Freemason - January 2018

THE PENNSYLVANIA

VOL. LXV, NO. 1

INAUGURATION EDITION 2018

S. Eugene Herritt R.W. Grand Master, 2018-2019

THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON® VOL. LXV, JANUARY 2018, NO. 1

©2018 The R.W. Grand Lodge F.&A.M. of Pennsylvania EDITORIAL BOARD Chairman S. Eugene Herritt, R.W.G.M. Thomas Gamon, IV, R.W.D.G.M. Jeffrey M. Wonderling, R.W.S.G.W. Larry A, Derr, R.W.J.G.W. Jeffrey W. Coy, R.W.G.T. Mark A. Haines, R.W.G.S. EDITORIAL STAFF Tina L. Lutter - Production Coordinator Rich Johnson - Graphic Designer Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation Staff Masonic Library & Museum of Pennsylvania Staff

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Grand Master’s Inaugural Address • Grand Master’s Biography • Your Grand Lodge Officers • Newly Appointed Floor Officers, Aides to the Grand Master, District Deputy Grand Masters, Regional Instructors and Grand Chaplains • Masonic Fundraiser • Florida Masonic Reunions • Grand Master’s Memorabilia

(Publication No. USPS 426-140) January 2018 Issue of The Pennsylvania Freemason ® Published quarterly by the Masonic Villages, One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022. Articles and photographs to be considered for publication should be sent with local Masonic authority to the address above, to the attention of The Pennsylvania Freemason ® or emailed to pafreemason@ masonicvillages.org. Except by special arrangement, all articles, photographs and artwork become the property of the Grand Lodge.

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Published by the Masonic Villages, owned and operated by the Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. of Pennsylvania, as a means of soliciting the physical and financial support of the members, their families and the public in general. Periodical postage is paid at Elizabethtown, PA, and additional mailing offices.

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We appreciate the many submissions we receive for consideration.

We apologize, but due to space constraints we are not able to publish every submission we receive.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP (Act of Oct. 23, 1962; Section 4369; Title 39, United States Code) January 2018, The Pennsylvania Freemason ®, published quarterly by the Masonic Villages, Elizabethtown, PA 17022.

Publishers: The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. Editor: S. Eugene Herritt. Owner: The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania. Known bondholders: none. No advertising handled. Free distribution averages 124,000 each quarter. I certify that the statements made by me are correct and complete.

S. Eugene Herritt, Editor Mailing address changes If your address on the back cover of this magazine is not exactly as you have provided it to us, please be aware that addresses are modified through the various mailing process requirements required by the U.S. Postal Service. If you have any questions or would like to inform us of a change in address, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-599-6454 or giving@masonicvillages.org.

Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Pennsylvania Freemason ®, c/o Masonic Village, One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2199.

New Online Mentoring Program Launches • Online Resources • Leadership Expectations • Membership Recruitment & Retention • Academy of Masonic Knowledge • Pennsylvania Lodge of Research Travel with the Grand Master • Membership Benefits • Masonic Blood & Organ Donor Club of Pennsylvania

24 Philanthropy

Help for Our Heroes • Masonic Library & Museum of PA • Masonic Outreach Program • Widows Guild Growing • Scholarship Program • Masonic Youth Groups • Grand Changes • New Retirement Options!

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If you would prefer to receive an electronic version of the magazine for your convenience and/or to save the fraternity printing and mailing costs, please make your request by emailing pafreemason@masonicvillages.org. An electronic version of the magazine is also available online at www.pagrandlodge.org.

Save a Tree

The Pennsylvania Freemason magazine staff is looking for photographers and writers to contribute their talents!

Please email a link to samples of your work to pafreemason@masonicvillages.org to be considered as a contributor for the publication. Contributors will receive a photo credit or byline. The Pennsylvania Freemason reserves the right to use submissions elsewhere, such as on the Grand Lodge website, Facebook page, as a blog, etc.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY S. EUGENE HERRITT, R.W. GRAND MASTER Brethren, As honored as I am to be the Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania, I am conscious that this office is not an honor, but rather, a responsibility. Honor, if it comes at all, should come to those who fulfill their responsibility to our Fraternity and to our individual Brothers.

Some of you are aware of, and perhaps share, my interest in and fascination with history, and specifically, the history of our Craft. This Grand Master will not be looking to build monuments to history, but rather to build Masons who understand our place in history and their individual responsibility to the future.

Over the next two years, this administration will do everything in its power to bring continued honor and respect to our Craft. It will be the effort of this Masonic caretaker to do all that can be done to not only pay homage to our past, but also pave the way for future generations of Freemasons to carry our message of decency, brotherhood and leadership to a world that sorely needs to know that those values are cherished by mankind and that they need to be emulated if we are to advance not just as a Fraternity, but as a society. The values contained in our ritual and our charges reinforce those lessons of morality and decency that are the heart of who we are and what we purport to be. We must focus our attention on the individual member who comes to the Fraternity seeking to better himself and the society in which we live.

It may be harder to become a Freemason in Pennsylvania over the next few years, but the men who join our ranks will have a better sense that they have joined in the quest for something larger than themselves and worthwhile in their personal development as human beings.

We will emphasize the many benefits our Fraternity offers its members: the prospect to learn, to lead and to serve for the betterment of themselves, their families and their fellow man.

These include educational opportunities for both the new member and the tenured Mason so each individual member is equipped to spread the lessons of Freemasonry. Our ritual is an important part of how we teach the lessons of our Craft, but we can’t let our values be trapped in our ritual. We need to live the lessons we teach, and we need to offer the opportunity to learn those lessons to every man who knocks at the portals of Freemasonry.

As a society, we are blessed with new ways to teach and to learn through technology. While human contact is a most important way to communicate, for those Masons in Pennsylvania who want to be mentored in the mysteries and the opportunities available to our Craft but have challenging schedules, we will also offer online mentoring. We began live streaming our Academy of Masonic Knowledge presentations in 2016 so members unable to travel can participate and learn more about our Fraternity. I expect these opportunities to grow.

What made me come to love this Fraternity and be passionate about its lessons, its values and the relationships it offers may not be what another man is seeking. Everyone, however, comes to the Fraternity for a reason. As his Brother, we owe it to him to ask, “What were you looking for when you petitioned the Lodge?” and then steer him in that direction so he can fulfill his Masonic expectations. In doing that, we may discover something new for ourselves as well, within life and within this Fraternity, thus enhancing our own Masonic journey.

We have an obligation to the men entering the Craft to ensure they experience everything they anticipated they would gain from our Fraternity when they first petitioned the Lodge. If the Lodge they joined isn’t accommodating their needs and expectations, we must make them aware of opportunities available for them to fulfill their Masonic dreams within other Lodges. continued

FREEMASONRY TODAY Freemasons have been leaders in their communities throughout our fraternal existence. The world desperately needs good leadership founded on decency, compassion and what is right as opposed to what is expedient. Part of strong leadership is providing for the continuation of the organization you lead.

It is important to keep in mind that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has been in existence longer than the United States of America. While some jurisdictions are forced to close their Masonic Homes due to poor leadership, our Masonic Villages are strong and a viable option for older Masons and their families within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We must be doing something right.

Along with its longevity, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has a diversity that, unless you take advantage of visitation opportunities, may not be obvious just by reading The Pennsylvania Freemason or through the occasional conversation with a Brother from another Lodge.

Most of my initial ideas came from my own experiences within the Craft. By interacting over the past few years with men from around the state, bouncing ideas off of trusted District Deputy Grand Masters and other interested Brethren across our jurisdiction, I now understand that we can’t all fit into the same Masonic mold. Our state is diverse both in geography and economic opportunity. Those two aspects alone speak volumes as to what we can expect or have the right to demand from our Lodges and their individual members. Administratively, I will experiment with new ideas and different ways to accomplish our standards of Masonic excellence.

