The North Carolina Mason

January/February 2017 The North Carolina Mason Page 15 The Grand Historian's Courier Case Postcards allow members to own a replica of N.C. Masonic history Since the colonial era, Brother Freemasons have led the way in the Old North State. e institutions, values and beliefs we hold dear are without doubt a result of those Brothers who came before us. Our Grand Lodge building in Raleigh houses countless artifacts, documents and other valued relics depicting our history. We are fortu- nate to have a trusted sta protecting and preserving these treasures. ough desirable, many of our thousands of members have never visited our Grand Lodge building. Now, through a concerted eort, you can in essence do so by owning a replica of Allyn Cox's beautiful 1959 Masonic mural which graces the interior walls of the Grand Lodge building. is mural is "a walk through" of early NC Masonic history. Soon to be available for purchase, this colorful 10 card set depicts the men, places and events which began and nurtured "the &ame of Freema- sonry" in North Carolina. Price: $10 – with all proceeds going to the North Carolina Historic Masonic Properties Foundation's eorts of preserving our historic buildings and sites throughout the state. Steven A. Campbell, Grand Historian campmckay1358@gmail.com Every lodge spends countless hours planning and executing some of the world's greatest fundraisers. Brunswick Stew Dinners. Chili Cookoffs. Harley raffles. What does YOUR lodge do? How much do you raise? And how much do you dedicate to each of the three NC Masonic charities? Tell us about the history of the event – when did your lodge do it first, have you ever skipped a year, did weather ever cancel it? Why do you think it works so well? And if you're brave, tell us about a fundraiser you planned that didn't go so well. We can learn from the good and the bad! Give us some data – how many bowls of chili do you sell? How many tickets went? Tell us what it feels like to do this kind of good-guy work? It always feels good to help others – but do you have a particular reason for helping charities? We want to hear your story. Send it all in to the Mason at ncmason@glnc. us – with photos if you have some – and we'll write a story about what you give and why. Thanks in advance – we can't wait to share your story! FOUNDATION from previous page various trips around the state this year. Watch for those on the Grand Lodge, Grand Master and North Carolina Mason Facebook pages. is edition of the Mason is Grace's rst. Some changes are already visible in this issue, she said. But more will come. "Every change you will see will be the product of Brotherly teamwork," Grace said. "e Board of Publications has become the Mason's editorial board – a team formed to help plan coverage, target interesting stories and issues, and guide the overall design and look of this important newsletter." e board and Grace also are working to put more focus on charity – the charities we support, the work they do, and what Masons statewide can do to expand that good work and chari- table reach. At least one page of each edition of the Mason will be dedicated to stories about WhiteStone, MHCO and the work of the Foundation itself, including creation of scholarships for worthy students and funds for historic lodge preservation. "All Masons promise to care for those in need and this is a new and exciting way to keep that concept on the front burner as we all work to keep our promise to help the elderly and chil- dren," Grace said. She invited feedback on this Mason issue and invited all Masons who dabble in Facebook to sign on to the new e North Carolina Mason Face- book page. "We're working to put news on that page as it happens, including submis- sion from lodges and brothers that might not make it into the Mason itself, due to space or timeliness issues," Grace said. e work on all levels of the Foun- dation is well under way, and the NCMF board welcomes your feedback. Send your comments or questions to bgrace@mfnc.org or ncmason@ glnc.us. Cobb summed up this year of change. "Our duty is not to be better than our brethren, but to be better than ourselves," he said. "If we can keep that thought in our heart and soul, that will turn things around."

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