a mission with Infinite Possibilities

With 550 members, a mission statement and passionate officers, Infinity Lodge No. 546, Penn Hills, continued to grow their lodge in 2022 after welcoming the second most new members across the state in 2021.

Following a team building outing at a local Escape Room, the lodge officers penned the following mission statement: “Freemasonry is about making good men better by facilitating personal growth through education, mentorship, leadership, service and social development.” They agree it sets the tone for the lodge’s ambitious membership and recruitment goals.

“We said, ‘Well, why do we exist?’” Brother Lyon Zeibak ( pictured right in the tux), Worshipful Master, said. “What is Freemasonry? Every officer contributed, and we came up with that statement as a lodge and presented it at a lodge meeting.”

Seeing new members come in the door is a motivation. Once someone has submitted a petition, the real work begins. Each new member is assigned a mentor.

“We know that a mentor is going to teach them, first what they need to know, but second of all, be there for any questions they have,” Brother Craig Blauser, Senior Warden and Membership Chair for the 54th Masonic District, said. “We’re able to make sure the mentor has the resources he needs and somebody else to reach out to if he needs help finding an answer.”

New members also attend monthly mentorship classes at the lodge, where they’re educated on the requirements of each degree and have time for fellowship.

“We have snacks and beverages at the classes, and they’re very informal,” Lyon said. “Half of the discussion is not so much on the education, but just about life. Over the course of them going through the degrees, they’re not just getting the Masonic education, but growing their connections; us getting to know them, and them getting to know us gets a lot deeper.”

The lodge holds regular open houses for the public, featuring food, refreshments, lodge tours and question and answer sessions. If a guest Mason is visiting the lodge for the first time, they receive one of the lodge’s challenge coins as a token of friendship and brotherly love.

“It’s very cool to see the different types of people who come in,” Craig said. “You know you can become friends with them and talk with them.”

Infinity Lodge’s stated meetings typically feature a speaker; for example, in September, a brother who is a retired Chief of Police spoke about identify theft. The lodge also hosts socials, like a campfire and cookout at a member’s house, a meet up at a Pirates game or family picnics.

“It’s great to be part of this brotherhood, this network,” Lyon said. “It’s not just coming to lodge meetings, although lodge meetings are even more fun when you hang out with people at the ballpark, for example, and then you see them at a meeting. It just makes lodge even more special.”

Within the local community, the lodge contributes to a scholarship for high school students every year and donates to three different food banks in the area. Members have planted trees in the community and built benches at a local park.

“We’re a fraternal order, but the impression in the local area is that Freemasons are a service organization,” Lyon said. “Building your communities is certainly a Masonic activity. That’s a good reputation to have.”

Planning events, mentoring new members, coordinating community service projects and dealing with budgets and building upkeep takes more than just a few officers.

“It is a big team effort,” Lyon said. “The secretary is very important, and every officer and people who aren’t officers are involved in different committees to help ease the burden.”

Infinity Lodge seeks to enrich current members and enlighten new ones, and ultimately, be there for each other and those in need. More members mean more mentors and increased opportunities to help the community, a win-win for members, the municipality of Penn Hills and beyond.

“Becoming a Freemason was probably one of the best things I did in my life,” Lyon said. “It’s beautiful. You meet people from other states who come to visit, and then you visit their lodges and spend time with them outside of lodge. And when I need help, I know who to ask, and brothers know to ask me for help, too.”

Brother and Col. Harris Brooks, Brotherhood Lodge No. 126, Philadelphia, and USAF (Ret), developed a military baby shower concept more than 13 years ago as a part of the “Help for Our Heroes” program sponsored by Pennsylvania Freemasons.

As part of the event, moms-to-be who are in the military or whose partners are in the military are treated like “Queens for the Day,” receiving prizes and gifts during a beautiful luncheon.

“I started this program because I wanted to take care of the families,” Col. Brooks said at the baby shower held on Oct. 30 at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia. “A baby shower is an important milestone when becoming a mom. But when you are part of a military family, doing without a baby shower is often another sacrifice that is made. We are here today to make sure that isn’t the case. We are all your family, and we wanted you to have your shower.”

Maj. Gen. Jay Barry echoed these sentiments during his remarks. “This is all about the moms today,” he said.

More than 50 moms-to-be from all branches of service across Pennsylvania attended the shower, including two moms who were expecting twins. The shower included brunch, maternal and baby health information, shower games with prizes and the opportunity to network with other moms-to-be.

Gifts included baby blankets hand-crocheted by Rona Kornfeld and Audrey Stahl, a Fisher Price Kick & Play, a baby video monitor, an ear and forehead baby thermometer, a Vtech sitto-stand walker and a convertible car seat.

At the end of the day, the moms-to-be were truly surprised when they learned each of them would be going home with two additional large gifts: a travel system and a $200 buybuy BABY gift card!

Mom-to-be Hanna Hyon, an active-duty medical administrator at Biddle Air National Guard Base in Horsham, PA, said she was thrilled to attend the shower.

“The Freemasons are so thoughtful for supporting us as a community,” she said. “It takes a village to raise a baby. We received so many amazing toys and critical devices that will help us when the baby’s born. It takes some of the financial burden off us, too. It’s just a wonderful event.”

Lucy Bustamante, morning news anchor for NBC10 and breaking news anchor for Telemundo62, was the Mistress of Ceremonies for the baby shower. Lucy is passionate about serving the Hispanic/ Latinx community and serving military families. She has been involved with the Naval Officers Spouses Association as well as the NBC Universal Veterans network. Her husband is a retired Naval veteran.

She said she felt a special kinship to the moms-to-be and was happy to be part of the wonderful gathering.

Special thanks to Brothers Harry Rutter, Executive Director of Grand Lodge Operations; Mark Perlman and Sam Freeman, P.M. and D.D.G.M.-C, both of Richard Vaux Brotherhood Lodge No. 126, Philadelphia; Sam’s wife, Barbara; and members of the National Sojourners (Masons who have served in the military and dress in authentic military uniforms) for making the event a success.

Since 2008, Pennsylvania Freemasons have contributed over $1.5 million to the “Help for Heroes” program.

The program has also provided calling cards for Pennsylvania soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and to injured soldiers in hospitals, as well as financial assistance for military members facing costly medical bills and job loss, among other needs.

The next military baby shower will be held April 29 at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill. Please continue to support Help for Our Heroes at your next lodge event!