Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Council 3rd Arch Meeting


Well after a few days for the family as Laura and her finance came up for Memorial day weekend to spend with us, it is back to the Masonic trail again for a few days.  Tonight we went to Houston's where there was good turnout from the Arch and had a nice meal. Afterwards MIC Bobbie Campbell installed the new Arch officers and they handed out several awards but were finished in time to head home at a reasonable hour. I sat with MIC Lynn Alexander and Carol and we had a nice conversation over dinner.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

KYCH Meeting

Tonight was the Montgomery County KYCH Club Meeting. We met a Houston's near Lebanon for the meeting. There were too many dignitaries to mention but from the KYCH line was MWB Norm Mick and Past Prior Lynn Chadbourne. After dinner we had a nice program discussing Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. This is the second time I have heard a talk on this Cemetery and it was just as interesting as the first which was from a different viewpoint.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Star Chapter Stated Meeting

Tonight I travelled up to Mechanicsburg and started off with a visit to my friend Tom Schoff. Tom was Potentate of Antioch in 2010 while I was serving on the Divan line. He has had many health issues and can't leave the house at this time except for doctors appointments. He is in fairly good spirits and although full time on oxygen can carry on a conversation as normal. It was really a nice visit with him and his wife Collette. I then headed down to the temple which is right down the street. It was their stated Chapter meeting night but unfortunately they did not have a sufficient number to meet. We fellowshipped for a while and I headed back home. The skies turned very dark and I started getting notices for tornado warnings. I called Pam and she indicated a touchdown had happened at the next exit to where I was headed so I quickly got off the highway and watched for it to pass. Afterwards I headed the rest of the way home as soon as possible.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Interesting Day

This year I decided that I was going to start several volunteer activities. I wanted to do one with the Veterans so I'm assisting at the Wright Patterson USO office which is really nice as you get to interact with lots of young men and women (many under 25) who are serving so we can continue to enjoy are freedoms in when it means potential harm to them. I wanted to help out those in situations which they needed some assistance so I applied to volunteer at Hospice to take patients to appointments and provide their caregivers with some relief while I would visit with them. I finally passed all the inspections and tests and start on my assignments this week,  In addition, I decided I wanted to be active in improving the community and since a good friend of mine was just appointed to Township Trustee where I live, I gave him a call and he was able to suggest a community group set up to assist Miami Township and its' residents which I am checking into going to assist them. I've also been trying to assist with my Grandma, who is in a nursing home, but needs help with everything she does. These where all things I wanted to do when I retired and now am getting the chance.

Monday, May 22, 2017

McArthur #102 Stated Meeting

Tonight I went over to McArthur to their stated meeting. They had a good turnout for a smaller Chapter in which I heard was having some struggles, They had a quorum and were able to open as it was obvious they do every meeting. They had a very efficient business meeting and election of officers. After socializing for a few minutes, I was headed back home.

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Irish Council Knight Masons USA

Today was the stated meeting for this group in West Carrollton where we vote on new proposals and practice for the fall when we hold our initiation and annual meeting. As a Past Excellent Chief, I luckily get to sit on the sidelines. It is a litlle special this year for me though sincce the Excellent Chief is Robert Oldfather who I appointed to the line around 8 years ago. We had a good turnout for a regular stated meeting but the best part was all the officers were present. PGM Neil Smalley, PGC Burch Zehner, PGHP Steve Duncan and PGM Mike Himes were all present. Grand Officer for Knight Masons, Martin Trent, was also in attendance.

