May/June 2012
The North Carolina Mason
Page 5
For Kids' Sake
HENDERSONVILLE — Kedron 387 recently signed on with the local Big Brother and Big Sister Club's Bowling For Kids Sake Fundraiser. The lodge raised $1,724. Their team is seen above. — Broward Davis
Pictured from left are Ed Congleton, Justin Robinson, Robbie Dail, Jimmy Jenkins, Carl Little, Dan Bishop, Roy Selby, Steven Natale, Charles Sumerlin, and Mickey Bullock.
Sixth District gets new traveling gavel
traveling gavel. Following is the explanation offered when the gavel was pre- sented to the lodges by DDGL Dennis Campbell, Crown Point 708; Mickey Bullock, Grimesland 475, and Charles Sumerlin, Crown Point 708. "The journey for this gavel was created in the mind of Brother
GREENVILLE — The Sixth Masonic District has a new
Pancakes for charity GREENVILLE — William Pitt 734 recently held their annual
Pancake Supper fundraiser. It's been a regular there for more than ten years. This event not only helped the lodge generate $3,700 for the Masonic Home for Children and WhiteStone, but also gave Masonry some valuable positive exposure within their com- munity. They got five petition requests during the dinner. They report that the camaraderie was wonderful, the food excellent, and the results rewarding. The sausage crew is seen here cooking in the back yard of the lodge.
— Tom Jones
Charles Sumerlin, Crown Point 708 and was crafted in the shop of Brother Mickey Bullock, Grimesland 475 in 2011. "You will notice the three rings at the top of the gravel repre- senting the three degrees of Masonry: Entered Apprentice, Fel- low Craft and Master Mason. The three rings at the bottom of the gavel represent the three jewels of a Master Mason: friendship, morality, and brotherly love from the Master Mason's Degree. "The white band on the gavel's head represents the lambskin or white leather apron from the Entered Apprentice Degree and the rings on the handle of the gavel, the three, five, and seven steps of the Fellow Craft Degree. "The gavel has been crafted from walnut wood, a hardwood
representing the strong grip of a Master Mason. The nondescript vehicle representing the vehicle which shall transform our spirit from this imperfect to that all perfect, glorious, and celestial lodge above created by the Supreme Architect of the Universe. "The base on which the vehicle and gavel are mounted illus-
trates a highway that has no beginning or end. It represents that a Mason may, of his own free will and accord, choose what the length of his cable tow will be. "Should you accept this gavel, it will be your duty to pass it
Sprucing up the neighborhood GREENSBORO — Gate City 694 is now in their third year
of participation in local street clean ups. They clean a 1.2-mile portion Holden Road which runs near WhiteStone. They clean the route every three months.
— Gary Ballance
Scholarship Committee Member William Anderson, scholarship recipient Subdias, and Scholarship Com- mittee Chairman Mark Miller
Chairman Mark Miller, 484 Master Trent Carter, scholarship recipient Entz, and Committee Member Felice Schillaci
Yoder Memorial scholarships SOUTHERN PINES — Southern Pines 484 is proud to sup-
on to a lodge that has not received it on its initial circuit. It is requested that you and not less than three other brothers from your lodge pass it on after not less than 60 or more than 90 days after you receive it. "It is our hope that this will become a time honored cere-
mony within the Sixth Masonic District and promote visitation among the lodges."
— Nicholas Kalapos
Family Day at WhiteStone By Katie Glodowski
awarded more than $40,000 in college scholarships to needy and deserving Moore County high school students. In support of the scholarship fund, Southern Pines Lodge has two important fund raising events. On April 28, freshly made hot breakfast and lunch will be
port its own R. C. Yoder Memorial Scholarship Fund for deserv- ing Pinecrest and Union Pines high school students. Carefully selected winners for 2012 are Joshua Entz, Union Pines High School and Libni Subdias, Pinecrest High School. Starting from scratch nine years ago, the lodge has raised and
offered to Springfest vendors and visitors at the lodge dining hall. The annual scholarship golf tournament is scheduled at ex- clusive, challenging Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, NC on August 11. Player entry and sponsor information is available by calling chairman Mark Miller at (910) 724-6892 or email .
— Gene Maples
ern Star Community welcomed more than 500 people to their an- nual Family Day. The day's festivities began with the Walk to End Alzheimer's sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association in downtown Greensboro. WhiteStone had more than 140 walkers participate! The gathering celebrated the ribbon cutting of the new picnic shelter located beside the Linville Clubhouse. Special thanks go to Ruth Strider and her late husband, Hugh Strider,
GREENSBORO — This year, WhiteStone, A Masonic and East-
whose generous donation made the shelter possible. Family Day followed with great food and two live bands! A crew from Gate City 694 and Revolution 552 who gave their Saturday afternoon to cook barbecue and the best hush puppies ever. The crowd enjoyed great tunes from both the Rob Massengale Band, who entertained with big band music, and Soul Biscuit, who had the crowd going with '60s and '70s classics. No one could have asked for a more beautiful day to celebrate with
friends, family and loved ones. Katie Glodowski is WhiteStone marketing coordinator.
