The North Carolina Mason

March/April 2010 TRAVELING THE tar heel state News From North CaroliNa's lodges By Ric Carter Statesville Kevin Combs launched four initiatives as part of his year as Statesville 27’s master. 1. A wage increase for all Master Masons. Tat will take the form of a pat on the back, or recogni- tion in lodge or in the lodge newsletter. 2. At- tendance goals. He will contribute ten dollars to Masonic charity each time a meeting of his lodge opens with more than 25 present. ( Janu- ary alone cost him $30) 3. Perfect Attendance Award. Awardees can get two mulligans, the first free, the second requires participation in a special event. 4. Rookie Mason of the Year recognition. Statesville Lodge will is participating in the Iredell County Relay for Life May 21–22. Te event takes place nationwide to raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer. Statesville enjoyed their Ladies’ Night Febru- ary 16. After a nice dinner, they put three couples on the spot playing the Duly Wed Game. Two Statesville Lodge members recently received their Veteran’s Emblems for 50 years Masonic membership. Tomas Nason Chan- dler and Fred Lewis Gurley Jr. were presented the awards November 7. — Te Joppa Informer Garner Garner 701 was using their Valentine dinner as a fundraiser as well as a celebration. Tey were serving steak and lobster at the ladies’ event. Tickets to the February supper were $15 each or $25 per couple. Proceeds were going to the Ma- sonic Homes. — Garner Lodge 701 Newsletter Greensboro Tings are going gangbusters all over North Carolina when it comes to making Masons. Gate City 694 is a standout among standouts. Tis report is from early January. Gate City ini- tiated 21 in 2009, raising ten of them before the end of the year. Tey raised nine in a one week period in early January 2010. Tey had seven be- ing coached in their Master Mason catechism and seven studying their Entered Apprentice memory work. At the same time, they had four in waiting for the first degree and three petitions in progress. Hope they don’t have a Lecture Ser- vice that has to be done soon. Twenty-five members showed up to clean Gate City Lodge’s stretch of Greensboro’s Adopt-A-Street. Tey “picked up the normal and the abnormal from the sides of the road” from North Holden Road between Benjamin Parkway and Bicentennial Park. Gate City is weighing dates in May, June, July, and September as dates for their annual two visits to see the Greensboro Grasshoppers play baseball. — Trestleboard Charlotte Excelsior 261’s first fellowship activity for 2010 was a field trip to the Sports Connection in Balantyne for three hours of bowling. — Trestleboard Charles M. Setzer 693 enjoyed a red and white night when their Valentine-themed La- dies’ Night was dusted with a pretty snow. Ev- eryone had a “wonderful” time anyway. Setzer Lodge has held several visitation events with local Prince Hall Masons. In Febru- ary, they presented Charles Sharpe, the Prince Hall Mason who helped coordinate the visits, an honorary membership. It is one of the first honorary memberships presented by one of our lodges to a member of North Carolina’s other grand lodge. — Trestleboard Te officers of Temple 676 have issued an attendance challenge to their membership. If the attendance goal is met, each officer will donate ten dollars ($110 total) to the Masonic Home for Children. Tey missed by one man in January. No word has been received on Febru- ary’s damage. Temple Lodge’s guest speaker in March was to be a representative of UNC-Charlotte’s chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Te group was founded in 1869, and its modern ritual was written by Mason Stephen Alfonso Jackson. Two members of Temple Lodge (Tim Berly and Tim Counts III) are alumni of the fraternity as are Bob Dole, Jimmy Buffett, Robert Redford, and Edward R. Murrow. — Trestle Board Paw Creek West Gate 738 recently made life members of father and son team of Tom and Bob Dooley to honor their years of service to the lodge. West Gate Lodge held their Ladies’ Night Dinner February 20. Tey served ribeye steaks and entertained with a bluegrass band. Tings really start to pick up in March at West Gate. Te Senior Golf Group was to crank up for the year on March 10. Call Charlie Sher- er if you’d like to take part. Te lodge’s Spring Chicken Fry was set for March 19. — News from the West Dignitaries attend Thomasville celebration THOMASVILLE — They’re celebrating their 150th birthday at Thomasville 214 this year. When they held their open installation December 15, several local dignitaries were on hand. Among the honored visitors were Thomasville Mayor Joe Bennett, City Councilman Neil Grimes, and Da- vidson County Commissioner Sam Watford. Past Grand Master David R. Cash was the installing officer. Seen here