The North Carolina Mason

Page 12 The North Carolina Mason November/December 2016 STATE, from previous see next page Charlotte e Sixth Annual Knights of Solo- mon Memorial Motorcycle Rally were held October 8. Knights of Solomon 764 were raffling six guns and a 2017 Street Glide. Lunch, door prize eli- gibility, and t-shirts went to all par- ticipants. Proceeds were bound for the Masonic Homes. — Allan Mann Charlotte lodges hosted 50 kids and staff from the Masonic Home for Chil- dren at a November Carolina Panthers National Football League game. e lodges were feeding them before the game and collecting donations to give the kids cash to buy souvenirs. Pha- lanx 31, West Gate 738, Williams 176, Long Creek 205, Steele Creek 737, Excelsior 261, and James K. Polk 759 sponsored the visit. — Gary Cooke West Gate 738 held their annual building fund golf tournament Sep- tember 10 at Westport Golf Course. Entry fees were $60 per player. Hole sponsorships were also available. It was termed a success. — News from the West West Gate held their famous annual Fall Chicken Fry October 21. Ten dol- lars for grownups, five dollars for kids — all you can eat. e money went to Masonic charities. — Gary Cooke Steele Creek 737 held their Annual Barbecue/Fish Fry Fundraiser on No- vember 11. For ten dollars, you got to choose all you can eat fish or barbecue. — Bill Smith Excelsior 261 has dropped plans to enter a building association with Temple 676. Excelsior is looking into an arrange- ment with a fraternity studying culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University. ey are talking about exchanging meet- ing space for catering meals for the lodge. —Trestle Board Wilmington Wilmington 319's Breakfast With a Mason was set for October 1. It was to be "an open forum to young men and women ages 12–21, current Master Masons and adults interested in learn- ing about Freemasonry" and its family of organizations. ey were offering a free breakfast followed by presenta- tions from various people including Grand Master Bryant Webster. — Freddy Szakasits Jacksonville Lafayette 83 hosted a Red Cross blood drive September 17 in their lodge building. — Russ Jones Knights of Solomon 766 took part in e Ride September 10. ey orga- nized their own ride route from Rich- lands through Kinston and Goldsboro to Oxford where they joined other bik- ers organized by Eureka 283 in visiting the Masonic home for Children. — Christopher Diederich ey also took part in a Special Olympics Poker Run a week later. — Robert Morrell Gastonia Gastonia 369 collected food as a group to carry to Annual Communica- tion for Grand Master Webster's Masons Can drive to feed the hungry. Even after the big event, the lodge is continuing to collect food for their local food bank. Clyde Cox was elected a life mem- ber of Gastonia Lodge in recognition of "the support and work he does for the lodge and the Temple Association." — e Trestle Board King Solomon 704 was voting on a dues increase in October. — e Plumbline Rolesville Flounder was the star fish at Roles- ville 683's November 4 Fish Fry. Tick- ets were eight dollars. — Vann Johnson Southern Pines e scholarships awarded by South- ern Pines 484 are paid into the student's college account in semester install- ments. ey pay as much as $2,000 if the student makes satisfactory progress. After summer hiatus, the District 21 OSW School restarted on October 1. ey hold it on Saturday mornings at Southern Pines Lodge. — Gene Maples Oak Grove thanks law enforcement DURHAM — On August 15, Oak Grove 750 hosted a Law Enforcement Appreciation Night. Several members of local law enforcement agencies, both Masons and non-Masons, attended. — Jay Watkins Statesville On October 24, Mt. Moriah 690 had their awards dinner. Robert Col- lier and Harold Speaks got their Veter- an's Emblems honoring their 50 years as Masons. — Marty Byers Newport Tim Ross, of Newport 706, coordi- nated a candy drive to help an elemen- tary school in Grifton, North Carolina. e candy was for an event to give the kids a safe place to trick or treat and avoid hazardous areas created by the recent Hurricane Matthew flooding in Grifton. — Wray omas Kenly Kenly 257's 150 th anniversary is here. ey were planning a special cer- emony at their December 6 meeting. e lodge's Sesquicentennial Commit- tee minted special coins to mark the occasion. Life members were given the coins and the rest were available for sale at ten dollars each. Glen Rains received his Veteran's Emblem on November 1. It honors his 50 years as a member of the lodge. Kenly Lodge's gun raffle earned $2,150 for their scholarships and other charities. — Past Meridian Highlands Blue Ridge 435 raffled off a Ruger 10/22 rifle October 22. e money they raised from the drawing was to go to the Shriners Children's Hospitals and their local scholarship. Blue Ridge Lodge's Steve Wilson recently got his Veteran's Emblem for his 50 years membership. — Trestleboard Asheboro Balfour 188 was hosting Ross Geller November 1 for a special Masonic edu- cation program. Gellar was telling them about the major Masonic charities. e Greensboro Mason has served three years on the WhiteStone Board. — Roy Smith Benson Relief 431 held their annual pancake and sausage breakfast on September 24. e eight-dollar all-you-can-eat raised money for Masonic charities. — W. C. Barrett Cary Past masters were to be honored at Cary 198 on October 17. ey were filling all the stations of the lodge and conducting the business meeting. — Benton W. Oakes Jr. Aberdeen Grand Master Bryan Webster re- cently visited Roman Eagle 550 to con- duct a workshop for the 21 st Masonic District. He taught them about estate planning and WhiteStone. e Roman Eagle Lodge served refreshments. — Phillip Richardson

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