The North Carolina Mason

Page 6 BENEATH THE Oaks Please keep the light on By Allen Hughes Administrator Masonic Home for Children at Oxford Fifty-nine years ago this month, I walked out the front gate of Oxford Orphanage with suitcase in hand, ready to take on the world. Youth of today cannot conceive the fact that when I gradu- ated high school all my worldly possessions could fit in a single suitcase. An acquaintance once remarked that I didn’t have much when I “left home,” but as I reflected on the morals, values, and work ethic that had been instilled in me during my time here as a child, I could confidently say I had all I needed to get by. It’s time for me to leave home again. But, as I have done so many times in the past, I plan to return occasionally to visit “my home and fam- ily.” In my absence, please help keep the light on and the welcome mat out to all Brother Masons, other donors and families, and for disadvantaged children from all parts of the state for many years to come. I know that as long as our Home continues to care for children in need I will be able to come back home. As I walked the campus recently and heard the chapel carillon chiming hymns of praise, I was reminded once more of the gran- deur of our Home. The magnificence is not only in its physical beauty but also in the beauty of life and the positive difference it has made for so many children from desperate situations, mine included. In these last days before my approaching retirement, I guess it’s only natural that I look back and think of the years gone by. I think not of achievements but, instead, of the “what ifs.” What if Grand Master John Nichols had not cast a deciding vote to transform St. John’s College into Oxford Orphan Asylum? What if the Masons attending the 1872 Grand Lodge Annual Communication had chosen to leave the fate of the orphaned and homeless children in the hands of a faltering state government? What if when my mother died a teacher at Ogden School in Clay County had not been a Mason who was aware of the opportu- nities provided by Oxford Orphanage? What if Brother Andy Padgett and other members of Clay 301 had not convinced my father that the Orphanage could give his children a chance in life he couldn’t provide? Because of positive actions of the Masons involved there is no need for speculation; because of those posi- tive responses I and thousands of other children have been able to enjoy a safe, prosperous, and wholesome life. I seek no pride in what I have achieved, but I am extremely proud of the opportuni- ties that our Masonic fraternity has persisted in giving so children in need could have a better chance in life. In echoing the thoughts of Grand Master Ledford, we should contemplate what others are thinking when they make the com- ment, “He is a Mason.” If through our actions we are associated with contributions to our society, such as the success of Masonry in caring for the children and elderly who are in need, the percep- tion of a Mason will be positive. Through our Masonic obligations and commitments we have pledged to turn our words into deeds. It is not enough just to have a home for children and a retirement home for those who need assistance. We must continually seek out those who need us and offer our help to as many as we can serve if we are to be true to our pledge. The wonderful legacy of our children’s home began in the desolate aftermath of one of the worst periods in our nation’s history. Success of the Home flourished because Masons spread the word to those who needed help. We now are in another pe- riod of need, especially for those families who are struggling through the weakened economy and the devastation of recent tornados. This is an opportunity for Masons to expand our foot- print of charitable giving by offering a refuge for children in families ravaged by the storms. MHCO has the space, the re- sources, and the desire to care for many more children. The wel- come mat is out and the lights are on for children we can help. We ask that you help them find their way to MHCO. With my concluding re- Let me help Masonry's charities ❍ The North Carolina Masonic Foundation ❍ WhiteStone, a Masonic & Eastern Star Community (MESH) ❍ The Masonic Home for Children ❍ Send information about wills and bequests. ❍ Please have someone contact me. My name Address City Phone In memory of (optional) Address To assure that your gift is properly credited to the fund of your choice, please make the check payable to that charity. Mail to The Grand Lodge of North Carolina, PO Box 6506, Raleigh, NC 27628. WASHINGTON — Allen Hughes, Masonic Home for Children administrator, talks