Lodge delivered 24 fruit baskets to lodge widows and shut-in members. — A. C. Hassell Canton In addition to every new master’s goals of increasing membership and participation, So- noma 472’s Master Paul Reece has set a couple of modest goals for the year: a new restroom up- stairs and new drapes for the building. When illness struck the Hoglan family dur- ing the winter’s nasty weather, the members of Sonoma Lodge reached out to help their friends. When the Hoglans got home from the hospi- tal, they found the driveway cleared of snow and fresh wood delivered. Sonoma Lodge does not lightly give up pos- session of the district traveling gavel. Oconee 427 came and took it from them January 6. So- noma went after it at first opportunity, January 17, and took it back. — Valley of the Moon Thomasville Tomasville 214 is celebrating their 150th an- niversary. Tey have had commemorative coins struck marking the occasion. Tey are selling them for ten dollars each. Tey are also having their charter restored by archivists. Past masters were solicited for do- nations of $100 each to pay for the restoration which should protect the document for many years to come. Thomasville member Ben Louya recently received his Veteran’s Emblem for 50 years membership. — Trestle Board Spruce Pine Vesper 554 held a special night to honor a brother who was moving out of state. Orthope- dic Surgeon Russell Flint is moving to Georgia. Junior Warden Levi Hefner, a graduate of John- son and Wales Culinary Institute was preparing the meal at their February meeting. —Te Beacon Younger members at Vesper Lodge are ad- vised to call older members to offer a ride to lodge. Elders are urged to call the lodge if they need a ride. — Dan Wilson Southport Before Christmas, Pythagoras 249 sent $300 to each of two needy families. Their at- tention is now turned to their September 18 golf tournament. Fifteen members of Pythagoras Lodge re- cently visited Arthur Knox in his home. Tey went there to present him his Diamond Jubilee award for 60 years Masonic membership. — Newsletter 2010 Master Harvey Ellis is seen here installing one of the lift chairs. Roxboro Masons lifted up (and down) ROXBORO — Person 113 installed two chair lifts last year. One goes up to the lodge room and the other down to the kitchen and dining room. Te stair lifts make a 1960s-era building ac- cessible to the lodge’s aging family and friends. Tey estimate 10–15% of their 90 members will make use of the stair lifts on a regular basis. Paw Creek West Gate 738 was to hold their Ladies’ Night February 19 at Metrolina Shrine Club. Tey were serving rib-eye steak and being en- tertained by blue grass band Toby Creek. Tirty- seven-year lodge treasurer Wade Kirby was be- ing honored that night. A report on their 2010 Toy Ride to Oxford told the lodge of a “good day and successful event.” West Gate Lodge is participating in Cell Phones for Soldiers, a drive that collects old cell phones and recycles them to furnish calling cards for soldiers deployed overseas. On the taking care of home front, lodge members were meeting at the lodge recently to clean out the kitchen and remove several years’ accumulation. — News from the West Jacksonville A January Onslow Masonic Scholarship Visitation at Semper Fidelis 680, attended by 52 Masons, raised more than $1,200 for the fund. Another was set for March 10 at New River 736. Semper Fi Lodge had an open house sched- — Trestle Board uled for March 30. Gastonia King Solomon 704 Master James Howell has pledged a $25 donation to Masonic charity ev- ery time 25 members of his lodge attend a meet- ing of the lodge. King Solomon Lodge did their Adopt-A- Highway pickup February 26. Tey patrol 2.3 miles of Gaston Day School Road. Gloves, safe- ty vests, and bags were furnished. The NCDOT picked up the loaded bags. — Trestle Board Te 16th Tey hope to see a reactivation of several mem- bers who otherwise would attend lodge but are impeded by mobility problems. According to lodge member Andy White, “By the time we installed it, we raised well over $3,000 in less than a month, and had only a few hundred dollars to go to make the entire project self-financing.” — Andy White Cherryville More than 1,500 chickens were sold at Cher- ryville 515’s fall chicken barbecue. Tey termed it a big success. Mark Moss is holding Monday night prac- tice sessions at Cherryville Lodge. Members can order up custom instruction: catechisms, degree work, funeral service, or just reading the OSW (Official Standard of the Work). — News Out of the Blue Conover Teir goal at Conover 709’s recent blood drive was 45 units. Tey made 47. — Conover Lodge Newsletter Cary Cary 198, in conjunction with the NC State Highway Patrol, has created a Trooper of the Year award. Te initial recipient was First Ser- geant Ardeen Hunt. Te award was presented December 8. Master Jeff Scott plans to “brighten Cary Lodge’s light.” He wants to add a sound sys- tem to the lodge and form an informal lecturer’s group. He has also asked each member to vol- unteer at least one hour for the lodge or Eastern Star barbecue fundraiser. — Trestle Board Kenly Masonic District held their first district meeting of the year in January. It was hosted in Kenly by Mount Lebanon 117. Issues discussed included funeral committees, their traveling gavel SAMON, and fundraising. Te next one is scheduled for April and will be host- ed by Granite 191. — Grover Dees — Thomas Jolly Jr. Statesville Statesville participated in the 22nd Annual Masonic Community Blood Drive in January. Tey brought in more than 240 units. May 21–22 they will be participating in the Relay for Life for the second time. Tey have several ways to contribute to fighting cancer. Tey are selling Masonic yardsticks for five