North Carolina Mason
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/397714
TraveLing The
Tar heeL STaTe
newS from
norTh CaroLina'S
LodgeS
By Ric Carter
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.
September/October 2014 The North Carolina Mason Page 3
see STATE, page 4
Spruce Pine
David Greene, one of Vesper 554's most
productive members, was recently confined to a
wheelchair with medical problems. e lodge was
talking about building a chair ramp for his home.
Before the lodge could even gather estimates on
building it, lodge member Ernie Wells took mea-
surements, built, and installed it all himself.
Vesper member Lloyd Hise was recently
named Mitchell County Distinguished Citizen.
e recognition is made by Mayland Commu-
nity College's Board of Trustees.
Vesper held their annual golf tournament
August 23. ey played at Grassy Creek Golf
and Country Club in Spruce Pine. Non-Ma-
sons were invited, and members were encour-
aged to invite friends from the "Low Country"
to come enjoy the cooler altitudes. Proceeds
were marked for the Masonic Homes as well as
several local charities.
July 10 was set aside as a lodge cleanup day
— they're sprucing up in Spruce Pine.
— Newsletter
Jacksonville
Knights of Solomon 766 volunteered to do
the ritual work for July 26 Master Mason De-
gree at Semper Fidelis 680. Everyone was put-
ting a rush on as one of the candidates was a
deploying Marine. — Beau Brown
ings are always busy at Semper Fidelis
680. In May, they cooked 1,200 hot dogs for
Special Olympics. In June, they had their
Ladies' Night Out at the Salt Water Grill in
Swansboro. In July, they were selling bottled
water at National Night Out in Jacksonville.
Proceeds were earmarked for Onslow County
Ministries and Soup Kitchen.
ey also recently held their first golf tourna-
ment. e event, held at Bear Trail golf course,
raised $1,200 for the lodge's charities.
— Trestle Board
Southport
Pythagoras 249 enjoys Southport's Inde-
pendence Day celebration every year. ey even
contribute to the Junior Chamber of Commerce
which organizes it. ey also sell hot dogs dur-
ing the street festival. Hurricane Arthur shut
them down for one day of the three-day event,
but they did excellent business on the other two.
We have not heard of any interesting discov-
eries yet, but Pythagoras was going through all
the storage spaces in their building rooting out
non-essentials tucked away for years. ey're
also adding some file cabinets to get storage a
little better organized and more presentable.
Their Ninth Annual Masonic Golf Tour-
nament was set for September 20 at Boiling
Spring Lakes. — Newsletter
Kannapolis
Cannon Memorial 626 presented scholar-
ships to graduating seniors at each of the two
local high schools this year, A. L. Brown High
School in Kannapolis and Northwest Cabarrus
High School in Concord. — omas Van Etten
Garner
Chance Corbin petitioned Garner 701 on his
18th birthday. He finished his catechisms and
was raised by his father, Richard Corbin, all be-
fore he graduated high school. Anyone remem-
ber the symbolism of the mortarboard?
— Gray Anthony
Vandora 745's annual golf tournament was
scheduled for October 13 at Reedy Creek Golf
Course. Entry fee is $60 per player, and proceeds
go to the Masonic Homes.
Clemmons
Enterprise 752 was to hold its annual beef
barbecue fundraiser 4:00–7:00 p.m. on Saturday,
October 4. Tickets (adults nine dollars, children
five) were available in advance or at the door, eat
in or carry out.
e lodge had their Breakfast With a Brother
event July 26. Members of the public were in-
vited to enjoy free pancakes. — Joseph Gibson
Warsaw
Warsaw 677 recently elected John Matthews
an honorary member. He was cited for his "sup-
port and attendance" over the years.
— Warsaw Lodge
Waxhaw
Members of Waxhaw 562 were turning out
for a lodge cleanup day July 12. It was also their
first opportunity to see and hear the new lodge
public address system. — Richard Shields
Hookerton
Prints of Danielle Chapman's pencil sketch of
Jerusalem 95's building are proving to be a good
fundraiser for the lodge. So far, they've brought
in $800 by auctioning the prints. ey are look-
ing at silent auctions for more prints.
— e Jerusalem Journal
Cleveland
Scotch Ireland 154 is upgrading some of
their seating to theater style seats. Now, it's time
to start planning for replacing their roof.
eir fundraiser this year is a rifle raffle for a
Savage Trophy .308. ey're drawing November 21.
— Newsletter
Hendersonville
Kedron 387 held their awards dinner June 16.
J. P. Huggins and George Godsey got their Dia-
mond Jubilees for their 60 years membership.
— Spence Campbell
Princeton
Taking care of your community is one of the
responsibilities of a lodge. In Princeton, St. Pat-
rick's 617 does just that. ey awarded a scholar-
ship to Julia Elizabeth Worley, a local student
who is bound for Tennessee for college.
When the Applied Technology Club at
Johnston Community College held a skeet
shoot to raise money for a project, the lodge
entered a team to help out. ey also chipped
in to sponsor a tee-ball team in the town recre-
ation department.
Lodge member Randy Hinton has given St.