are, from left, PGM Cash, newly installed Master Darrell Wilson, Mayor Bennett, and Commissioner Watford. — Darrell W. Wilson Archdale Bush Hill 732 got off to a running start by initiating six candidates in January. Tat should keep them busy for a few months. — Richard Wall Clayton Granite 191 used to feed on fourth Tuesdays, but they’ve now added second Tuesdays as “Cook Out Night.” Te lodge furnishes a salad, a po- tato, and a hot grill. Te member brings chicken, or steak, or pork chop, or whatever hunk of meat he wants for supper. Tey are invited to bring family members or friends interested in joining. — Grover Dees Wilson Te 2010 Bruce Boyette Scholarship and Masonic Charities Golf Tournament was set for April 2. Tey were again playing at Happy Val- ley County Club. Te tournament was open to Masons and non-Masons alike. Tere was a sep- arate contest within the tournament to choose the best lodge team. Entry fees were $220 for a four-man team. — Tony Ferrell Spruce Pine Reaching out to their neighbors included lots of charity last year at Vesper 554.Tey gave their widows poinsettias at Christmas. Tey sent their annual donations to the Masonic Home for Children and WhiteStone (MESH). Tey also aided local charities including the Muscular Dystrophy Society, Mitchell Coun- ty Hospice, a local schools reading program, Mitchell Parks and Recreation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. — Te Beacon Fayetteville Talk about a good problem, Phoenix 8 has been holding a monthly Masonic breakfast. A turnout of 50 people required the officers to hus- tle out for more food. No one complained about the extra work. — Lodge Newsletter John Huske Anderson 731 handed out spe- cial awards February 10. Te Harry S. Truman Award went to Phillip Edney for stimulating attendance and petitions. Te Benjamin Frank- lin Award went to Archie Bullard for his candi- date coaching dedication. Ted Brinson got the King Solomon Award for diligent commitment to the lodge. — Eric Frazee Black Mountain Local emergency services workers and their families were to be honored by Black Mountain 663 on February 15. Tey were feeding their guests lasagna. Lodge Master Matthew Kinne has promised to donate $20 to Masonic charities each time 20 members attend a stated communication. — Te Traveling Trowel Wilmington St. John’s 1 passed out service awards at their January 12 meeting. Diamond Jubilees (60 years membership) went to Walter Raimey Dixon, George Stanly Rehder, Alfred Melton Wing- field, and Randolph Ladd Coble. Veteran’s Em- blems (50 years membership) were awarded to Dallie Emery Bennett, Jemison Williams Du- rant, John Wilson Parmenter Jr., Henry Vanson Reid, and James Earl Vann. — St. John’s Lodge Belhaven Te Tird Masonic District held its first dis- trict meeting January 23 at Fish Hooks Restau- rant. Te new get-togethers will be held the sec- ond Monday of each quarter. Te next meeting is April 12 at Perseverance 59 in Plymouth. Host- ing lodges will furnish the meal and speaker. A plaque will go to the lodge with best attendance. — Te Trestleboard Wallace 595, back on October 5, featured chicken and pastry for dinner. Gibsonville Tabasco 271 will be cooking and selling bar- becue on April 23. Te fundraiser will coincide with Gibsonville’s Car Show and Spring Fling. Tabasco member Bob Prudhon got his Dia- mond Jubilee for 60 years in our fraternity. Dis- trict Deputy Grand Master Hugh McLaurin III made the presentation. — Trestle Board Asheville Renovations on the Asheville Masonic Temple’s lodge room are wrapping up. Many other projects are afoot in the historic building in downtown Asheville. Frustrations with the cost of upkeep of the building led recently to Scottish Rite abandon- ment of the 95-year-old landmark. Mount Her- mon 118, as the sole occupier of the building, has instituted a plan to try to save the edifice. — Trestle Board Thomasville Master’s bribes are becoming popular around the state. At Tomasville 214, Master Darrell Wilson has pledged to put $50 in the lodge till every time attendance at one of his meetings ex- ceeds 30 members. March is pine needle month in Tomasville Lodge. Tat’s when they deliver bales of pine straw at five dollars per bale. Profits go to the Masonic Home for Children. — Trestle Board Cary Cary 198 is reviving their charity golf tour- nament. Tey’ll be playing the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State Univer- sity on April 26. Te Home for Children in Oxford will benefit. — Trestle Board Past Masters’ and Awards Night at Wallace — Jeff Murray Franklin Te Junaluskee Comets (a girls basketball team sponsored by Junaluskee 145) won their league championship. Te lodge entertained the champs with pizza and hot dogs January 5. Te girls gave the lodge and Coach Gregg Jones a plaque of appreciation