3 minute read
A Brotherhood That Heals
by Joann Williams-Hoxha, Content Manager
In late summer 2022, the Valley of The Firelands board sought to honor and support local veterans, enlisting retired valley veterans CWO-4 William Bevens and MSgt Dwight Damschroder for ideas.
Brothers Bevens, 32°, and Damschroder, 32°, MSA, attended a September 2022 meeting of Cleveland Chapter #23 of National Sojourners, sparking inspiration for their Valley. Impressed with this Masonic organization, they applied for membership and headed home with the idea of starting a chapter in the Firelands area.
In January 2023, the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction sent out a communication encouraging Valleys to support veterans. Around the same time, Valley leaders learned that the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall was scheduled to be in Gibsonburg, Ohio, on Labor Day weekend.
The traveling Wall became the catalyst for the Valley of The Firelands to host a dinner at the American Legion Post aimed at both Mason and nonMason veterans. The event featured Colonel Michael Skomrock as the guest speaker, as well as information about the Scottish Rite, American Legion, National Sojourners, and Masonry in general. Following dinner, attendees visited the Wall, viewed displays from the Northcoast Veterans Museum, and watched the ceremonial lowering of the flag with TAPS at dusk.
Several Vietnam veteran Brothers were in attendance – including one who made it home but lost a comrade and needed some closure. “The Wall helped heal him,” Damschroder said.
“We’re reclaiming people that hadn’t been active Masons in a long time,” he added.
This veteran Brother was an inactive Mason who decided to get more involved when his grandson, a Marine who was home on leave, attended Ohio’s one-day class to join Freemasonry. Scottish Rite Brothers reacquainted him with ritual memorization, and he attended his grandson’s raising. The proud grandfather later joined the Scottish Rite and is an active member of the Valley of The Firelands.
The patriotic event spurred interest in Masonic activities, increased Legion Auxiliary finances, and prompted plans to establish a National Sojourners Chapter, receiving 15 petitioners that evening alone.
Soon after the event in September 2023, they surpassed the minimum needed to establish the Fort Stephenson-Firelands Chapter, culminating in the receipt of their National Sojourners charter on April 23, 2024, with 41 charter members. Fort Stephenson-Firelands became the third active Chapter in Ohio after Cleveland #23 and Dayton.
“Our goal is not just to continue growing but also to help to reconstitute Maumee Chapter, which is currently [inactive], continue to enhance the Valley of The Firelands, be a support to veterans and of course promote patriotism wherever we go,” said Damschroder.
Cover Photo: Chapter Secretary William Bevens, 32°, reads the names of the Charter members as National President Diamond and Chapter President Damschroder look on.