Patrick's Lodge an American flag which flew, in
their honor, over Camp Eggers in Afghanistan
November 11, 2013. It is displayed in the lodge
for all to view. — Designs Upon the Trestleboard
St. Patrick's 617 held a special 100
th
Anni-
versary Reunion on August 14. e emergent
was held on their lodge's birthday.
— David Rose
Raleigh
James B. Green 735 will celebrate their gold-
en anniversary next year. ey've already started
preparations by designing and ordering com-
memorative lapel pins, t-shirts, and coins.
Each of Green Lodge's first two ice cream
socials of the summer was attended by 40–50
people. e socials include homemade ice cream
and grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. Family
and friends are always invited to the socials.
Green Lodge was holding their second
Chicken Barbecue October 3. ey raise money
for the Masonic Homes with the plate sales.
eir goal was 600 plates.
e lodge is planning a Salute to Our Local
Heroes November 22. Wake County first re-
sponders will be honored at the eight Apple-
bees locations around the county that day. e
honorees will eat for free and the public is be-
ing charged seven dollars. Money raised will go
to first responder charities.
— e James B. Green Scene
The lodge was holding an indoor yard sale
in August. — Karen Pahl
Charlotte
Several Charlotte area Masons have been
honored by DeMolay. James K. Polk 759's
Cody Gustofson was named top DeMolay
advisor in North Carolina. Charles M. Setzer
693's Allan Mann was named to the DeMolay
Legion of Honor. — Trestleboard
Knights of Solomon 764 was sponsoring
a Motorcycle Charity Rally September 20 at
Charlotte Harley Davidson in Matthews. ey
were having a barbecue dinner and door priz-
es. e big chance ticket was $100. It offered a
chance to win a Street Glide, a chopper, one of
two 60-inch television, or $500 gift card.
— Masonic Home for Children
A young Eagle Scout candidate chose Charles
M. Setzer 693 as the site for his Scouting proj-
ect. He will be building a flag retirement firepit
on their grounds. His plan includes a walkway
and sitting area around the pit.
Excelsior 261 held a community blood drive
May 17 at the lodge.
West Gate 738 honored their charter mem-
bers this summer. About 60 people turned out
for the Family Night to salute the senior guys
and enjoy the hamburgers and hot dogs. ey
enjoyed kids games and snow cones. Another
Family Night is set for November.
— News From the West
Maiden
Grand Marshal Mack Sigmon presented his
101
st
ird Degree lecture in July. He was help-
ing Maiden 592. — Maiden Masonic Lodge
Hickory
Hickory 343's Family Day 2014 was set for
August 16. e annual event is a chance for fam-
ilies to have as much fun at lodge as the mem-
bers. Much of the entertainment was aimed at
children. ere was a fire truck, and a bouncy
house, a waterslide, and a wading pool, as well as
a dunking booth. ere was even a balloon artist
to keep your attention.
Hickory Lodge is always active when it comes
to fundraisers for charity. On May 4, they had
the Plez Teague Pancake dinner. at brought in
about $1,900 this year from the event honoring
one of their best fundraisers ever. ey are cur-
rently holding a rifle raffle. e drawing was set
for September 29. — Hickory Lodge
SHELBY — For the seventh year in a row,
members of Shelby 744 have worked with H &
R Block Corporation to help the children served
by the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.
During a special presentation, representatives
from H & R Block, and nine Masonic lodges
in the 35
th
Masonic District, presented a check
for $8,050 to the Home's Director of Financial
Development Chris Richardson.
Lodge Treasurer Ed Burk, who prepares tax
returns for H & R Block, has been working with
the local H & R Block facilities in Shelby to take
advantage of a program offered by Block since
2006. In that time, the lodge has raised more
than $38,000 dollars for the Home for Children.
Each year, Burk distributes information
about the Nonprofit Referral Program to poten-
tial customers in the community. Rebecca Pear-
son, H & R Block office manager, explained that
as individuals are helped in preparing their tax
returns, they are given the opportunity to desig-
nate a donation to the Children's Home.
In the photo are H & R Block Office Man-
agers Rebecca Pearson, Grace Costner, and
Susan McCarty; Greg McIntyre and Ed Burk,
Shelby 744; Chris Richardson; 35
th
District
Deputy Grand Master Don Peeler; Camp Call
534 Master Jeff Ramsey; Fairview 339 Mas-
ter Max Brooks; Caser Master Kenny Warlick;
Friendship 388 Secretary Buddy Taylor; and Al-
len Tate, Cleveland 202.
Jack Weller is a member of Shelby 744.
Shelby Masons help MHCO
By Jack Weller
Gatesville
is spring, Gatesville 126 has inducted
two new honorary members, Phil Johnson and
C. W. Overton. Elmer Bunch and Bill John-
son earned their Veteran's Emblems for 50
years membership.
Gatesville Lodge helps Perquimans 106
each year with their tractor pull. ey do the
parking for the event and make money for their
charity work.
e lodge sponsored a softball team in the
Eason's Crossroads recreation crowd.
— e Compasses
Fayetteville
e 17
th
Masonic District has a new web
page. e district is composed of seven lodges
in Cumberland and Bladen counties. e site is