In regards to the Almoner’s Fund, it will continue because it is a good idea and a worthy Masonic goal. It is now a voluntary contribution, and I strongly urge individual Masons to give generously to that fund. Charity comes from the heart, not a mandate from Grand Lodge, and Masons don’t need to be forced to fulfill their responsibility to their fellow man. Charitable needs are not restricted to Masons. There are many in your communities that need and deserve help.

If you can’t find a Brother who requires or wants help, find another individual within your community. Every human being has a claim upon your kind offices, but we recommend it more especially to those who are of the household of the faithful. The Almoner’s Fund is to be used to help individuals and families in need of help. It is not for donating to other organizations so they can take credit for your heartfelt efforts. Don’t allow that to happen.

The Grand Lodge has a responsibility to maintain constitutional order and to provide the Lodges in our jurisdiction with direction and opportunity to better their membership and the communities they serve. I have shared my thoughts on additional initiatives and changes with the Grand Lodge Officers who will ultimately succeed me. We will not be initiating any expensive programs they do not agree with. It is the hope of all of your Grand Line Officers that you will begin to see a culture of continuity within the Grand Lodge, and the directions we take going forward will be vetted as worthy by all the stake holders, or they will not be advanced.

Your Grand Lodge will follow the same fiscal responsibility expectations it has for its subordinate Lodges. As Pennsylvania Freemasons, our goal always has been, and always will be, to live the values we teach in our life lessons from one good Mason to another.

Let us today take the next step in Freemasonry together and continue to make our Craft a force for good in the world.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

S. Eugene Herritt, R.W. Grand Master

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Grand Master

www.pagrandlodge.org/grandmaster

Pennsylvania Freemason

S. EUGENE HERRITT R.W. Grand Master, and his wife, Sally

Inauguration

Grand Master

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FREEMASONRY TODAY

Biography of

S. EUGENE HERRITT Brother S. Eugene Herritt is a Past Master of Cumberland Valley Lodge No. 315. Shippensburg, and served as District Deputy Grand Master for District 3, 2006-2011; as a Representative in Grand Lodge, 1980-2005; and as a member of the Committee on Academy of Masonic Knowledge, 2007-2017. He has served on the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation Board of Directors. He has been a member of the Masonic Villages Board of Directors since 2011, a Trustee of the Masonic Charities Fund and Director of the Masonic Library and Museum. He is a Past Lodge Chairman for the Masonic Culture Committee.

Brother Gene is a graduate of Montoursville High School. He also graduated from Clarion University and from Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education, respectively, while obtaining a Reading Specialist Certificate.

He taught reading in Lewistown and Shippensburg Public Schools for 11 years before retiring to pursue careers in business. He has taught as an adjunct professor of marketing at Shippensburg University’s John L. Grove School of Business.

He has served as a successful sales representative for 3M Co., a sales executive with The Beistle Co., and, most recently, a sales executive with Fortney Packages.

He has served in leadership capacities on several community boards including the Cumberland County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, the Shippensburg Public Library, the Cumberland Valley School of Music and the Chambersburg Community Theatre.

Brother Gene served as President of the Shippensburg University Alumni Association and as a member of the Council of Trustees of Shippensburg University.

He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Adams Electric Cooperative and the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, having served as Chairman of both organizations. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the National Rural Electric Association.

Brother Gene and his wife, Sally, live in Shippensburg and have a daughter, Andrea, and a grandson, Lyric. Sally is retired

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Grand Master

as the Executive Director of the Chambersburg Community Theatre. They attend First Lutheran Church in Chambersburg.

Both enjoy traveling, and while Brother Gene enjoys reading, Sally enjoys gardening and cooking.

Brother Gene is a member of George Washington Royal Arch Chapter No. 176, George Washington Council No. 66 and Continental Commandery No. 56. He is a Past Sovereign Prince of Harrisburg Council; Princes of Jerusalem of the Scottish Rite Valley of Harrisburg; a Past President of the Shippensburg Scottish Rite Club; and is a member of Zembo Shrine. He also belongs to the York Conclave, Knights of the Red Cross of Constantine; First Capital No. 156, York Rite College; Franklin County High Twelve Club No. 726; and Valley Forest No. 145, Tall Cedars of Lebanon. He served as Sovereign Master of Constans Council No. 239, Allied Masonic Degrees in 2013; is a member of the Worshipful Society of Freemasons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors, Plasterers and Bricklayers, Allentown; and served as Worshipful Master of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research in 2011. He is a member of Rosicrucians; Martha Custis Chapter No. 342, Order of Eastern Star; Abroath Lodge of St. Andrew; is an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council, 33°; was awarded the DeMolay Legion of Honor; and is a recipient of the Purple Cross.

Captions for Grand Master Herritt’s photographs on p. 7: Row 1: Early training rounding up Deputies, Cast picture - Chambersburg Community Theatre, As a Junior High School teacher in the 1970s Row 2: Early scholarship recognition, Herritt home since 1976, One of the biggest smiles I ever had Row 3: Addressing Adams Electric members in the 1990s; With two of my favorite people; My daughter, younger, and me, thinner Row 4: My home Lodge in Shippensburg, With my parents just a few years ago, A typical evening at home

www.pagrandlodge.org/grandmaster

Pennsylvania Freemason

Inauguration

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FREEMASONRY TODAY

Thomas Gamon, IV

Jeffrey M. Wonderling Larry A. Derr

R.W. Deputy Grand Master and his wife, Cheryl

R.W. Senior Grand Warden and his wife, Sharon

R.W. Junior Grand Warden and his wife, Rochelle

Brother Thomas Gamon, IV, is a Past Master of Perkiomen Lodge No. 595, Red Hill, and served as District Deputy Grand Master of District 40, 2002-2008; as a Representative in Grand Lodge and an Aide to the Grand Master, 2012-2013; as a member of the Masonic Education Committee, 2010-2011, and the Masonic Villages Board of Directors, 2013-present. He is a recipient of the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

Brother Tom graduated from Perkiomen Valley High School, earned an associate’s degree in criminology from Montgomery County Community College and completed his Pennsylvania state apprenticeship in the electrical field. He is self-employed as President of Gamon Electric, Inc., a full-service electrical contracting firm which he started in 1986.

A member of Lower Frederick Fire Company since 1975, he served as Fire Chief from 19842002 and from June 2012-present. He has earned several professional certifications and licenses and serves on a variety of committees as an electrical contractor and with the fire department.

Brother Tom and his wife, Cheryl, live in Schwenksville and are members of Jerusalem Lutheran Evangelical Church. They are the proud parents of Brother Thomas, V, and Danielle, and the grandparents of Shelby Elizabeth and Thomas, VI.

Brother Jeffrey M. Wonderling is a Past Master of King Solomon’s Lodge No. 346, Connellsville. He is also a charter member of Lodge Ad Lucem No. 812, Pittsburgh, and a member of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research.

He served as District Deputy Grand Master of the 30th Masonic District, 2000-2005, as Principal of the 30th Masonic District School of Instruction and as a member of Masonic Villages Board of Directors, 2007-present.

He is a recipient of the Grand Lodge Century Award, the Grand Master’s Outstanding Service Award and the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

Brother Jeff graduated from Gateway Senior High School and the LaDolce Academy of Real Estate. He is employed by Flynn’s Tire Group as a Territorial Manager and has specialized in business development for over 30 years.

Brother Jeff and Sharon are members of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Delmont, where he has served on the Church Council, the Mutual Ministry and Finance Committees, as an Assisting Minister and as Chairman of two capital campaigns. He also served on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association of Westmoreland County and serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau of Western PA. Brother Jeff has two stepsons, Thomas and Michael Bahney, and two grandchildren, Julia and Dylan Bahney.

Brother Larry A. Derr is a Past Master of Ashara-­Casiphia Lodge No. 551, Mount Joy. He served as District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District 1, 2009-2017; Representative in Grand Lodge, 2005-2008, and Masonic Villages Board of Directors, 2017-present. He is a recipient of the DeMolay Legion of Honor.

Brother Larry graduated from Manheim Central High School and Northwest Missouri State University with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology and drafting. After 40 years of construction management in commercial masonry, he retired as Vice President.

