North Carolina Mason
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/591483
Page 2 The North Carolina Mason September/October 2015
STATESVILLE — By declaration
of Grand Master Douglas L. Caudle
and the Grand Lodge of North Caro-
lina, August 5, 2015 was omas W.
Gregory Day. Gregory is renowned
for his dedication to blue lodge Ma-
sonry and his reluctance to celebrate
high office. He is the primary founding
force of Wilkerson College, our Grand
Lodge's nationally respected officer
education program. As grand master in
1999, it was his lot to speak across the
state about the first resolution that we
recognize Prince Hall Masonry. He did
so with conscience and great grace.
e declaration of the day honors
him "as an expression of our never-end-
ing gratitude, appreciation, and broth-
erly love to a true pillar of modern Free-
masonry; and in recognition and honor
of the sacrifices and dedication of that
outstanding past grand master; a man
of vision and toleration, who turned the
other cheek and gave brotherly forgive-
ness in the face of stringent attack and
misunderstanding; who blazed a new
trail for our fraternity, awakening it to
the twenty-first century."
Gregory was surprised by a contin-
gent of nearly all the Grand Lodge of-
ficers and several past grand masters at
the August 4 stated meeting of States-
ville 27. e gathering was done in se-
cret as Gregory is well known to avoid
personal honors. More than 20 high
ranking Masons came in together about
20 minutes after the lodge opened.
Gregory was clearly affected by the
honor and spent quite some time remi-
niscing on his experiences with the craft
and the lessons it has taught him.
Grand Master Caudle saluted
Gregory saying, "Tom has been a men-
tor of mine and has shown me how to
be a better man, husband, business
man, and grand master. For that, I am
eternally grateful."
So are we all.
Tom Gregory Day declared
Gregory held court from his seat in the north as he shared stories.
The Grand Lodge officers gathered outside the lodge room in Statesville to await surprising PGM Gregory.
By Ric Carter
Officers' Boot Camps and Coaches
Workshops will be held this Fall at
four different locations in the state. e
Boot Camp sessions are designed to
train blue lodge line officers in essential
leadership skills for their travels to the
East. e forums provide up-to-date
and informative material on effective
lodge management and planning.
e Boot Camps are separate one-
day sessions held four Saturdays in
October and November. e October
24 session will be held at Durham 352,
205 Husketh Drive in Durham; the
October 31 session at West Gate 738 at
5924 Brookshire Drive in Charlotte; the
November 7 session at Nichols-West
Asheville 650 at 22 Brevard Road in
Asheville, and the November 21 session
at 7, 215 East Water Street in Edenton.
ese sessions offer lodges across
the state unparalleled opportunities for
development. ese opportunities are
unique in Masonry in the United States.
Each session stands on its own — a
brother need attend only one session to
get the full Boot Camp experience.
e Boot Camps are provided free of
charge and are
co-sponsored
by Wilkerson
College and
the Grand
Lodge Ma-
sonic Education Committee. Participants
receive a work book and other material
also at no charge. Lunch is on your own.
e Boot Camps sessions will be most
helpful to blue lodge line officers, but are
open to any members in good standing of
one of our lodges. Most Masons will find
the Boot Camps a tremendous help.
e Boot Camps were conceived
as a way of providing leadership train-
ing for officers who could not attend
Wilkerson College, or who would like
a refresher after the Wilkerson College
program. Topics covered in the sessions
include "Masonic Education in the
Blue Lodge," "Motivation," "Fundrais-
ing," "e Master's Toolbox," and "e
Proven Path." Brothers scheduled to
present at the boot camps include Ju-
nior Grand Deacon Mack Sigmon, Jim
Medlin, Grand Historian Rick Smith,
Grand Marshal Shaun Bradshaw,
Grand Steward Larry ompson, Ben
Wallace, Mike Daniels, Steven Cates,
and Grand Tyler Kevin Combs.
is is the seventh year for the Boot
Camps. Participants in previous years
have remarked about how valuable the
program has been in their development
as leaders. Become one of them.
No registration is required. For more
information on the Boot Camps, con-
tact Kevin Combs at (704) 929-9707 or