B WL ACADEMIC

Site 20 at Southwestern H.S. (Piasa)

Champion – Southwestern H.S. (Piasa), 2nd – Litchfield H.S., 3rd – Staunton H.S., and 4th – Carlinville H.S.

Site 21 at Newton Community H.S.

Champion – Charleston H.S., 2nd – Robinson H.S., 3rd – St. Anthony H.S. (Effingham), and 4th –Effingham H.S.

Site 22 at Bond County H.S. (Greenville)

Champion – Gibault Catholic H.S. (Waterloo), 2nd –Mater Dei Catholic H.S. (Breese), 3rd – Althoff Catholic H.S. (Belleville), and 4th – Central H.S. (Breese)

Site 23 at Carterville H.S.

Champion – Carterville H.S., 2nd – Herrin H.S., 3rd – Massac County H.S. (Metropolis), and 4th –Johnston City H.S.

Class 3A Schools (enrollment = 851 and over)

Site 24 at Boylan Catholic H.S. (Rockford)

Champion – Rockford Auburn H.S., 2nd – Hononegah

Commuity H.S. (Rockton), 3rd – Belvidere North H.S., and 4th – Kaneland H.S. (Maple Park)

Site 25 at Barrington H.S.

Champion – William Fremd H.S. (Palatine), 2nd –Barrington H.S., 3rd – Palatine H.S., and 4th –Carmel Catholic H.S. (Mundelein)

Site 26 at Loyola Academy (Wilmette)

Champion – Glenbrook South H.S. (Glenview), 2nd – Adlai E. Stevenson H.S. (Lincolnshire), 3rd –Loyola Academy (Wilmette), and 4th –Maine East H.S. (Park Ridge)

Site 27 at Fenton H.S. (Bensenville)

Champion – Glenbard North H.S. (Carol Stream), 2nd – Hoffman Estates H.S., 3rd – St. Charles East H.S., and 4th – Jones College Prep H.S. (Chicago)

Site 28 at Naperville North H.S.

Champion – Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (Aurora), 2nd – Naperville North H.S., 3rd – Benet Academy (Lisle), and 4th – Metea Valley H.S. (Aurora)

Site 29 at Carl Sandburg H.S. (Orland Park)

Champion – Carl Sandburg H.S. (Orland Park), 2nd – Lincoln-Way East H.S. (Frankfort), 3rd –Minooka Community H.S., and 4th – HomewoodFlossmoor H.S. (Flossmoor)

Site 30 at Galesburg H.S.

Champion – Quincy Senior H.S., 2nd – Dunlap H.S., 3rd – United Township H.S. (East Moline), and 4th –Richwoods H.S. (Peoria)

Site 31 at Normal Community H.S.

Champion – Bloomington H.S., 2nd – LaSalle-Peru Township H.S. (LaSalle), 3rd – Washington Community H.S., and 4th – East Peoria Community H.S.

Site 32 at Mattoon H.S.

Champion – University Laboratory H.S. (Urbana), 2nd – Springfield H.S., 3rd – Centennial H.S. (Champaign), and 4th – Champaign Central H.S.

Site 33 at Granite City H.S.

Champion – Carbondale Community H.S., 2nd – Granite City H.S., 3rd – Alton H.S., and 4th – Mascoutah H.S.

Over the past 38 years, the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl program has provided a means for the Masons of Illinois to become well-known for supporting high school academics, providing positive recognition for academic excellence, and affording much monetary assistance to many Illinois high school scholastic bowl programs throughout our state. We are very proud to be able to support and promote scholastic bowl in our Illinois high schools.

n 2023 Tournament Dates

The dates for the 2023 Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl will be:

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 – Sectional Tournaments (32 or 33 sites to be determined).

Saturday, Mar. 4, 2023 – State Tournament at service in order to keep this program running smoothly, especially at tournament time. The support that I have received from the Grand Lodge Officers over the past 18 years has been unwavering. I extend my THANKS to all of them for placing their trust in me to oversee this Grand Lodge program and allowing our tournament to grow to new heights of recognition and respect associated with high school scholastic bowl competition in Illinois. My plans are to finish up several reports for this year’s tournament and then hand the reigns over to Wor. Bro. Herman Albers, a member of Red Bud Lodge No. 427, sometime in early May. I have been working with Wor. Bro. Albers for 2 years so that he is prepared to take over, and I am confident that this program will be in very capable hands under his leadership. Please give him the same support that you have given me for the last 18 years. This has been a very challenging and extremely rewarding experience for me and I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to have served our Grand Lodge in this capacity. I will continue to fully support this program and will always promote it in any way that I am able to do so. REMEMBER – working together, we have accomplished much, and by continuing to work together, we will accomplish even more.

Submitted by: Dale F. Thayer, Chairman Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl

By Ed Walker

After months spent apart due to COVID-19, and many zoom meetings, our Grand Lodge of Illinois was finally able to gather in person for the 182nd Annual Communication held last October in Springfield. It was a time for food, fun, and fellowship, and a time to catch up on some important awards. Past Grand Master Stephen Oakley presented several Illinois Masons with their awards, this time for two years, along with two special awards for long and dedicated service to our Grand Lodge.

The Mason of the Year for 2021 is R.W.B. Henry Albert Haisch, Jr.