He served as a member of the Board of Directors for Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers #5 and Lancaster County Vocational Technology Group, as Past Chairman of the Apprentice Committee for Associated Builders and Contractors Association and on the Board of Advisors for Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. He also coached youth baseball teams for the Mount Joy Athletic Association.

He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Mount Joy Borough Water Authority.

Brother Larry and his wife, Rochelle, live in Mount Joy and are the proud parents of a son, Dustin M. Derr. They are members of Saint John’s Lutheran Church, where Brother Larry was involved with the building committee.

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Grand Lodge Officers

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Pennsylvania Freemason

Jeffrey W. Coy

Mark A. Haines

R.W. Grand Treasurer and his wife, Jo Anne

R.W. Grand Secretary and his wife, Karen

Brother Jeffrey W. Coy is a Past Master and past Trustee of Cumberland Valley Lodge No. 315, Shippensburg. He was installed as the R.W. Grand Treasurer on Dec. 27, 2003.

He serves as Trustee of the Masonic Charities Fund, Administrator of the Pension Fund, Trustee of the Consolidated Fund, Director of the Masonic Library and Museum and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Masonic Villages. He also has served the Grand Lodge as the Grand Organist for the Central Pennsylvania area.

Brother Jeff served 11 terms as State Representative for the 89th Legislative District of Franklin and Cumberland counties, having been elected to his first two-year term in 1982. He then served on the Chesapeake Bay Commission and as a Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

He is Vice Chairman of the Orrstown Bank and is a member of many other community organizations.

A graduate of Shippensburg University, Brother Jeff is Chairman of the Shippensburg University Board of Trustees. In 2004, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service from Shippensburg University.

Brother Jeff and his wife, Jo Anne, live in Shippensburg. They are members of Memorial Lutheran Church, where he has been the organist for more than 40 years.

Brother Mark A. Haines is a Past Master of Reading Lodge No. 549 and is a dual member of Teutonia Lodge No. 367, both of West Reading.

He served as District Deputy Grand Master for the 7th Masonic District from 1998-2005.

He serves as Trustee of the Masonic Charities Fund, Administrator of the Pension Fund, Trustee of the Consolidated Fund, Director of the Masonic Library and Museum and as a member of the Masonic Villages Board of Directors.

Brother Mark served as an advisor for the Reading Chapter, Order of DeMolay, and was awarded the DeMolay Legion of Honor. He also served as an advisor for Reading Assembly, International Order of The Rainbow for Girls.

Brother Mark graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in business administration.

He was installed as the R.W. Grand Secretary on Dec. 27, 2005. Previously, he was employed as Deputy Grand Secretary and held various management positions within the insurance industry. Brother Mark was awarded the Pennsylvania Franklin Medal by R.W. Past Grand Master Stephen Gardner during the 2009 Annual Communication.

Brother Mark and his wife, Karen, have five children and two granddaughters. They live in West Lawn and attend Peace Lutheran Church. In their spare time, they enjoy going to football games and spending time with their family.

Inauguration

Grand Lodge Officers

YOUR GRAND LODGE OFFICERS & THEIR LADIES

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FREEMASONRY TODAY

Newly Appointed Floor Officers

SENIOR GRAND DEACON

David A. Auchey, P.M.

Lodge No. 706, District 42

JUNIOR GRAND DEACON

Michael R. Rosenberry, P.M. Lodge No. 629, District 2

GRAND STEWARD

David G. Angle, P.M.

Lodge No. 315, District 3

GRAND STEWARD

GRAND SWORD BEARER

Lodge No. 262, District 3

Lodge No. 315, District 3

Duaine A. Collier, P.M.

Alan R. Beidel, P.M.

Newly Appointed Aides to the Grand Master GRAND PURSUIVANT

Glenn S. Treece, P.M.

Lodge No. 666, District 2

ASSISTANT TYLER

Bryan K. Fritz, P.M.

Lodge No. 284, District 10

Barry D. Farner, P.M.

Lodge No. 143, District 3

James A. O’Connor, P.D.D.G.M.

Lodge No. 700, District 21

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Appointments

www.pagrandlodge.org/appointments

Thomas P. Kennedy, P.M.

Kirk C. Manchester, P.M.

John E. Shoop, P.M.

Kim W. Jeffreys, P.D.D.G.M.

Lodge No. 315, District 3

Lodge No. 256, District 46

Lodge No. 471, District 16

Lodge No. 304, District 25

Pennsylvania Freemason

Newly Appointed District Deputy Grand Masters

Ronald B. Carson

Lodge No. 476, District 1 Presentation: 1/5/2018

John W. Rees, Sr.

Lodge No. 598, District 22 Presentation: 1/19/2018

David J. Coffman

Lodge No. 767, District 36 Presentation: 1/27/2018

Henry J. Federowicz

Lodge No. 464, District 2 Presentation: 1/12/2018

Joshua S. Freeman

Lodge No. 331, District 30 Presentation: 2/3/2018

M. Leonard Bell

Lodge No. 307, District 7 Presentation: 1/6/2018

Larry D. Horath

Lodge No. 337, District 31 Presentation: 2/3/2018

Region 6 East

Gregory A. Dimoff

Lodge No. 688, District 34 Presentation: 1/13/2018

Lawrence J. Bilotto

Lodge No. 281, District 20 Presentation: 1/14/2018

Franklin E. Hort, Sr.

Lodge No. 224, District 35 Presentation: 1/7/2018

Quient A. Anderson

Lodge No. 521, District 52 Presentation: 1/20/2018

Newly Appointed Regional Instructors

Richard Bickhart, P.M.

Philip A. Rickert

Lodge No. 324, District 19 Presentation: 1/13/2018

Newly Appointed Grand Chaplains

Nathan C. Minnich, P.M.

David W. Morgans, P.D.D.G.M.

Lodge No. 570, District 2

David A. Eichelberger

Lodge No. 812, District 54

Region 4

Inauguration

Appointments

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FREEMASONRY TODAY

MASONIC FUNDRAISER SPORTING CLAYS

SAVE THE DATE!

EASTERN EVENT

Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018

Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays 2750 Limestone St. Coplay, PA 18037 610-261-9616

WESTERN EVENT

Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018

Seven Springs Mountain Resort 777 Waterwheel Drive Seven Springs, PA 15622 814-352-7777 800-452-2223

R.W. Grand Master S. Eugene Herritt and his wife, Sally, Invite You to Attend a

Masonic Reunion For Pennsylvania Masons, Wives and Widows who now reside permanently in Florida or who visit there during the winter months. Grand Master Herritt will present 50-Year, 60-Year and 70-Year Masonic Service Emblems and 75-Year Diamond Jubilee Awards. He will also preview upcoming programs. Please send in your response card to make your reservation by Feb. 10, 2018. If you have any questions, please call 717-367-1121, ext. 33382.

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Online Edition

REUNION SCHEDULE Friday, March 9, 2018 Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Sarasota

Saturday, March 10, 2018 Palm Beach Gardens Marriott, Palm Beach Each reunion features a reception (11 - 11:45 a.m.) followed by lunch (11:45 a.m.) and a program (1 - 2 p.m.)

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Pennsylvania Freemason

GRAND MASTER’S MEMORABILIA

GAVELS

GRAND MASTER’S TIE

to be used by the Grand Master at various times during his term (as shown, left-right): • Official gavel provided by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for the Grand Master during his term.

• Witness wood from the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown. Crafted by Brother Robert Umbaugh, P.M., Lodge No. 197 • Cherry wood from the Grand Master’s property.

Crafted by Robert L. Allen, friend of the Grand Master.

• Witness wood from the Battle of Gettysburg. Crafted

by Brother Larry Miller, P.M., George Washington Lodge No. 143, Chambersburg.

• Witness wood from Wheatland, home of Brother and President James Buchanan. Crafted by Brother Larry Miller, P.M., George Washington Lodge No. 143, Chambersburg.

• Gavel used by the Grand Master during his terms as Worshipful Master of Cumberland Valley Lodge No. 315, Pennsylvania Lodge of Research and as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

The Grand Master’s commemorative tie is available as a gift to first line signers of new member petitions during 2018-2019.