for their help. Jim Dautel has spiffed up the sitting area in front of the fireplace at Junaluskee Lodge. He’s given the lodge sofas and love seats making the area perfect for conversation, visiting, and coaching. Tere’s a veritable retail shop at Junaluskee lodge. Tey sell pocket calendars, caps, and hats at this time. — Trestleboard Pilot Mountain December 21 was delivery day for fruit bas- kets for the widows of Pilot 493. J. T. drove, Dickie navigated, and Gerald complained about being cold in the back seat. At least that’s the way Rick Smith reports it. Pilot Lodge’s barbecue fundraiser dates for 2010 have been announced. Tey are April 24 and November 13. Pilot Lodge’s most recent blood drive brought in 43 units, 13 over goal. Dale Goins was recently named an honorary member of Pilot 493. — Te Pilot Mountain Traveler The North Carolina Mason Murphy Cherokee 146 has been doing so much de- gree work; they’ve set every Monday as a regu- lar practice. Cherokee Lodge got to raise money for char- ity by just taking their families out to dinner. Brothers Restaurant promised to send 15% of all February 9 meal sales to the Masonic Home for Children. — Derek Cheek Robbinsville Supper January 9. Members were urged to each bring a dish to the event. Chadbourn Family Night and Awards Dinner at Chad- bourn 607 was set for January 30. Carlton Ed- wards Nance was to get his Veterans Emblem for 50 years membership, and Harry Pittman Floyd was to get his Diamond Jubilee for 60 years. — George W. Baysden Jr. Canton Sonoma 472 had more than 30 veterans bussed over from the Asheville VA Center for their third annual Veterans’ Dinner in November. — Mike Hooper Raleigh James B. Green 735 has a “thanks” column in their newsletter. It simply salutes those who do the little things around the lodge — taking pictures at installation, decorating some tables, fixing refreshments, coaching a candidate. — Te James B. Green Scene Mount Gilead Blackmer 127 has started a Floor Fund to replace their worn carpet in the lodge room with a mosaic floor with indented tessel and blazing star. Blackmer’s Charlie Reid Robinson recently received his Veteran’s Emblem for 50 years membership. — Blackmer Buzz South Mills New Lebanon 314 averaged 30 present at their meetings last year, not bad for a lodge with barely 100 members. Tey were a popular visit for neighboring lodges, including a couple in Virginia. — Te Plumb Line Lewisville Local Masons held a fish fry March 13 to help the family of their friend, Paul Huffman of West Bend 434. Huffman’s grandson has been battling leukemia since 2003. Te fundraiser was to help the family with medical and personal expenses associated with stem-cell treatments at Duke. — Joey Transou Cherryville Tere was to be a poor man’s supper at Cher- ryville 505 on February 17 to raise money for the lodge’s Christmas in July program at the Masonic Home for Children. Te menu, if you can have one for a poor man’s supper, included beans, liver mush, cabbage, potatoes, slaw, and more. Tere was even bluegrass music. Cherryville Lodge is looking at parking lot repairs. As many of you might have noticed, the severe winter we just lived through has been pretty tough on pavement. — News Out of the Blue Goldsboro Wayne 112 and Goldsboro 634 sponsored a blood drive January 12. They brought in 42 units of blood, pretty good considering only 30 were expected. — Bob Franks Chapel Hill Dustin Long, newly installed master of Uni- versity 408, was recently awarded the Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teach- ing by Graduate Teaching Assistants. Te Tan- ner rewards “inspirational teaching.” Long is a graduate student in the School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was presented the award during halftime of a Tarheel men’s bas- ketball game in Smith Center. — Will Towne Mosaic 762 has changed its meeting night to second Mondays. Supper is served at 6:00 o’clock. Bahama Knap of Reeds 158 was holding their Ladies’ Night February 19 at the Homestead Steak- house Plantation in Timberlake. — Kenneth R. Baker Hookerton Jerusalem 95 helped create a family tradition for dual member John O. Moore. Jerusalem did a courtesy initiation for Farmville 517 as Moore’s son Cameron began his Masonic journey. — Te Jerusalem Journal Washington Trestleboard. Orr 104 has started a lodge newsletter, Te — Te Trestleboard see STATE, page 5 If your lodge has a newsletter for its members, make sure The North Carolina Mason is on your mailing list. Lodge newsletters are a major source of news for Masons around the state. If you don’t have one, think about starting one. Newsletters are a good way to keep your mem- bers active, happy, and informed. Robbinsville 672 had a Poor Man’s Pot Luck — Jim Hyde Page 3

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