The Mason of the Year for 2021 was raised a Master Mason in July of 2011 in Lebanon Lodge No. 110 and served as Worshipful Master in 2017. He currently serves as the District Deputy Grand Master of the 6th Southern District. He is a member of the Valley of Southern Illinois where he serves as the Deputy’s Representative. His Masonic journey has taken him through many Scottish Rite and York Rite Bodies along with an extensive history in the Shrine. He enjoys riding his bike with the Stone Templars Chapter of the Widow’s Sons and is also a member of the

The Mason selected as Mason of the Year for 2020 was raised a Master Mason in April of 2000 in Rushville Lodge No. 9 where he served as Worshipful Master and received his Certified Lodge Instructor designation in 2004. He also served as District Deputy Grand Master of the 9th Western District, Assistant Area Deputy Grand Master of the Western Area and currently serves as the Western Area Deputy Grand Master. He belongs to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite where he serves as the Deputy’s Representative for the Valley of Quincy. This Mason also belongs to several York Rite Bodies in Macomb.

Our 2020 Patriot of the Year is R.W.B. Auston Eugene Smith, our current Junior Grand Warden.

Honored for his service to our Nation is our Patriot of the Year for 2020. This Master Mason has served in the United States Air Force with distinction and pride for more than thirty years. This Brother first attempted to join the Air Force shortly after graduating from high school but there were no openings at the time. He then applied to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, where he was accepted in September of 1969 as a State Trooper Cadet. Not being 21 years old yet and unable to legally carry a weapon, he worked as a Cadet for one year in the capacity of a radio dispatcher. After several years as a State Trooper, he was finally able to enlist in the Air Force and thus began an outstanding career of service. You may read more about the 2020 Patriot of the Year in the fall issue of this magazine.

Our Patriot of the Year for 2021 is Brother Robert Zuniga, Master Sergeant, United States Air Force, Scott AFB, Illinois.

Our Patriot of the Year for 2021 has served in both the United States Army and Air Force. He first enlisted in the Army in September 2020 and completed Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, then Advanced Individual Training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and was assigned to the Army’s 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. His tour of duty assignments includes direct support of Operations JOINT GUARDIAN and ENDURING FREEDOM, serving as a field intelligence analyst and source operator. In 2006 he was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 36th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Hood, Texas. His tour of duty assignments includes direct support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and SINBAD. He then entered the Air Force Reserves in December of 2011. He served as an Operations Intelligence Specialist with the 932nd Operations Support Flight, 932nd Operations Group until 2014, where he cross-trained into the Career Enlisted Aviation field. He now holds the rank of Master Sergeant and is a C-40C Element Leader within the 73rd Airlift Squadron, 932nd Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Basse, Illinois. He was raised as a Master Mason January of 2008 in Johnson City-Unity Lodge No. 970, Johnson City New York, then affiliated with Springfield Lodge No. 4, and several other Lodges in various duty stations. In addition to these four awards, Past Grand Master Oakley presented two other special awards in recognition of long and dedicated service to our Grand Lodge.

The first was presented to R.W.B. James O. Shrum, Grand Marshal Emeritus. He was recognized for his long service to our Grand Lodge as a Certified Lodge Instructor, member of the Lodge Programs Committee, Area Assistant Deputy Grand Master for the Western Area, Western Coordinator for the Blue Lightning Committee, Area Deputy Grand Master for the Western Area, Grand Lecturer, Grand Lodge Instructor, Grand Steward, and as Grand Marshal from 2009 to 2021. He is a member of two Lodges and an honorary member of over thirty Illinois Lodges.

Also recognized for long and devoted service to our Grand Lodge was R.W.B. Brad Cole, a 21-year member of Murphysboro Lodge No. 498. Brad has served on the Masonic Home Committee, as Grand Orator, Chairman of the Leadership Development Committee and as a member, Chairman of the IMOS Board of Managers, and as Chairman of the IMCAP Board of Managers. If you have attended any of the Friday night Grand Lodge banquets, you know the excellent effort he put forth year after year as the Master of Ceremonies, always with a kind word for the current Grand Master. Congratulations Brad as a top-notch MC.

Be sure to attend the 183rd Annual Communication of our Grand October 7-8, 2022, in Springfield, and share in recognizing the Mason and Patriot of the Year for 2022. Information will be published in the summer edition of the Illinois Freemasonry magazine.

R.W.B. Edward R. Walker, Editor, Illinois Freemasonry

Hello Brethren of the Grand Jurisdiction of Illinois. My name is Right Worshipful Brother Angelo S. Deserio. I have the honor of serving as your Junior Grand Deacon since being appointed to that office in October 2021. Having been raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason more than 18 years ago, I have had the pleasure of enjoying this wonderful journey together filled with brotherly love, learning and service to our communities. I have proudly served my Lodges, Districts, Area, and our Grand Lodge in several different support and leadership roles. During that time, I can honestly say that I have grown positively as a man and Mason. I have become a better husband, father, friend, employee, and member of my community.

So far on my Masonic journey, I have had an opportunity to learn about the fraternity and how it operates at multiple levels. Matteson Lodge No. 175 in Joliet, IL is my mother Lodge in which I served as its Worshipful