The North Carolina Mason

May/June 2016 The North Carolina Mason Page 11 see next page Oxford A special Freemason Tribute Edi- tion Henry .22 rifle was the grand prize in a raffle at Oxford 122. ey were limiting ticket sales to 500 tick- ets at ten dollars each. e drawing is scheduled for June 25 during the 13 th Masonic District's picnic. Proceeds are for the Masonic Homes. — Rich Weaver Charlotte e 31 st Masonic District was hold- ing a District Ladies' Night April 28. ey were bringing their kids as well to Bubba's Barbecue for the gathering. e cost was $20 per person. — Robert G. McIntosh Steele Creek 737 had their big fun- draiser event set of May 14. e An- nual Charity Car Show and Fish Fry ran all day. — Bill Smith Derita 715 has had their offer ac- cepted on a piece of property on which to build their new home. If all goes as hoped, the property will be rezoned, and the sale concluded in August. Con- struction would then proceed. Derita is shifting their newsletter to a quarterly release schedule and moving most mailings to emails. ey will also be using a phonetree to send last min- ute notifications. e lodge's Chicken Charity Fund- raiser was held April 8 at the Mallard Creek Community House. — Derita Lodge Excelsior 261 created two "blue rib- bon committees" earlier this year; one to plan the lodge's upcoming (2017) 150 th anniversary and the other to work on physical rehabilitation of the lodge build- ing. Senior Warden Phillip Brent chairs the celebration committee. Jeff Peck is heading up the revitalization group. Excelsior Lodge is running a contest to redesign the lodge lobby. Entrants are to supply the layout of furniture and suggest prices and dealers for the furni- ture they wish to add to the room. ey are also looking for a used washer and dryer stack unit to use in the lodge. Temple 676 moved into Excelsior's building a few years back. e lodges have been considering forming a temple association together to share ownership responsibilities on the lodge facility. e lodge was considering an April trip to the Blue Ridge Masonic Mark- er near Black Camp Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway. — Trestle Board Mount Gilead Blackmer 127 hosted the ird Annual Uwharrie Mountain Rumble on April 16. Riders paid $35 and rid- ers $15 to enjoy the motorcycle cruise through the National Forest and back to Flashbacks in Mount Gilead to hear the music of e ree Degrees. ey also got t-shirts and the meal. Motor- cycle Lodge Knights of Solomon 764 held their stated communication at Blackmer Lodge before the ride's start. — Larry ompson Hickory e Plez Teague Memorial Pancake Breakfast was held April 30 at Hickory 343. Seven dollars per person got "pan- cakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, or- ange juice, milk, and plenty of fellow- ship." Age ten or under ate free. e annual fundraiser supports the Masonic Home for Children and is named for a deceased member of the lodge who was always an avid supporter of Masonic charities and who ramrodded many fundraisers for them. — Hickory Lodge Jacksonville Semper Fidelis 680 was to hold a table lodge May 20 at the Paradise Point Offi- cers Club. ere were to be multiple toasts and multiple courses of the meal. ere was to be a short program. ey opened on the Entered Apprentice Degree to al- low fledgling Masons to participate. — Robert Morrell Knights of Solomon 766 have stayed busy this spring. ey sponsored their own fundraiser selling $100 chances in a raffle for a 2017 Harley Davidson Street Glide, and six guns. Proceeds were for Masonic charities. ey rode to Oxford on March 19 on the Easter Basket Ride. ey rode in the Sudan Shriners Motor Patrol Poker Run on April 30. On April 1, they vis- ited the Shriners Children's Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. ey brought the children toys and cash do- nations to the Hospital. — Howard Kahn, Jerry Eubanks, Robert Morrell, Dallas Sutton Concord Stokes 32 had an active April 30. ey had their first blood drive of the year with a goal of 20 donors. At the same time, they were having the first of their two an- nual fundraisers, their Annual Chicken Lunch. Ten dollars got you half a chicken (smoked or fried) with baked beans, cole- slaw, and a roll. A special drive-through line served the lunch crowd. — Vance McGee IV Greensboro e Arthur L. Johnson Memorial Golf Tournament was set for May 21. e 15 th annual edition of the fundrais- er was to be held at Holly Ridge Golf Links. ey sell sponsorships ranging in price from $100 to $5,000. Rewards for sponsors at various levels may earn team entries, program recognition, ban- ners, post tournament dinners, or even full naming rights to the event. e tournament raises money for college scholarships for kids from the Masonic Home for Children. — Phillip Bialek Greensboro 76 started their 196 th year March 10. — Phillip Bialek Revolution 552 held their Boston Butt Sale March 12. WhiteStone and our Home for Children benefitted from the sale. Butts were available either whole or chopped for $35, sauce included. — Todd Huffines Scouting Masonry NEW BERN — It's always a privilege and a pleasure to conduct tours of our lodges. For St. John's 3 it was even better because they were hosting a bunch of kids. Cub Scouts of Troop 13 came to visit on May 2. Lodge Master John B. Green conducted the tour and told them the history of the lodge and answered their questions. He told them how St. John's 3 was chartered in the 1770s and about its association with the community and Masonry. — David Sawyer Southport Pythagoras 249 was having their Annual Fish Fry on June 3. As last year, plates were seven dollars. eir 11 th annual golf tournament fundraiser is coming up September 24. e lodge is planning a celebration of their 150 th anniversary on Indepen- dence Day weekend. As a courtesy to his home lodge, Pythagoras Lodge presented Bud Harraway Jr. his 60-year award. Harraway is a member of Roman Eagle 122 in Danville, Virginia. — Newsletter Statesville Statesville 27 continues a good se- lection of educational programs at their lodge meetings. In March, Past Grand Lecturer David Potts brought the pro- gram "e OSW and Vocabulary: How ey Work and What ey Mean." In April, Mike Daniels explained Leonar- do's painting of e Last Supper. Also in April, Grand Steward Larry omp- son was presenting them a program "James Cash ( J. C.) Penny — Business- man, Philanthropist, and Mason." — Duane Smyth

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