Greetings Brothers,
I don’t have to tell you we are in the midst of the “the dog days of summer” but we are a hardy lot and will persevere. We had a nice crowd for the business meeting and were treated to another great meal of stir fry and it was delicious.
We started the meeting in the normal fashion and moved along quickly. We had no petitions submitted so we have no degree work for this month and also the following month.
That doesn’t mean we don’t have things to do. The biggest task is the Chicken BBQ coming up this weekend. Ticket sales have been brisk, so if you haven’t gotten yours yet, call Steven Lourigan or Bill Bouknight.
The first big hurdle to cross for the BBQ is loading the pits with wood. This task is done and we had a great crew last Saturday morning. We started around 7:00am and were finished before 10:00am. What a great job, I’m so proud of you guys.
As happens at every BBQ, we worry that we’ll have enough help. Please plan on doing your part. We need help starting at 7:00am Friday with preparing the sides for the plates and the chicken should arrive around 10:00am. The chickens need to be trimmed and brined, then placed in containers inside the cooler. Please don’t worry that you don’t know what to do, there should be others there to guide you. We have the cole slaw to prepare also. Friday evening when the fire is ready we will remove the chickens from the cooler and start cooking. The cooking process takes all night, and we need a good crew to help us and prepare to stay all night. We will provide lots to eat and drink for you. As has happened in the past, some people will start heading home towards the wee hours of the morning, and the crew has dwindled.
It would be a great help if we can have a group come to help around 4:00am to 5:00am. Then, we will serve breakfast around 7:00am for everyone and start getting plates ready for the rush. We need people for the plate assembly line, to keep supplies coming for the assembly line, and bag the dinners. There’s something for everyone to do. As the sale is winding down, we need a good crew to help clean up. As the saying goes, “It takes a village”.
The other task for August is our quarterly Adopt-A-Highway litter pick-up. The State schedules this and the date is Saturday August 19th. We will serve breakfast at 7:00am and begin at 7:30. With enough help we will be finished by 9:00am. This is a fun activity for the Brothers and children/ grandchildren. It gives the children a sense of community service.
One more thing, on Friday August 18th, our District Deputy RW Kyle Smathers has gone to great lengths to plan an Inspirational Meeting. This is going to be a great evening with a delicious catered meal, with music and entertainment. This year the guest speaker will be Boyleston’s very own Brother Sheriff Leon Lott. If you have friends and family who have wondered what Masonry is all about, this is a perfect occasion to include them. Unlike any Inspirational we’ve had before, the entire Grand Lodge officers will be there. This is not an official visit to them, they are coming just to mingle with the Brothers of the 10th Masonic District with the goal of getting to know the Brothers better. Even better, everything is already paid for. It won’t cost you anything to attend. The venue for the meeting is the Scottish Rite building at 6600 Garners Ferry Rd. Columbia starting at 7:00pm. It’s best to be there around 6:30pm.
As I said previously, we have no degree work for August or September so let’s support our other activities. Thank you so much, I look forward to seeing you.
Respectfully,
Jud B. Close, PM
Worshipful Master, 2023