September/October 2015 The North Carolina Mason Page 11
Weaverville
Blackmer 170 raised a fourth gen-
eration Mason July 21. Tyler Robinson
joined his father (Chuck Robinson),
grandfather (Mitch Clevenger), and
great grandfather (the late Earl Clev-
enger) as a member of that lodge. Boyd
Black did Tyler's degree just as he did
the one for Tyler's uncles and grandfa-
ther 45 years ago. — Terry Gevedon
Stedman
Stedman 730 held their all-you-can-
eat spaghetti dinner August 15.
— Ken Wical
Charlotte
Derita 715 is in the throes of fill-
ing in the details of their new building.
Architects have visited several of their
meetings and, most recently, brought
a plan with three connected squares
based on the 47
th
Problem of Euclid.
ey learned that the Masonically in-
teresting design is also cost effective.
Derita is working to create a fifty-
year fund to pay the dues of 50-year
members. Many lodges forgive the dues
of these veteran members, but it can
leave a serious hole in lodge finances.
Junior Warden Jason Callahan has been
charged with finding a way to pay for
the program.
Shawn Snyder recently presented a
lodge program about social media. He
taught the members about using the
lodge Facebook page. ey termed the
page "not only a great way for our lodge
to connect to us and other Masons, but
also a resource for Masonic education
and entertainment."
Derita members were to enjoy a
Knights Out Night August 8 to see a
minor league baseball game.
Derita member Robert Marshal
Winter was presented his Veteran's
Emblem this summer in recognition of
his 50 years as a Mason.
e lodge's April Chicken Fry fun-
draiser brought in $2,492 for the Ma-
sonic Homes. — Derita Lodge
Temple 676 held a shooting range
fundraiser at Shooters Express in Bel-
mont August 22. ey were sending the
money to Patriot Rovers, a group which
trains service dogs for veterans.
— Eric Cable
James K. Polk 759 sent their com-
munity outreach team to McCreesh
Place to put on a fish fry. McCreesh
Place is a supportive housing commu-
nity for men. — Trestleboard
Dallas
e 36
th
Masonic District is holding
a benefit ride and rod run October 24.
ey are raising money for the daugh-
ters of Joey and Michelle Dunlap who
were killed in an accident on the way to
a Maggie Valley Shrine parade in June.
Stops are scheduled at select lodges be-
tween Cherryville and Dallas. Contact
Dave Jones for details at (704) 609-
8655 or .
— Dave Jones
Foscoe
e 37
th
Masonic District was hav-
ing an outdoor ird Degree Septem-
ber 19 at Camp Rainbow. Attendees
were being urged to bring "guitars, ban-
jos, washboards, upright basses, fiddles,
mandolins, one-string washbuckets,
and jugs. If you got time to breath,
you got time for music. In that case
we'll scrub one off for you, just jump in
where you can and hang on."
— Terry Gevedon
Lewisville
West Bend 434 was holding their
Past Masters' Night July 21.
— By the Square
Southern Pines
Southern Pines 484 held their usual
fundraiser at their town's First Friday
Street Party. ey sell snow cones and
popcorn to those who gather. Masonic
Home for Children Administrator
Kevin Otis and his wife Kevin visited
to help operate the booth. About 2,000
locals attended, and the lodge brought
in $500 for the Home for Children.
e lodge continues to hold their
First Saturday Fellowship Breakfasts at
the lodge at 8:00 a.m. — Gene Maples
Selma
Grover Dees recently presented
Selma 320 a portrait of Richard Jor-
dan Noble, our grand master in 1899.
Noble was a past master of both Selma
320 and Friendship 84 in Smithfield.
He was a doctor employed by Southern
Railway and Atlantic Coast Line.
Selma Lodge is holding their golf
tournament October 16. ey'll be
playing at Cardinal Country Club in
Pine Level. Player entry is $65 each.
Hole sponsorships are available.
— Robby Evans
Asheville
Michael Daniels was bringing Veri-
tas 769 a special program August 26.
"e Secret Supper — A Look into the
Art and Mind of Leonardo da Vinci"
was examining Leonardo da Vinci's
message in his art. Daniels was covering
art, history, esoteric thought, and sym-
bolism in the context of Renaissance
and religious history. — Terry Gevedon
Knights of Solomon 764 (that's
the Charlotte motorcycle lodge) were
meeting at Biltmore 446 on August 15.
— Terry Gevedon
Fayetteville
Phoenix 8 is holding their 227
th
An-
niversary Celebration and Table Lodge
on November 14. Noted Masonic au-
thor and lecturer Robert Herd will be
the guest speaker. — Ken Wical
Benson
Relief 431 is building a firefighter
degree team. If you are interested in par-
ticipating, contact Matt Moore at . — Matt Moore
THOMASVILLE — Back in March,
long-distance truck driver Lonnie Bran-
don was driving through North Carolina
when he began suffering vertigo. He was
examined and released at the hospital in
Winston-Salem. But, he was unable to
safely operate his truck in his condition.
The stranded Oklahoma Mason
contacted the Grand Lodge which in
turn called Enterprise 752 member
Tommy Allen to check on our brother.
Allen took Brandon to Thomasville to
pick up his belongings and to check
that his cargo had been put on its way
to its destination. Joe Manning bought
their lunch, and Allen's father, also a
truck driver, put some cash in Bran-
don's pocket to help him on his trip
home. They boxed up Brandon's pos-
sessions, and the next day, put him on a
bus home. — Tommy Allen
Reaching out to a stranded Brother
Windsor
Charity 5 hosted a blood drive Au-
gust 1. ey held it at the Windsor
Community Building. — Keith Phelps
Concord
Stokes 32 honors local service
personnel each year at their Annual
Awards Night. ey spotlighted the
Cabarrus County Sheriff 's Department
this year. Ed Depauli was named the
lodge Mason of the Year. Concord City
Manager Brian Hiatt was guest speaker.
Stokes 32 held a blood drive for the
North Carolina Blood Bank August 15
in honor of member Harry Blume.
e "hat money" collected at each
meeting of Stokes Lodge all went to
Relay for Life in the first quarter. e
second quarter collection was for school
supplies for local elementary schools.
is quarter is going to Children's
Shoebox which gives small Christmas
gifts to needy children.
— omas A. VanEtten
Reidsville
Jefferson Penn 384 was holding a
rifle raffle with an October 17 drawing.
e grand prize is a Remington Model
700 with scope. e Masonic Home for
Children and the MESH Foundation
will benefit. — Steven Cates
Highlands
Blue Ridge 435 recently installed
new carpet. ey credited shopping lo-
cally with saving them time and money.
ey held their lodge picnic on Sep-
tember 12. — Trestleboard
Spencer
Spencer 543's annual Back to School
Pool Party at the Masonic Home for
Children was scheduled for August 22.
ey take a truckload of school sup-
plies to the Home every summer at
the beginning of the school year. At
the same time, they hold a cookout at
pool-side there to take the pain out of
the reminder. — Johnny Hatley
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