The North Carolina Mason

Page 8 The North Carolina Mason November/December 2017 How to become a Lodge of Excellence in 2018 Below you'll find all of the rules and requirements for the 2018 Lion and Pillar Lodge of Excellence Program are out and in effect. Good luck to all lodges! 1. Implement the Lodge System of Masonic Education as a lodge or as a district, with all participating lodges receiving credit. DDGMs will certify lodge participation. 2. Host a speaker from the Grand Lodge Speaker's Bureau, a member of the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education, a faculty member from Wilkerson College, a faculty member from the Davie Academy or a faculty member from the Middle Chamber for a program at a stated communication. 3. Have a deacon or warden graduate from Wilkerson College (applies only to lodges that have never had a graduate). 4. Have a member complete a Davie Academy session. 5. Have a member complete a Middle Chamber session. 1. Organize a lodge visit to veterans in a nursing home. Do not limit visits to Masonic veterans. 2. Visit veterans in a VA hospital in Salisbury, Fayette- ville, Durham or Asheville. 3. Contact and offer to assist the local Masonic Service Association of North America (MSANA) Hospital Visitation volunteer in a VA hospital. 4. Host a member of the National Sojourners for a program at a stated communication. 5. Host a non-Mason veteran for a program at a stated communication. 6. Hold a Masonic education program on the MSANA's Hospital Visitation and Disaster Relief initiatives. 1. Average $5 per member in contributions to MHCO, NCMF and WhiteStone (each) by Dec. 31, 2017, or contribute $5 per member to MHCO, NCMF and WhiteStone (each) between Jan. 1, and April 30, 2018. 2. Contribute $1 per member to the George Washington National Masonic Memorial or to the MSANA by April 30, 2018. 3. Host an NC Masonic Foundation development officer for a program at a stated communication, or host a Masonic education program on our Masonic charities. 4. Hold a lodge meeting at WhiteStone or MHCO under dispensation from the Grand Master, and schedule a tour of the home, meeting with the director or his designee, and visit with residents. 1. Hold an appreciation dinner for lodge families and widows. 2. Improve your outreach to lodge widows. Describe your outreach in 2017 and how you will improve it in 2018. 3. Update email addresses, phone numbers and occupation information in MORI for at least 75 percent of lodge members. 4. Adopt and use the Our Lodge Page function in MORI. Hold a Masonic educa- tion program to explain OLP to members. 5. Help plan and participate in a district-wide event such as a fundraiser for Masonic charities, a Masonic education event (not including a School of Instruction or Grand Master district meeting), a district-wide degree, a district- wide funeral service, a district-wide fellowship dinner with Masonic education speaker, or a district-wide community service project. 6. Engage new brethren at the lodge or district level. Form an Under 5 degree team consisting of Masons with less than five years in the craft or require new members to deliver papers or Masonic education programs within three months of raising. 7. Pick up the statewide Traveling Gavel. 8. Plan an observance of the Feast of St. John the Baptist on or near June 24 as a lodge or a district, with a meal and Masonic speaker. Submit your event announcement, flyer or other advance event publicity to qualify. 9. Host a member of the Grand Lodge Masonic Renewal Committee for a program at a stated communication. 1. Host an appreciation dinner for local firefighters, police officers and/or rescue personnel/EMTs as a district or lodge. 2. Hold a lodge Open House and invite the commu- nity. 3. Partner with a local public school on literacy. Read to students, contribute to a school library or book drive, or establish a Bikes for Books-type reading reward program as a lodge or district (www. masoniccharitablefoundation.org/programs/ Masonic-bikes- books/). 4. Grow the Masonic family by having at least one lodge member join the York Rite, Scottish Rite, Shrine, Order of the Eastern Star or Amaranth, or contribute to the formation of or support for existing DeMolay or Rainbow Girls organizations in your lodge or district. CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 CATEGORY 4 CATEGORY 5 EDUCATION PATRIOTISM PHILANTHROPY MASONIC MEMBERSHIP AFFILIATED CONNECTIONS Complete 2 items: Complete 3 items: Complete 5 items: Complete 3 items: Complete #1 + 2 others: ☛ To apply, write a letter of application listing the items your lodge chose to complete. Provide details about your lodge's performance on or plans for completing each selected item. Send your letter to Past Grand Master A. Gene Cobb at gcobb@glnc.us. Recipients will be notified by Aug. 1, 2018, and will be recognized during the Sept. 28-29 Annual Communication in Winston-Salem. Rules are effective immediately. APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 30, 2018 QUALIFYING ITEMS MUST BE COMPLETED BY JULY 1, 2018

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