The North Carolina Mason

March/April 2018 The North Carolina Mason Page 13 Mileposts SWANSBORO – U.S. Marine Evan Tucker, grandson of Cannon Memorial #626 Tyler Jerry Tucker, wanted to finish his journey to be raised to Master Mason even as he prepared for deployment from Camp Lejeune to Africa and the Middle East in February. The Brothers at his home Lodge, Seaside #429, in Swansboro, were eager to assist and set his 3rd degree for Jan. 29 to accommodate. Although Seaside Lodge is about six hours away from Cannon Memorial, that distance didn't keep the brothers of Kannapolis from being present at the raising. WB Richard Secoolish gassed up the van, and the brothers traveled to the Lodge. There were even parts in the degree for the traveling men, and Jerry Tucker was able to raise his grand- son. Pictured l-r: WB Joe Goodnight, WB George Maxwell, WB Richard Secoolish, and Brothers Jerry Tucker and Evan Tucker. MIDLAND – It's all in the family when it comes to masters at Union #618. Installed in January as Master for 2018 is WB John Robert Nash (left), who followed in the footsteps of his brother WB David Gordon Nash (right), who was master in 2017. And celebrating in the middle is the proud father of these two brothers, WB Thomas Lathan Nash Jr., who was master for 2016. By Beth Grace Mason Editor What's the big idea? Based on conversations heard in the latest round of district meetings, a big idea doesn't necessarily have to be a new one to be a good one. Howard Kahn, master of Semper Fidelis #680 in Jack- sonville, shares a time-honored big idea – the widows' luncheon. is is an event some lodges have staged for years, but any lodge can put it together with a little planning and a well-written invitation. But it's something every lodge can DO. And the payoff is enormous. All brethren recall that among the promises they make is to care for widows of their brothers. Many lodges take pains to contact them and keep in touch. If your lodge isn't keeping in touch with widows, here's how Semper Fidelis does it – in Howard Kahn's words: "On Saturday, Feb. 10, Semper Fidelis #680 held the first of what it plans to become an annual Valentine's Day Luncheon for our wives and widows. e stewards prepared a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner, complete with salad and garlic bread. e lodge desired to show its appreciation to our ladies. We realize that without their support, we could not be as active in Masonry as we would like. "We have started an adopt-a- widow program, where each of our local Masonic widows is adopted by a member of the lodge. e brother is to check on his adoptee twice a month to show her that she is not forgotten and that we are there for her, if within the length of our cable tow. Twelve of our widows were in attendance. We had brothers pick them up at their homes and take them home after the function. "Some of the ladies who could not make the dinner had dinners delivered to them. In total, we had 36 people in attendance. Our ladies will be invited to all lodge family functions." Good stuff. Not expensive, not a time-burner, and guaranteed to succeed. It's a good thing to reach out, and not just to widows. Grand Master Speed Hallman at his district meetings this year is urging brothers to reach out and connect in a meaningful way to those who are no longer part of the lodge. Your call might just be able to open doors again to aging brothers who just need a ride to come to lodge, or a widow who supported her husband all those years when he went to meetings or gave up a weekend to raise funds for a Masonic charity, or help you find out why someone who stopped paying dues decided to leave. e lodges that hold these events will tell you that what they get in return is priceless: friendships renewed, hearts warmed, memories honored. Not a bad return on an investment from the heart. What's old is new again: Reaching out to families New and noteworty ideas from lodges across the state

• Cover