CARY, from page 8
veteran, Hicks contacted the L. L. Polk Camp 1486 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans about relocating the graves. The square and compasses on Joel's tombstone led Polk Camp to research his lodge affiliation. They found that he was a member of Cary 198. At that point, Cary Lodge became involved in the plans. Joel Holleman served the Cary lodge as secretary from the year he joined (1859) until his death in 1862. Lodge minutes in his handwriting are still in the lodge. There being no record of his having had a Masonic funeral, the lodge decided to perform that farewell ceremony for their long-dead brother. Wyatt Holleman was master of Cary 198 1861–1863 and again 1868–1874. His oldest son, Joel, joined Cary Lodge in June 1861. A few months later, Joel was elected secretary. Wyatt had four sons. Joel, Silas, and Joseph, the three oldest
boys, and their father joined the newly formed Confederacy's ser- vice in 1861. Wyatt was designated drummer of the Carey Home Guard. Joel was involved with the early hospital efforts in Raleigh. They helped with the sick and dying from the camp of instruction at Crabtree. Joseph and Silas enlisted at Camp Burgwyn on Bogue Island. They were placed in the Wake Guards, Company D of the 26th
area. They were commanded by Colonel Zebulon Vance who later became governor and senator of North Carolina. On January 1, 1862, Joel died, perhaps of some illness con-
NC State Troops, a group of soldiers from the Holly Springs
tracted at the hospital. He was 28 years old. He was lodge secre- tary at the time of his death. On February 9, 1862, Joseph died in a hospital in Carolina
City, not far from Fort Macon. The 22-year-old was a victim of pneumonia. Their parents buried their too soon gone children in side-
by-side graves. The site was on family ground on the outskirts of Raleigh. But, back to our current story. Buildings, complexes, and pav-
ing projects began to impinge on the neighborhood of the broth- ers' resting spot. Their tombstones lay broken, nearly overgrown with vegetation. A plan emerged. On March 17, their graves were opened. A few buttons and the discolored earth of long gone re- mains were all that was found digging under the two fallen grave markers. Those remains were transferred directly to two new wooden caskets. The tombstones were taken to be cleaned and repaired. Joel's tombstone carries a square and compasses, Joseph's a soldier with musket and cannon balls. When Ludwik Wodka, then master of Cary 198, was contact-
ed about the Masonic membership of Joel Holleman, he began making a plan for the involvement of Masons in the reburial. He appointed Kevin Hall to head a committee to make arrangements for the ceremony. They began plans to march with the Confeder- ates' funeral procession and perform a Masonic funeral service for their long gone secretary. April 14 was the day for the Holleman Brothers to have the
of uniformed Confederate troops from today's military history buffs and the suited and aproned Masons caused much attention among the visitors to the museum that morning. "Look, Mommy, it's the mayor!" was one youngster's reaction to seeing Cary Mas- ter Ludwik Wodka in his regalia. Another visitor to the Museum beamed, "I brought my family here to learn about our past. And, now we see history first hand!" Shortly after lunch, the procession from the Capitol to Oak-
spotlight. Joel and Joseph spent the morning laying in state at the North Carolina Museum of History, their coffins side by side. Standing guard over their remains was a uniformed honor guard of reenactors from the 26th
NC State Troops. The gathering
wood began. A horse-drawn caisson bore the brothers to their new final resting place — the Civil War veterans' section of Oak- wood Cemetery, one of Raleigh's most historic burial grounds. Accompanying them was marched a long line of the 26th
reenactors and aproned Mason from Cary 198, Hiram 40, and other lodges in walking the last mile with their brothers. A full Masonic burial service within the symbolic lodge formed by the deacons and stewards was performed for Joel Holleman. Standing station for the ceremony were Senior Deacon Ted Long Jr., Junior Deacon Matt Kohut, Senior Steward Jeff Higgins, Junior Steward
NC
Kevin Hall, Chaplain Joe Gugliotti, and Tyler Glenn Strickland formed the graveside lodge. Walter Highsmith performed the burial service. Joseph, not a Mason, received a military service. Their family resting place threatened, they now rest with their contemporaries on protected, sanctified ground.
Ric Car ter photo
Kip Campbell photo