Additional colors are awarded to Brothers turning in two, three or four petitions as first line signers.

Inauguration

GRAND MASTER’S MEDALLION Focuses on the individual Mason in a coat and tie with his apron, surrounded by Masonic symbols of appendant bodies around the perimeter, symbolizing opportunities for enrichment: “Pennsylvania Masons - A Road to Leadership.”

LADIES’ PIN The theme of Sally Herritt’s pin is “Reach for the Stars,” inspired by her theatrical background and a quote from Harriet Tubman: “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

GRAND MASTER’S PIN Symbolizes a man on the road to leadership, having developed those skills while taking advantage of his Blue Lodge membership.

Grand Master

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FREEMASONRY TODAY

NEW ONLINE MENTORING PROGRAM LAUNCHES The relationship that new Brothers develop with seasoned members is one of the most critical aspects of our Fraternity.

Connecting with other members on a deeper level is important for creating bonds of brotherly love and affection in our Lodges.

Traditionally, these ties have been established between Entered Apprentice and Fellowcraft Masons and their mentors as Brothers have proceeded through the degrees – and this will not change. The relationships developed in the Lodge during this time are paramount.

The Grand Lodge also recognizes the importance of continued mentoring relationships following initiation. Every new member comes to our Lodges with different needs, especially when it comes to Masonic education. In the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, we’re blessed to have Brothers across the Commonwealth who have a deep understanding of Masonic topics. These Brothers are often willing to share their expertise and knowledge with anyone who is interested. Until now, these Brothers were usually relegated to only doing so with the members in their local areas. Connecting Brothers who have a thirst for Masonic education with an astute and trustworthy mentor is critical for long-term member engagement and development.

To that end, the Grand Lodge officers have developed a new online mentoring program, available right now through the Grand Lodge education portal. Entered Apprentice Masons who are members of Pennsylvania Lodges, and who have been entered into the Grand Lodge database by their Lodge Secretary, will be able to sign on to the Grand Lodge education system and register for the new mentoring program. This system

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Mentoring

www.education.pagrandlodge.org

will connect individuals looking for mentoring in specific areas with a Masonic mentor. These areas include, but are not limited to, symbolism, philosophy or Masonic history. It should be noted that this new system should not supplant the mentoring work done by local Lodges, including instructing new members in the work of the Fraternity.

Men who would like to volunteer to serve as mentors will also be able to do so through the same system. Each volunteer will be screened before being confirmed as a mentor. Once confirmed, Brothers seeking mentorship will be able to reach out to a registered mentor to begin a dialogue and establish a relationship.

The direction and information shared during the mentoring relationship is up to the Brothers involved – you know best the areas that you would like to learn more about. The system is designed to help pair inquisitive Brothers with knowledgeable mentors, providing guidance for developing such a relationship.

From that point forward, we believe it important to let individuals follow their own pursuits and learn in a way that works best for them. Mentoring can occur in person, over the telephone or through digital means.

Ready to get started? First, log on to the Grand Lodge education portal at www.education.pagrandlodge.org and create an account if you don’t have one already. You’ll need to know your member ID number to create an account – if you don’t, just reach out to your Lodge Secretary. Take the time to complete your profile and review the education materials that are present on the portal. Then, utilize the mentoring system to connect with a mentor or sign up to act as a mentor for others!

Pennsylvania Freemason

ONLINE RESOURCES RECORD PRESERVATION INITIATIVE The Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania has about 50 bound ledgers of membership records, as well as four volumes of indices, from 1789-1955, that were printed and bound well before electronic record-keeping was invented. They comprise approximately 20,000 pages of Masonic records that currently cannot be easily referenced because of their age and fragility. In order to make these records available to individuals seeking to conduct research on their ancestry, the books must be carefully scanned, renamed and saved onto a hard drive.

The United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts have digitized their memberships in a similar fashion and have searchable online databases available to their membership and others through www.ancestry.com.

The database and images provide information about individual Lodge affiliation, as well as address and occupation details.

Grand Master Herritt has identified as an important initiative of his term to preserve the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania membership records so they are safely archived and made available to researchers. This will be a costly process that will require the help of interested members and Lodges to maintain our Masonic history. Those interested in supporting this project may contact the Office of Gift Planning at 800-599-6454.

Visit the Grand Lodge website, www.pagrandlodge.org, where you can find information on: • Member Services • Programs • Awards • Education • Leadership • Masonic Charities/Outreach Program • Lodge Locator • New Updates • ... and much more!

Inauguration

Online Resources www.pagrandlodge.org 15

“Like” the Grand Lodge Facebook page, www.facebook.com/pagrandlodge, where you’ll find features on: • Unique community service projects • Years of service awards • Academy of Masonic Knowledge & Lodge of Research events • Masonic facts/interesting historical facts • Generational stories • Distinctive district-wide or statewide events • Scholarships/donations • Almoner’s Fund stories • Lodge anniversary celebrations

MASONIC EDUCATION

of Egypt s a i d n a Ozymy Percy Bysshe Shelley b

ique land m an ant o r f r e ll of stone trave kless legs I met a n u r t d n a sand, : Two vast m, on the e h t r a e Who said t…N e frown, the deser lies, whos e g a s Stand in vi d re mand, , a shatte cold com f o r e Half sunk e and sn ons read kled lip, hose passi t And wrin ll e w r o ss things, its sculpt ese lifele h t n o Tell that d e mp t fed: rvive, sta heart tha su e h t t e y d h n a ic Wh ked them a r: that moc ords appe d n a h e h l these w T a st e d e p he of kings: An d o n t ias, king d n a m y z air!” e is O and desp y, “My nam t h ig M e y w o rks , y the decay Lo ok o n m s. Round in a m e r d bare, eside ndless an Nothing b u o b , k c e r olossal w far away.

Of that c s stretch d n a s l ve and le The lone

LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS DISTRICT AND LODGE LEADERSHIP Understanding that there are unique challenges to making each district flourish, Grand Master Herritt has stated that District Deputy Grand Masters will be given a lot more latitude in how they run their District and in enforcing certain obligations. They will be required to demonstrate a strong dedication to leading their District in other ways, such as how fraternal lessons are being taught, maintained and grown for future generations of Masons within their Lodges.

This may pertain, for example, to prerequisites for becoming a Worshipful Master, specifically the requirements of degree certification. While the current requirement is possible within some Lodges, it is a hardship for others.

“While the lessons taught in our degrees are of value and worthy of learning for their own sake, it is less important to learn the work for the purpose of reciting it than living its lessons,” Grand Master Herritt said.

Where appropriate, the learning of two degrees will be required, but officers will have the option of learning only the third in lieu of learning the first and second. If a Lodge or District requires three degrees for advancement, the Grand Lodge requirements are not an excuse for an individual Master to do less than local expectations. The Grand Lodge does not seek to weaken the example local Lodges have set, and will do its best to reward the Lodges for those efforts.

The business of the Lodge will always be a requirement for advancement. “The lessons of Freemasonry are beautifully summed up in the order with which we run our meetings

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and the charges at the opening and closing of Lodge,” Grand Master Herritt said. “They should not just be read to our Lodge membership; they are too important to be treated in any way other than memorization. Any Lodge that is reading the Masonic Funeral Service is insulting both the deceased and his family.

Every Lodge should have a member who can do the Worshipful Master’s part from memory. They owe that to their Brother.”

All going into the elected chairs must attend what will now be called Officer Training Workshops. These revised workshops offer more pertinent lessons, including an opportunity for Lodge mentors to improve their skills.

Officers who have attended the workshops in the past may choose to attend a Leadership Development seminar as an alternative. This will not be a Masonic leadership course, but rather one that focuses on the basics of motivating and inspiring men to better themselves in all aspects of a man’s life, within his community, his family or any other organization in which he finds value. There will be a nominal cost to either the member or the Lodge for this valuable seminar. These seminars will be held at three locations across the state and will include a workbook for attendees to take home.