dol- lars as well as luminaries for ten dollars to honor the memory of love ones. On February 15, Statesville Lodge elected Joe Link a Secretary of Distinction. At a recent third degree, Statesville Lodge lecturers David Potter and Keith Rash split the lecture into several parts. Tey got good reviews from the lodge. Statesville 27 is selling window decals of a square and compasses over the NC state outline. Te money raised goes to the lodge relief fund. Events had them at a lodge clean-up day Jan- uary 22. Tey were making their annual White- Stone visit March 13. —Te Joppa Informer Winston-Salem Sixty people attended Old Town 751’s Family Night Supper in December. At the dinner, two members were presented plaques honoring their contributions to the lodge: Jack Horn for his work with dinners and Charles McAlexander for his work on the lodge building and grounds. Masonic widows of Old Town Lodge were appreciative of the fruit baskets they got from the lodge December 18. The gift is a long-stand- ing Christmas tradition for the lodge. Te new roof is on the lodge. Teir spring pancake supper is set for April 8. Te lodge plans to sponsor a young lady to the Rainbow Girl Camp this summer, and they are expecting to continue their Bikes for Books program in local schools. Te 26th requires its possessor to carry it to another lodge with a five-member posse. Old Town reported having it in February. — On the Level at Old Town Lodge The North Carolina Mason Salisbury Last year’s Brunswick stew at Andrew Jack- son 576 brought in more than $20,000 for charity. Besides Masonic charity, several lo- cal causes benefitted: Rowan County Masonic Scholarship, Salisbury Post Christmas Happi- ness, Rufty Holmes Senior Center, West Rowan Bible Teachers, Salvation Army, ARC, Rowan Helping Ministries, Masonic Service Associa- tion, Relay for Life, United Way, Main Street Missions, and Meals on Wheels. Tey also held a Masonic Blood Drive January 7. 2010 lodge awards included Tommy Yarbor- ough winning the L. C. Lake Award and John Hudson being named Mason of the Year. Jackson Lodge and Fulton 99 have been spending time and money to make sure their shared building stays in shape. Tey’ve replaced a food freezer in the kitchen, and parking signs are updated. Windows are being repaired. — Master’s Journal Asheville honorary member of Nichols-West Asheville 650. After a few years in mothballs, the Masonic Masonic District’s traveling gavel square and compasses obituary embellishment is again in use at the Asheville Citizen-Times. Tey reactivated it after Mount Hermon 118 histo- rian Mark-Ellis Bennett asked and showed an interest in it. Tings stay interesting at the Masonic Tem- ple in Asheville now that public events there are common. Some of the things to be seen there this winter included: Old Farmer’s Ball, January 21; Tango Gypsies, January 29; Poetry Slam, Febru- ary 6; “Real Inspector Hound” by the Montfort Park Players, February 18–20; Playback Teater, February 25; and Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Gonde- liers,” February 26–27. — Trestle Board Swansboro The annual Scholarship Dinner at Seaside 429 in September brought in $1,200. Past Grand Master Leonard Safrit and then-Grand Master Billy Dill were guests for the seafood extravaganza. Dill was presented an honorary membership in the lodge. Tey raised another $1,000 in October with a grilled chicken din- ner fundraiser. Seaside’s Past Masters’ and Awards Night was held in November. Their December Christ- mas party honored their Masonic widows. Seaside Lodge has raised their affiliation fee to $20 and their initiation fee to $125. — Trestle Board Rocky Mount Corinthian 230 planned to celebrate their Past Masters’, Widows’, and Awards Night February 28. Teir Brunswick stew was set for March 19. — Te Corinthian Column Charlotte December schedules get busy. No more so than at Temple 676. They initiated two En- tered Apprentices on December 7, installed officers December 9, raised four Master Ma- sons December 16, and passed two Fellows Craft December 23. Temple Lodge had a program about home- grown terrorism from US Representative Sue Myrick’s Chief of Staff Hal Weatherman. — Trestle Board Charles M. Setzer 693 has remodeled the dining room and is installing past masters por- traits. Tere is new paint, carpet, tile flooring, countertops, and cabinets. A crew from Setzer Lodge helped out at the Dilworth Soup Kitchen December 22. Kenny Barnette and Allan Mann went in at 5:00 a.m. and cooked eight turkeys. David McCoy did the cutting, chopping, and other prep work. Tom Setzer, Wayman Mizell, and John Burling did cleanup duty collecting and plate washing. Te lodge is planning to participate regularly. — Trestleboard their Adopt-A-Street stretch of Sharon Am- ity Road. Greensboro Guilford 656’s Ike Quigley recently arranged for a showing of Te Muppets Take Manhatten at the Carousel Teater. All proceeds were given to the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford. — Te Trestleboard P. P. Turner 746 member Kevin Antonson is trying to put together a Triad Masonic Choir. Contact him if you if you have voice enough. Turner Lodge has two traveling emergent communications each year. They were going to WhiteStone March 17 and to the Masonic Home for Children May 14. Representatives of the Homes were presenting programs at each of the meetings. — P. P. Turner Lodge and Ross Gellar see STATE, page 5 If your lodge has a newsletter for its members, make sure The 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 mem- bers active, happy, and informed. Excelsior 261 recently did pickup duty on — Trestle Board Jimmie Dean Blair was recently made an — Jack Barnett Page 3

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