about the mission of the Home during Grand Master Ledford’s visit to the Third Masonic District. WELCOME OUR NEW Brothers 1 .................................Jason C. Harris 3 .......................Luke Andrew Dalton 3 ................James Frederick Schneller 7 ..........Christopher Gilmer Williams 13 ................... Rollie Stewart Dutton 19 ........................Rickey Lane Ashby 19 .................... Joseph Edward Major 27 ..............Dwayne Steven Christian 27 .....................Timothy Paul Craver 27 ..........................John Brandon Kiff 27 .....................Justin Dean LaCount 27 ...........................Troy Dean Miller 32 ................. Lucas Tomlinson Baker 53 ................. Johnathan Guary Kight 76 ............Nathaniel Antonio Alvarez 83 ....................... Daniel Eric Jackson 83 ................Andrew Mark Oquendo 85 ........................Phillip Lynn Briggs 85 .......................David Brett Wooten 91 ..........George Lawrence Beveridge 91 .................... Scott Manning Burns 92 ............................Alex Henry Ellis 102 ................. Robert Baskin Cooper 102 .....................Brett Parker Moraes 109 ................ Donovan Heath Willis 112 .........................Joshua Dale Lane 115 ..................Glenn Anthony Chua 115 .........William Timothy Elderdice 115 ............................... David Franco 115 .................. James Andrew Hatley 115 ....................... Bobby Dayle Price 122 ................Andrew David Adcock 125 .......................Remus Dale Dunn 126 ............... Kevin Douglas Morrow 134 ................Travis Matthew Bradey 137 ...............Michael Allen Bollinger 137 .................Richard Darrell Gettys 137 ........... Timothy Martin Hoggard 137 ...............Gregory Scott Reynolds 138 ..................Teddy Marten Croom 138 ........................Lynwood Graham 143 .................David Eugene Phillips 147 ....................... Dean Roy Wilkins 154 ................. Derek Eugene Mowry 154 ...................Jamie Lewis Redding 165 ................Stephen Vernon Driver 165 .....................Richard Owen Pack 172 ...................... Lee Wayne Barrow 176 .................Shawn David Gilmore 181 ..................... Billy Dean Leonard 190 ...................... Craig Shawn Davis 191 ......................Richard Alan Haag 191 .......Walter Arnold Schmidlin III 191 ......................David John Weaver 198 .................Steven Douglas Elkins 198 .............Joseph Michael Gugliotti 198 ..................Andrews High Parker 202 ....................Ruben Shane Packer 205 ...................... Steven Cole Blythe 205 ............... Charles Haywood Bush 205 ................... Bryan Thomas Miller 205 ...............Matthew Lynn Waisner 208 ... Johnson David Ryan McSween 217 ...............Jon Andrew Dominique 217 .........................Cory James Kilby 217 ...............Timothy Bryan Kincaid 217 ................ Chad Phillip Robinson 217 .................David Brian Whisnant 218 ................Benjamin Cahse Asseff 244 .................. Clinton Harold Clute 249 .......................Mitchel Alan Lane 249 .....................Kevin Dale Ransom 249 ................. Cebert Winston Walls 253 ............................Bobby Lee Call 259 ................... Jeremy Tre Ledbetter 261 ..............Ghassan Lebbos Lebbos 261 ......................Stephen Brent Neal 261 ........... Ryan Christopher Phillips 261 .............Justin Coleman Schwartz 262 ................Derek Jordan Dellinger 262 ...................Wesley Adam Teague 271 .................Jason Luther Coleman 271 .........................Gentry Lee Dean 271 ..............Alex Thomas McCollum 271 .........................Paul Eugene Sipe 271 ................ Justin Wade Thompson 272 ................Nichols Wayne Martin 282 ................................ Justin Brown 282 ..........Christopher Neal Connelly 282 ..................Charles Nicholas Falk 282 ...........Randy Mitchell Privette II 289 ........ Johnathon Andrew Beddard 289 ........................Joseph Gray Davis 289 .............Billy Jack Weber Morgan 289 ................... Keith Bolling Pranke 289 ..............Benton Walter Williams 294 ............Orville Crowder Jones III 300 .................. Clifton Earl Williams 301 ......... Jeremy Brandon Davenport 301 ....................... Johnathan Scroggs 304 ...............William Rossie Gray Jr. 304 ..........Donald Glenn Robinson Jr. 306 ...................Dennis Allen Bechtel 306 ...............Joseph Manny McGraw 317 ..........Douglas Heath Brickhouse 317 .................. Scott Allen Gurganus 322 ...........Christopher Mark Stevens 339 .......................Marvin Lee Biddix 339 ................. Christian Scott Mullis 344 ......................Harold Bruce Kafer 359 .................William Glenn Patton 381 ................. Cameron Joffrey Byers 381 ................Joseph Leon Carpenter 381 ....................Freddie Hugh Euten 384 ...............Heath Lynn VerHoeven 388 ..............Christopher Scott Gantt 388 .....................Darrell Keith Green 388 ......................Wayne Bailey Jones 391 ......................Travis Lee Blundell 391 ..........................Woodrow Inman 395 ........................Gene Kelly Parker 404 .............Charles Dave Sofinowski 404 .................James Edward Thomas 407 ............... Matthew Blake Carlton 407 ...................Anthony B. Huffman 407 .....................Matthew Lee Staley 407 .....................Patrick Allen Taylor 408 ................ Theodore Smith Ebner 408 .....................James Preston Lilley 408 ....................... Peter Adam Schad 413 .............. Jeremiah Eugene Swann 420 ................. Richard Eugene Clark 429 ............... Rickie Clemwood Riley 431 ...... Jerry Octavius Lee Blackmon 433 ..... Raymond Anthony Arrington 435 ...................... Brian John Stiehler 437 ....................Kevin Lane McNeill 454 ....Anthony Christopher Pometto 454 ............................ Isaac Carl Rose 459 .......................John Lucius Glenn 459 .............Steven James Lashbrooks 459 .........................Steven Javan Rice 460 .................... Ronnie Dale Martin 460 ......................Dustin Lee Walker 492 .......................Barry Lynn Adams 492 .................Coy Thomas Overman 493 ........................Jesse Wade White 498 ...............Mark Anthony Howery 499 ....... Thomas Randolph Compton 499 ...................Ronald Gary Rhoden 502 ................ Clayton Robert Tallent 509 ............Christopher Daniel Lamb 515 ........................Jarrod Scott Tyson 515 ........................... Joel Todd Wolfe 521 .....................David Andrew Deel 521 ..................... James Lloyd Farlow 521 ...........George William Holcomb 521 ...........Ronald Joseph Seidman II 521 ................... Jaime Stuart Wescott 527 ....................John Willard Wright 534 .......................Carl Arthur Ogren 542 ............Clemon Theron Miller III 544 ............Winslow Hubert Cannon 552 ............Zakary Donald Berckman 552 ......................Terry Silas Gauldin 552 ...................Brandon Edward Lee 552 ......................... Bryant Allen Lee 554 .....................Tracy Lee McIntyre 554 .................. Joseph Michael Street 556 .................Walter Stephen Aiken 565 .......................Jason Alan Dimitri 565 ........................Leslie Kent Jerrell 565 ................William Joseph Mosley 568 .............................Andy Earl Lee 568 ............... marvin Eugene Thomas 571 ..........Ronald Sylvester Browning 579 ...............Andy Grayson Mcneilly 584 ......................Kevin Tyler Kondas 584 ................Andrew David Moomy 585 ...........Ronnie Charles Blackburn 589 .....................Gregory Scott Giles 598 ............ Robert William Calloway 598 ................... Michael Bruce Halus 598 ....................Roy Leonard Maltba 598 .........Richard Rathmell Sheppard 602 ...............Richard Kent Anderson 602 ............. Alexander Derek Gibson 602 ........................ Robert Gene Hitt 602 ................. Mark Gregory Mosley 602 ................. Michael Craig Tisdale 602 .................. Ernest William Tyska 602 ..................Paul Wayne Winstead 607 ...................... Craig Shawn Davis 616 ................. Robert Stanley Brintle 616 ..........John Christopher Williams 617 .......................Craig Johnson Lee 617 ...................James Allison Walker 618 ....................Jeffrey Mark Bradley 618 ...........Augustus Newberry James 618 .................Ronald Glynn Thomas 624 ...............Andrew Glenn Fuller Jr. 626 ....................... Roger Lee Millner 646 ..............Michael Thomas Aycock 646 ....................Scott Wayne Malone 656 ............Timothy Marshall Reklau 657 .................Joshua Matthew Brady 657 .................... Ronald Tracy Lundy 657 .................Steven Dale Troutman 657 .................William Michael York 663 .....................James Farrell Austin 663 ......................Dennis Ray Bishop 663 ................. Joseph Raymond Kidd 663 .................. Ronald Ward Shelton 669 ..................... Billy Ray Donathan 676 ....................Jeffrey Martin Berlin 676 ..........Emmett Eugene Harris III 676 .........Christopher William Metzl 676 ....................... Tobby Lynn Small 679 .............Michael Edward Flowers 679 ...............Lonnie Felix Griffin III 680 .. Christopher Michael Brisentine 680 ...........................Erik Jason Copp 680 ..Pena Christopher Dollente Dela 680 ....................... Bill Anthony Frost 680 ....................Joseph Allen Murray 686 ......................... Roy Delane King 688 ................Donald Preston Collins 688 ................ Jeffrey Eugene Jones Jr. 688 ...Nicholas George Paul Leathers 690 ............................ Jason Coy Reid 692 .............. Robert Timothy Hunter 694 ............Austin Bernard Campbell 694 .......................Justin William Kay 699 ..............Michael Shaun Johnston 701 ..............Robert Swain Wellbrook 712 ....................William Kyle Bissett 713 ........................ Ricky Lee Wilson 717 ............ Ronnie James Whitehead 719 ......................Danny Joe Bullman 720 .................James Michael Barrow 720 .........Randy Emerson Cauthen II 723 ...................Steven Robert Harris 725 .............Peter Christopher Gartin 727 .................Joshua Daren Hopkins 727 ...................Norman Gene Horne 727 .......................Harold Dave Tripp 731 ...................Howard Steven Kahn 732 ......Robert Christopher Lockhart 732 ...................... Shannon Kyle Sink 737 ..............Leslie Howard Flanagan 737 ...................Richard Allen Morris 737 ..................Paul Clayton Watkins 739 ................. Buford Elliott Fannon 749 ..............Zachary Andrew Cohen 749 ................Timothy Wayne Outen 749 ..................... Darrell Ray Phillips 750 ...............Timothy Andrew Leese 751 ....................Nathan Daniel Long 753 ..... Christopher Matthew Rhodes 758 .................. Joseph Shelton Myers 759 ...............Richard Bradley Starnes 762 .....................Albert Fleming Bell 763 ................Joseph Dean Buchanan 683 ......................Steven Allan Acord marks as administrator of this wonderful Home, I find it fit- ting to share comments of the first superintendent of Oxford Orphan Asylum following its inaugural year of operations. In the conclusion of his annual report to the Grand Lodge, John H. Mills wrote: “Having stated what has been done, and suggested what may be done, it now remains to return hearty thanks to many citi- zens not Masons… to many officers and members of subordinate lodges, and especially to the officers of the Grand Lodge, for their liberal contributions and cordial co-operation. The gratifying be- ginning of our noble work has made more manifest the necessity for its expansion and continuance. Let us remember that our re- sponsibilities are commensurate with our opportunities.” Founded at a time when our state government could not step forward to provide needed care for orphaned and homeless chil- dren, North Carolina Masons opened our children’s home and seized the opportunity to help those in need. Now at a time when the federal, state, and local budgets are drastically reduced and more demands are being placed on available resources, we have the op- portunity to again offer our help when need is increasing. But we as Masons must make those who need us aware of the help available. What does it mean to each of us to be a Mason? What do we tell others? We can demonstrate the meaning of Masonry simply by doing the right things to help others in our communities. I have an easy answer in explaining what Masonry is about by shar- ing that my life was changed by the charity of Masons who cared for a stranger in need and sought nothing in return. In closing, I will again quote Brother Winston Churchill, who once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Through our children’s home many lives have been made as result of the generosity and caring actions of Masons and other donors. We have a responsibility to help within our com- munities. Now we have increased opportunities to demonstrate the meaning of Masonry because many of us live in areas where families with children have been left homeless and almost help- less by the recent storms. Each day we can see evidence of families waiting for a helping hand and the offer of hope and assistance. Through your contacts and our resources, MHCO can at least relieve their burden by helping care for the children until parents are able to obtain safe conditions for their family. Thank you, and may God bless you for the good you do for others. The North Carolina Mason May/June 2011 State My lodge Zip 

• Cover