District-wide Secretary Seminars, run by a District Deputy Grand Master, will offer Secretaries the opportunity to network with their counterparts and build a peer group to call upon for advice. Any required regional Secretary Seminars will be forums for learning and sharing experiences for the men who have given up a day for that purpose.

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Pennsylvania Freemason

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION ONE DAY CLASSES While there will not be any statewide one day classes in 2018 or 2019, Grand Master Herritt will consider granting dispensation for an individual Lodge or District to conduct a one day class, if specific criteria are met. The experience for each candidate must be the same as if he was going through the degrees individually: he must have his own altar, guide and any Brothers necessary to give him the complete Masonic ritual.

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS In order for a new Brother to feel welcome and accepted into his Lodge, he should be adequately prepared to receive his degrees. His guide or mentor should explain what Freemasonry was and is, as well as the benefits of membership. Once he has received his degrees, the new Brother should not only be encouraged to attend Lodge meetings, but his guide or mentor should be there to meet and sit with him, introduce him to fellow Brethren and offer to answer any questions. The same should occur for special events the Lodge or District holds; special attention should be made to ensuring new members and their families are introduced and assimilated within the Lodge family.

“We must ensure our new Brethren get out of their Masonic experience what they are looking for, whether it be companionship, education, leadership opportunities or charitable work,” Grand Master Herritt said. “Oftentimes, our Brethren are not aware of all the opportunities and benefits available to them and their families through their membership. We must

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focus on the individual man – his goals, skills, desires and interests – and offer him the opportunities he seeks.”

EARLY INVOLVEMENT Traditionally, candidates for membership do not begin attending Lodge meetings until they have received their Master Mason Degree. Grand Master Herritt is making the following exceptions. Each Lodge will conduct two meetings in the Entered Apprentice Degree so members who are not yet Master Masons may attend a Lodge meeting and get an understanding of what is involved at the meeting. The meetings to be held in the Entered Apprentice are the Official Visit of the District Deputy and the Past Masters recognition night.

LODGE MEETINGS Every Lodge meeting presentation in 2018-2019 must have a Masonic theme. The entire presentation does not have to be on a Masonic topic, but at least part of it must have something pertaining to the fraternity, whether it be historical, charitable, educational, etc. “Our membership has varied interests, which adds to our breadth and diversity, but one thing we all have in common is our love for Freemasonry,” Grand Master Herritt said. “The Lodge should be a place where our members continue to expand their knowledge about the Craft.”

Many topics are available through the Grand Lodge website www.pagrandlodge.org and the speakers’ bureau at www.pagrandlodge.org/speakers-bureau.

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MASONIC EDUCATION

ACADEMY OF MASONIC KNOWLEDGE WHAT IS IT? - The Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge strives to create an environment that encourages Masons to seek a greater understanding of the nature and purposes of Freemasonry in all its many aspects – past, present and future – and to share that understanding with others.

The Academy offers learning opportunities in which Masons may participate in dialogues with similarly inclined Brethren, witness prominent Masonic scholars discussing various aspects of Freemasonry, and pursue home study at their own pace and in their own areas of interest, through publications on Masonic subjects recommended by the Academy. For more information, visit www.pamasonicacademy.org.

In addition to providing a learning experience for Freemasons, the Academy is a vehicle affording recognition to Masons who share their knowledge of Freemasonry with fellow Masons or the public by the written or spoken word.

MEETING DATES Saturday, March 17, 2018 Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 Saturday, March 16, 2019 Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019

Academy of Masonic Knowledge

MEMBERSHIP - All Pennsylvania Masons are encouraged to join the Academy of Masonic Knowledge. Registration and membership is free of charge.

CERTIFICATION - All Pennsylvania Masons are eligible to participate in the Academy’s certification process, culminating with the designation as a Master Masonic Scholar. Correspondence pertaining to the certification program should be addressed to: academy@pagrandlodge.org.

All meetings are held at: FREEMASONS CULTURAL CENTER Masonic Village at Elizabethtown One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Pre-registration is required. Please send your name, address, Lodge number and telephone number by email to:

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AMKSecretary@pagrandlodge.org. If you do not have access to email, please make your reservation through your Lodge Secretary.

Registration on the day of the meeting will open at 8:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 9:30 a.m. A lunch (requested contribution of $10) will be served at noon, and the program will be completed by 3 p.m. All Masons are welcome. Dress is coat and tie.

Please recognize that a cost is incurred to the program for your registration. If you pre-register and subsequently determine that you will be unable to attend, please have the Masonic courtesy to cancel your reservation by the same method and providing the same information.

SPEAKERS’ BUREAU - Individuals wishing to be listed in the Speakers’ Bureau should submit their name, topic and audio presentation to the Academy on Masonic Knowledge for review. A committee of the Academy will determine which speakers will be added to the list. Reference www.pagrandlodge.org/speakers-bureau.

www.pamasonicacademy.org

Pennsylvania Freemason

PENNSYLVANIA LODGE OF RESEARCH WHAT IS IT? - The Pennsylvania Lodge of Research is the first Lodge constituted within the jurisdiction solely for the purpose of Masonic study. Members have the opportunity to meet with Masonic scholars from throughout the jurisdiction, present their own thoughts and research, discover areas of Masonic interest and take advantage of resources for the exchange of ideas. The Lodge of Research offers access to research papers presented at meetings and published transactions, as well as information about unique and rare documents and publications. Topics discussed may include how Freemasonry contributed to American history, men’s character, philosophy, ritual and symbolism, to name a few. For more information, visit www.palodgeofresearch.org.

MEMBERSHIP - Membership is open to all Master Masons who are members of Lodges recognized by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Membership is divided into three categories: Full Member, Associate Member and Fellow. Full membership is extended to those who are members in good standing of a symbolic Lodge, constituted under the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Associate membership is extended to Brethren who are members of a Lodge outside the Jurisdiction, which is recognized by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Fellows are distinguished members, elected for their outstanding scholarship. Membership in the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research does not constitute dual membership.

A petition may be completed online and sent to: Brother George Haynes Pennsylvania Lodge of Research c/o Masonic Temple 1 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

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The joining fee is $75, and dues are $25 per year. Both fee and dues must accompany the completed petition. All members receive a Member’s Pocket Jewel and a lapel pin.

The transactions of the Lodge of Research are published and distributed to all members.

MEDALLION - (See above) The medallion of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research depicts a classical female allegorical figure holding a manuscript in one hand and a square and compasses in the other. The sunburst represents Enlightenment. It depicts the purposes of the Lodge of Research as sharing Masonic Light with others who are following a planned approach to personal character-building and self improvement, and to encourage an organized process of formal education of the Craft at large.

REGALIA - The regalia of the Lodge of Research include a Member’s Jewel, which is worn in the suit coat breast pocket at Lodge of Research meetings. The charter members have a white stripe on their ribbon. It is not authorized for wearing at regular Lodge meetings.

Officers of the Lodge of Research have special aprons which they wear while in session. Burnt orange is the distinctive color authorized for use of the Lodge of Research.

For more information, email Lodge.of.Research@pagrandlodge.org.

PA Lodge of Research

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MEMBERSHIP

Gene & Sally Herritt

Invite you to join them on one or more of the following excursions!

TOUR OF THE PRESIDENTIAL HOMES OF VIRGINIA June 29 – July 1, 2018 TRIP INCLUDES: • 2 overnights at Holiday Inn University, Charlottesville, VA. Conveniently located near Charlottesville attractions and adjacent to The Shops at Stonefield, the city’s newest upscale shopping center, the Holiday Inn University features an indoor pool and exercise room. The hotel is non-smoking.

• 2 full breakfast buffets, 1 lunch, 1 dinner • Enjoy historic Fredericksburg • Admission & guided tour of Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson • Admission & guided tour of Ash-Lawn Highland, the home of James Monroe

• Admission & guided tour of Montpelier, the home of James Madison • Baggage handling, hotel taxes, meal taxes • Round trip ground transportation via a climate controlled, lavatory & video equipped deluxe Starr motorcoach

Cost: $589 per person based on double room.

Deposit in the amount of $100 per person. Make checks or money orders payable to: Professional Travel Depart June 29, 2018: 9 a.m.

Return July 1, 2018: 5:30 p.m.

Masonic Village, One Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022

For additional information about any of these excursions, contact: Chris at Professional Travel at 215-355-4050 or Chris@BookAndGoNow.com Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance is available and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED at the cost of $60 per person. It provides a full refund of all money paid to Starr minus the cost of insurance if a passenger must cancel for any reason prior to the departure date. Trip Cancellation & Interruption does not protect room rate should your travel companion cancel, but it does protect you should you have to leave the trip.

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www.pagrandlodge.org/magazine

Pennsylvania Freemason

RHINE RIVER CRUISE

“CAPTIVATING RHINE” August 3 - 14, 2019 Itinerary includes tours of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Cologne, Rudesheim, Mannheim, Strasbourg and Breisach, Germany; and Basel and Zurich, Switzerland

CRUISE INCLUDES: • • • • • • • • •

Spacious accommodations in riverview stateroom or suite Fine dining, including unlimited wine & beer Daily cocktail hour with complimentary beverages Cocktail reception and Captain’s Gala Dinner Complimentary WiFi access on board Guided tour excursions in every port Live entertainment, cooking demonstration and more Complimentary bicycles Services of a Professional Cruise Manager

LAND PROGRAM INCLUDES: • • • • • •

2 nights pre-cruise in Amsterdam 1 night post-cruise in Zurich Transfers between hotel & ship/ship & hotel Daily breakfast Guided city tour Portage service

Starting from $4,553 per person Category CB, French Balcony Rates include: cruise, land program, port charges and gratuities.

Airport transfers are additional; ask for details

BILTMORE ESTATE HOLIDAY TOUR Save the Date! December 12 – 16, 2018 TRIP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • •

5 days, 4 nights 2 continental breakfasts, 2 full breakfasts, 3 dinners Guided tour of Asheville, NC Biltmore by Candlelight Tour Admission & self-guided tour of the Biltmore Estate

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• • • •

Admission to Reynolda House & Gallery Admission to the Museum of Shenandoah Baggage handling, hotel taxes, meal taxes Round trip ground transportation via a climate controlled, lavatory & video equipped deluxe Starr motorcoach

Pricing for this tour will be released in January.

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MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

THE TANGIBLE A ND INTA NGIBLE When considering membership in any organization, it’s simply human nature to ask oneself, “What’s in it for me?”

After gathering information and asking a few questions, a prospective member will generally weigh the pros and cons (i.e. time and cost required vs. perceived benefits) and make a decision on whether or not to proceed. Freemasonry is no different.

What many don’t always realize, however, is the difference between the obvious tangible benefits and the less apparent intangible benefits of becoming a member of the oldest and largest fraternity in the world.

They’re likely aware, or soon learn about, the high quality services provided at the Masonic Villages and Masonic Children’s Home, and through the Outreach Program. They discover opportunities for youth and scholarships through the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation, as well as assistance available through Lodge charity committees or Almoner’s Funds. Participation in blood and organ donor programs, charitable events and educational trainings offer a breadth of choices to improve himself and his community.

Being accepted into a selective organization gives the candidate a new identity as a member of an international fraternity dedicated to the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. Most men expect to acquire a large number of Brothers in a relatively short period of time. But while those friendships develop with those who help him attain proficiency to advance from one degree to the next, he soon comes to realize just how deep and abiding those relationships become. Having

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mutual respect for one another and being bound by a solemn obligation to make this a better world are solid foundations upon which to build a fraternal connection.

Some unexpected blessings may come in the form of visits from Brethren in the hospital, or learning that should one be stranded in a strange place and in need of help, a Brother is never too far away; or the comfort of knowing that widows of deceased members are cared for by his Brethren.

The Craft teaches its members a philosophy to guide them in the journey through life. Upon meeting another Mason, there is an immediate establishment of a close sense of friendship knowing there is a shared ideology. With a mere handshake, Brethren know they can trust each other and are willing to help in any way.

As with most worthwhile pursuits, members who choose to be active benefit the greatest from Freemasonry. Involvement in the work of the Craft acquires some degree of leadership, which develops a feeling of importance while serving an organization in worthwhile activities. Considerable educational opportunities are afforded to develop one’s memory, learn to organize projects and work with others, and improve one’s speaking ability through the delivery of reports and presentation of lectures.

So, how can Freemasonry benefit its members? Every Brother is likely to respond differently based on his own needs in his stage of life: companionship, education, support or opportunities to lead or serve. But every Brother will tell you this: Freemasonry has made him a better man.

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Pennsylvania Freemason

THE MASONIC BLOOD & ORGAN DONOR CLUB OF PENNSYLVANIA

Blood is life. Without it, life cannot exist and all the medical advancements and knowledge of the past century would not have been possible. There is no substitute for human blood.

Every day brings advances in life-saving techniques—many of which require blood or blood products.

Donating blood is an active way of helping others and society as a whole. Donations are the only way of obtaining blood. Despite medical and technological advances, blood cannot currently be made. The only way of obtaining it is via blood donations from people who give blood.

And this is why the Masonic Blood and Organ Donor Club of Pennsylvania is so important. Our Fraternity teaches compassion and concern for our fellow man. What better way do we have to demonstrate this virtue, than by offering the greatest gift – the gift of life – to our society?

The mission of the Masonic Blood & Organ Donor Club is to promote Masonic blood drives throughout the state and to provide as many opportunities as possible to share this gift of life. The club also acts as an informational source, and will continue to encourage and assist Lodges, Masonic Ladies and Youth organizations in sponsoring drives, activities and events for the purpose of collecting blood donations.

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For several years, any blood drive sponsored by a Pennsylvania Lodge, appendant Masonic organization, Ladies or Masonic youth group, qualifies that organization to designate for each blood unit collected, a gift of $10 per unit to a Masonic Charity [501(c)(3) classification] of their choice, when pre-approved by the club. You are also able to make that donation to your Lodge Almoner’s Fund.

Organ donation is another major issue the club addresses.

If you have not previously registered as an Organ Donor on your Pennsylvania Driver’s License, please consider doing so by going to www.donatelifepa.org. And while we do NOT procure organs for members in need, our page on the Grand Lodge website will soon provide links and factual information for Brethren wishing to assist others in need of a living donor. The purpose of our new Organ Donor Committee is to heighten awareness and to provide educational materials and information on the subject.

Masonic Blood and Organ Donor Club of PA 582 Freemason Drive Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Email: bloodclub@pagrandlodge.org

Blood and Organ Donor Program www.pagrandlodge.org/bloodclub 23

PHIL ANTHROPY

HELP FOR OUR HEROES

Since January 2008, when R.W. Past Grand Master Stephen Gardner, a Navy veteran, initiated a program whereby Pennsylvania Freemasons and others could show their support for the U.S. military, over $1 million in donations have helped service men and women and veterans, primarily from Pennsylvania.

Donations so far have provided: • Calling cards for Pennsylvania soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and to injured soldiers in hospitals • Financial support for baby showers for military mothers-to-be hosted in conjunction with the March of Dimes, providing many supplies needed for a baby’s first year of life • Telemedicine equipment for troops’ children between Dover Air Force Base and Jefferson University Hospital • Support for Wreaths Across America and Moms for Marines

• A day at Great Adventure amusement park for children of deployed soldiers • Christmas parties for troops’ families and for their children with special needs • Projects at The Veterans Group home • Child day care for children of deployed soldiers • Support for Project HERO at Horsham, which provides adaptive bikes for soldiers with injuries or disabilities • Mentors for Veterans Courts • Household repairs for military families • Financial assistance for military members facing costly medical bills and job loss • Reconstruction of a serviceman’s home after it was destroyed by fire

The more you give, the more assistance we can provide.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR GENEROUS DONATIONS COMING! 24

Help For Our Heroes

www.pagrandlodge.org/heroes

Pennsylvania Freemason

MASONIC LIBRARY & MUSEUM OF PENNSYLVANIA THE LIBRARY - Founded in 1817, the Library is considered to

TOURS - The Masonic Temple offers tours Tuesday - Saturday

have one of the finest collections for the study of Freemasonry.

The importance of collecting and cataloging seminal works in the history of Freemasonry has remained a focus of the institution since its inception. Thousands of volumes cover all aspects of Freemasonry and its relationship to the Commonwealth. The Library remains a resource for members and academics alike, providing research and lending services in an effort to advance our knowledge and understanding of the Fraternity, its meanings and its place in history.

The Library’s collections are available to everyone who visits the library; however, the Circulating Library is for Pennsylvania Masons only. Masons may borrow up to three titles for 30 days.

To renew, contact the Librarian before the books become due If you need assistance, email librarian@pagrandlodge.org.

The online library catalog and lending service can be found at www.pamasonictemple.org/library.

at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. No tours are provided on Sundays, major holidays, when Masonic functions are taking place or during emergencies. Advanced notice is requested for large group tours. Due to private events, tours may not always be given. PA Masons (with dues card), active military and children under age 5 are free. Please call 215-9881917 prior to your planned visit to confirm that a tour will be given on the day of your choice.

THE MUSEUM - Founded in 1908, the Museum was dedicated

THE GIFT SHOP - The Gift Shop provides culturally significant,

by Brother John Wanamaker, a prominent Philadelphia merchant who served as the first Chairman of the Library Committee.

The Museum’s collection consists of more than 30,000 items, featuring articles belonging to George Washington and other national and international dignitaries, as well as decorative masterpieces and precious artifacts with captivating historical significance.

educational and inspirational items depicting Freemasonry, famous Freemasons and founding fathers, the Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, and the rich historical past they all share. Proceeds from the sale of items in this non-profit shop benefit the ongoing restoration of the historic Masonic Temple. For more information, visit www.masonicmuseumgifts.com.

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SPECIAL EVENTS - The Masonic Temple is available for special events, weddings, receptions and business meetings.

The various halls, ballroom, foyers, reception spaces and meetings rooms can host small, intimate events or larger events for between 125-450 guests, depending on the chosen setting. For more information on events and rentals, visit www.onenorthbroad.com.

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PHIL ANTHROPY

MASONIC OUTREACH PROGRAM The Masonic Outreach Program, administered by the Masonic Villages, provides direction, education and information on a myriad of helpful community services, personal care and skilled care homes, government and state programs to support our Brethren, their families, widows and others in our communities. It also operates a free Loan Closet in Elizabethtown which offers durable medical equipment (such as walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, etc.) on a shortterm loan basis to individuals in need. In addition, it hosts a monthly Dementia Caregiver Support and Education Group in Elizabethtown.

The majority of services are available to everyone in the community; however, the Outreach Program has designated the following services for Pennsylvania Freemasons and their families:

FINANCE PANEL Pennsylvania Masons and eligible family members who are in need of developing or improving budget skills can work with members of the finance panel. All panel members, who have volunteered to share their time and talents, have a professional background in the financial field.

PANEL OF ATTORNEYS

may be available to give direction. Attorneys on the panel may also be able to assist individuals needing legal advice who have the ability to retain counsel.

HOME ASSISTANCE

Financial assistance may be available to Pennsylvania Freemasons and their eligible family members. Whatever the need, staff will work closely with you to determine exactly which service is most appropriate.

THE WIDOWS GUILD The Widows Guild program recognizes and assists all widows of Pennsylvania Masons. Widows who attend certain events will receive a Masonic Blue Slipper Pin, which is universally recognized among Masons as identifying the wearer as the widow of a Mason, and a personalized membership card to the Widows’ Guild. On the back side of the membership card is the toll-free telephone number for the Masonic Outreach Program with a list of the many services available to any widow of a Pennsylvania Mason.

To learn more about the Masonic Outreach Program, visit www.MasonicOutreach.org, call 800-462-7664 or email outreach@masonicvillages.org.

Distressed Brethren, their spouses and widows, who are unable to retain legal counsel, can contact the Outreach Program for a list of attorneys who volunteer their time and

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Masonic Outreach

www.masonicoutreach.org

Pennsylvania Freemason

WIDOWS GUILD GROWING THROUGH LODGE SUPPORT The Masonic Villages offers Pennsylvania Masonic widows the opportunity to be recognized and assisted through the Widows Guild program. With group events happening throughout Pennsylvania, as well as certain locations within the United States, and the mailing of the first edition of the “Blue Slipper Stories” (Widows Guild newsletter), the program has seen a tremendous growth over the last two years.

With more than 13,000 recorded Pennsylvania Masonic widows, the fraternity has a true obligation to assist these ladies. Through the Masonic Outreach Program, support and multiple services are available. When needed, help is a phone call away. It could be financial assistance, attorney/ legal support, durable and medical equipment and a variety of educational information and referral services, such as pharmaceutical assistance programs, services for those with low income and services specific to the disabled and senior population.

Group events are hosted throughout various locations by the Masonic Villages and Lodges for the purpose of building support groups for widows and to induct Masonic widows into the Widows Guild by presenting each lady with the blue slipper pin and a personalized membership card. The events have become a very special and moving experience for all who have joined the Widows Guild to date. This fall, several events were held with more than 54 widows becoming new members.

Brother Thomas “TJ” Quinn, Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, attended a widows program reception with his grandmother, Irmgard Johns, widow of Brother Gerald E.

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Johns. The experience inspired Brother TJ to have his Lodge Brethren reconnect to their own widows. He contacted the Masonic Villages to locate as many Lodge No. 43 widows as possible and sent them invitations to a program earlier this year. With six ladies attending, it was a powerful and heartwarming ceremony with each lady receiving her pin and card while Chaplain Brother Glenn B. Knight read the charge and shared the history and significance of the pin.

Left-right: Alice Beers, widow of Brother Robert J., St. John’s Lodge No. 250; and Rose Ann Horgan, widow of Bro. Harry E., Harrisburg-Snyder Lodge No. 629, receiving her blue slipper pin from Joyce May, Director of Annual Fund Development and Brother Alvin H. Blitz, Esq., Chief Gift Planning Officer for Masonic Charities and Masonic Villages of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Masonic Charities

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PHIL ANTHROPY

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation maintains an Educational Endowment Fund, from which scholarship awards are made annually to deserving recipients in a competitive program. To be eligible to receive a scholarship or grant, an applicant must be a Pennsylvania Masons, or a child, stepchild, grandchild, step-grandchild, sibling or dependent (IRS definition) of a member in good standing of a Pennsylvania Masonic Lodge (or who was in good standing at the time of his death); or a present or former member in good standing of one of the Pennsylvania Masonic-related youth groups; a resident or graduate of the Masonic Children’s Home; or a currently enrolled member of a Pennsylvania Chapter of the collegiate Acacia fraternity. An applicant must be a high school graduate or a high school senior who is pursuing higher education.

Funds are only applicable to undergraduate tuition and fees. Awards are not guaranteed – only the opportunity for a fair appraisal of the information provided to the scholarship committee.

The precise number and amount of scholarship awards made each year varies according to the income available from the endowment fund. To date, more than 725 awards, totaling in excess of $1,100,000, have been granted to Pennsylvania students. Each year, the Foundation publishes a Masonic Scholarship Resource Guide, which is made available to all Pennsylvania Masonic Lodges, as well as to Pennsylvania school districts and interested individuals.

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Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation

The guide lists all awards available through the endowment fund, as well as several other awards available to relatives of Masons and Masonic youth group members, which can be applied for separately. It is a quick and easy resource for navigating the application process. If you have difficulty accessing this information for any reason, you may request to have a copy of the guide sent to you by standard mail by contacting the PMYF office at 800-266-8424 or pmyf@pagrandlodge.org. Deadline for applying is March 15.

Major factors in determining award recipients include: • Academic performance. The average academic level of applicants is quite competitive, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all applicants.

• Financial need. While higher education is expensive for families of all income levels, award standards are based on the range of incomes of applicants.

• Fraternal involvement. Although membership in Masonry or a Masonic youth group is not a requirement, it is a significant advantage.

• Other activities. Although these do not receive major weight in our process, they have certainly made the difference in decisions between highly qualified candidates. Success in outside activities often correlates to success in higher education.

For more information, visit www.pmyf.org/scholarships/program.

www.pmyf.org

Pennsylvania Freemason

YOUTH GROUPS

Widows Sons

WOMEN’

hield and Square

Job’s Daughters International

Social Order of the Beauseant

Ladies of the Oriental Shrine

MASONIC YOUTH GROUPS

YOUTH GROUPS

onal Sojourners Daughters of the Nile The Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation is dedicated to developing leadership and character among the youth of Order of the Rainbow Pennsylvania by providing resources, training, conferences and adult leadership to a variety of Pennsylvania Masonically for Girls sponsored youth groups.

YOUTH GROUPS

THE ORDER OF DeMOLAY is for young men between the ages of 12 and 21 years. The Order was named for Jacques DeMolay, the last Grand Master of the Order of the Temple, who was burned at the stake in 1314 by the King of France for refusing to yield the allegiance and wealth Templars to the crown.

Order teaches fidelity to otto, MOVPERof theDeMolay WhiteThe Shrine Job’s Daughters ideals, toleration of the beliefs of others, of Jerusalem good citizenship, International leadership, public speaking and more. It includes a wide International variety of social, athletic and civic service activities. There are 20 Chapters in Pennsylvania. Visit www.pademolay.org.

THE ORDER OF RAINBOW is for girls between ages 11 and 20, who are sponsored and supervised by Masons, Eastern Star or Amaranth members.

Rainbow teaches faith, hope and charity, edars of Lebanon of the Amaranth in a ritual written by Order W. Mark Sexon, a Past Grand Master of Order of the Rainbow Masons in Oklahoma, using the seven colors of the Rainbow as symbolsforofGirls character building virtues. The Rainbow program teaches benevolence and service through a program of fraternal activities. Rainbow Girls meet in Assemblies. There are 30 Assemblies in Pennsylvania. For more about Rainbow, visit www.parainbowgirls.org.

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ers International

Order of the

JOB’S DAUGHTERS INTERNATIONAL is an organization for girls which requires all its members to have a family relationship to a Master Mason. If a young girl does not have that necessary relationship, however, she can join with the sponsorship of a Master Mason and a Majority Member of the Order. Girls between the ages of 10 and 20 Job’s Daughters years are eligible for membership. The story of the trials of Job International serves as the basis for the teachings of Job’s Daughters. The Job’s Daughters raise money for the H.I.K.E. Fund (Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment) and provide community service.

Members have an opportunity to grow in their social and organizational skills. There are eight Bethels in Pennsylvania.

Visit PA “Jobies” at www.paiojd.org.

Order of the Rainbow for Girls

Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation

DeMolay

www.pmyf.org 29

PHIL ANTHROPY

GRAND CHANGES The first phase of renovations to the Grand Lodge Hall, the oldest building on the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown campus, is complete.

The Restaurant at Grand Lodge Hall has been transformed into Café 1911 (shown upper left), featuring an action buffet, cook-to-order stations and à la carte menu, and the Cornerstone Restaurant, providing menu service for lunch and dinner. The new Goose & Gridiron Tavern (shown upper right) will feature regular entertainment and specials. A new terrace dining area, overlooking the picturesque Formal Gardens, includes a fire pit and live music during the spring, summer and fall.

Renovations have also been completed along the “Main Street” corridor, where residents can gather, pick up their mail, visit the Village Shoppe, browse the updated library or use the multimedia room for a lifelong learning event.

At Masonic Village at Sewickley, a new exhibition kitchen in the restaurant features a salad bar and a stone hearth oven, ideal for baking breads, roasts, pizza and even desserts. The Grille Room has been expanded with an additional 22 seats indoor. The dining room now includes an outside seating area, overlooking the woods, with five tables. Residents can also gather in a new pub in the Clubhouse, which will serve finger foods, Monday through Saturday.

Photos: (right upper middle) Masonic Village at Sewickley Restaurant, (right lower middle) Masonic Village at Sewickley Grille Room and (right bottom) Masonic Village at Sewickley buffet line and stone hearth oven.

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Masonic Villages

www.masonicvillages.org

Pennsylvania Freemason

NEW RETIREMENT OPTIONS! NEW COTTAGES Masonic Village at Elizabethtown began construction on 72 retirement living cottages along Commandery Road in April 2017, and by Early November, the first residents moved into their new homes. Each cottage has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious sunroom with the option for a den, two-car garage and a select number with basements.

Open floor plans provide between 1,543 and 2,000 sq. ft. of maintenance-free living space. The cottages are also equipped with smart home technology. Only a few cottages remain available. For more information, call 717-473-0614.

have access to selected amenities on the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown campus. These townhomes would be adjacent to the Sycamore Square market place.

Masonic Village is pre-marketing the townhomes, and depending on interest, construction would begin spring 2018, with the first occupants moving in late 2018.

Designed with open floor plans ranging from 1,275 to 1,447 square feet, all townhomes would offer one level living, two bedrooms, a patio or balcony and attached private garage with storage. Each townhome will include contemporary finishes and smart home technology features for a unique blend of maintenance-free living and flexibility.

For more information, call 717-473-0614.

SMART TECHNOLOGY FEATURES

TOWNHOMES AT SYCAMORE Across the street from the Elizabethtown Amtrak station, Masonic Village at Elizabethtown has proposed a group of 48 townhomes that would offer adults age 60+ looking for alternatives to traditional active adult communities easy access for commuting and traveling. Residents would also

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Masonic Villages has partnered with K4Connect, a technology company focused on serving and empowering older adults and individuals living with disabilities, to roll out new options which bring the latest technology directly to residents’ fingertips.

Home automation features, such as light switches, thermostats, pedometers, motion sensors, etc., can be controlled through mobile devices. A specially designed portal serves as a single point of access for dining menus, campus news and updates, event calendars, games, photo/ video sharing and more. These options will be phased into retirement living areas at all campuses.

Masonic Villages

www.masonicvillages.org 31

Increase Your Retirement Income Did you know you can make a gift to one of the Masonic Charities of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and actually increase your retirement income? If you have CDs that are maturing, and you are reluctant to take out another one because of the low rates, a charitable gift annuity may be for you.

Consider the attractive gift annuity rates listed on the table to the right. For a minimum gift of $5,000, you can receive income for life. What’s more, because a gift annuity is irrevocable, you will receive a federal income tax deduction, receive a portion of your payments tax-free for a period of time and receive satisfaction in the knowledge that you have provided a gift that will strengthen and enhance the important work of the Masonic Charity you have selected. You will be making a difference in the lives of others!

Depending on your circumstances, you may find a gift annuity to be an ideal way for you to realize important personal, as well as charitable, objectives. For more personalized information regarding the benefits of a gift annuity, at no cost or obligation, please call the Masonic Charities at 800-599-6454, or mail the reply form to the right.

Age 70 75 77 81 85 90+

Consider the following sample payment rates: For One Life For Two Lives Rate Age Rate 5.1% 70 & 75 4.8% 5.8% 75 & 80 5.3% 6.2% 78 & 81 5.6% 7.0% 83 & 83 6.3% 7.8% 85 & 87 7.0% 9.0% 85 & 90 7.3%

Note: This is a partial listing. Rates exist for any combination of ages.

COMPLETE AND MAIL THIS FORM TO:

Office of Gift Planning, One Masonic Dr., Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Telephone 800-599-6454  Send me your brochure on charitable gift annuities.  Send me a sample charitable gift annuity illustration based on the following information: Age(s) ________ Amount*: $________ *If you are considering a gift of appreciated stock, please estimate your cost basis: $_____________________ Name(s)________________________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: (

)_________________________________________________________

Email:___________________________________________________________________________

MasonicCharitiesPa.org