4th District GHP Reception

Tonight was the 4th District GHP Reception and they had a nice crowd including Grand Principal Sojourner Dan Smith, Grand Master 3rd Veil Ron Hart Sr. and Grand High Priest Jeff Addis. MWB Norm Mick was also in attendance as was Dale Olson from the Grand Commandery.The evening Stated out with a nice meal provided by the Eastern Star after which we headed upstairs for the program. They also honored the late MEC Terry Myers. Afterwords, we went back downstairs for some entertainment provided by REC Harless Maynard and his wife Jennifer,


Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Ormus Grotto Stated Meeting

Tonight was our stated Grotto Meeting in Beavercreek. We had several pieces of business to attend with but covered all of them with relative speed. In addition, we voted to remit dues for a couple of our members in need. We also brought up about creating a degree team and assigned parts.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Shrine Greeter's Ladies Night

Tonight the Greeter's group I belong to in the Shrine had their Ladies Night Dinner. I was a great dinner and we had a super turnout. Luckily this time it was held a week earlier and Pam was able to attend with me. After we had dinner, we held our meeting while the Ladies played a few games the President's wife had created for them. After hearing from our Potentate, we all headed home.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Morning Activities

This morning I had planned to attend the 3rd Arch Council degrees in Lebanon but do to a couple things outside my control. I just headed down to the Dayton Temple to hand over an Eastern Star gavel. It appears it was the gavel used in Tippecanoe Chapter OES in 1959 to celebrate their 50th Anniversary of the Chapter. I'm hoping the Chapter sees this as a piece of their history and can put it on display instead of sitting in a box at my house.

Ormus Grotto and Khana Shahar Grotto Joint Ceremonial

Despite several last minute schedule changes with who was doing which parts, we were able to assist Khana Shahar with 2 new candidates who went through the ceremonial today in Springfield. We did the first and last sections from Ormus and they did the middle ceremonial portions. We kept the work moving along as several of us had another activity to head to shortly after closing. We also had District Deputies Tom Schliep and Tom Bevington present with Tom Bevington also being 1st VP of the Ohio Grotto Association.

Grand High Priest 5th District

Tonight was the 5th District Grand High Priest Reception for MEC Jeff Addis in Chillicothe Ohio. Also present were REC Ryan Adams Grand Master 2nd Veil, REC Jeff Humble Grand Necrologist  and REC Dan Smith Grand Principal Sojourner. MEC Jean Justice and MEC Keith O'Dell, both Past Grand High Priests from this District, were also in attendance. We started out with a nice dinner (which I believe was cooked by Cathy Adams). Afterwards they had a couple of introduction and a couple of gifts for the GHP along with District Awards which were passed out. After a few words from the GHP, we all headed back home. I was also happy to be able to turn over to Keith O'Dell the Grand Historians information,

Friday, May 12, 2017

Grand High Priest Reception13th District

Tonight was the GHP reception and awards night for the 13th Capitular District being held in Athens. The night may not have started out the best as one of the companions fell down the stairs and broke his arm but trust me it did get better (and his dad told us it was just a broken arm and no worse). The evening began with a dinner prepared by the Eastern Star and afterwards went right into the awards. It was good to see REC John Jarvis out and doing well. Unfortuantely, REC Rod Carr texted us at the end of the reception that he had to stay late at work so we missed them this evening.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Covenant Thacher Chapter #222 Stated

Tonight I headed up by Cleveland in Fairview Park to attend a stated Chapter meeting. I had originally planned to attend their Inspection but do to the change in some other commitments, I had to postpone the visit until last night. It was nice that the meeting was short and we all then came out and sat around the tables fellowshipping and it actually gave me a better opportunity to talk with them and hear their concerns. I heard the same themes that I've heard when talking with the Companions, they are busy working in all the Masonic bodies and sometimes it is hard to plan the needed education and social events as they are too busy just doing the mundane of stated meetings, paying bills and reading minutes, etc. ... something I really think we need to come up with a better way of handling.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

MWB Kaylor Honors Recognition

Tonight my Council had a special program to honor MWB Kaylor who is a member of our Council and actually helped us out with ritual parts for a while. It started out with a dinner and then the Mayor Dick Church (also a member of our Council) presented him with a special certificate from the city as MWB Kaylor also lives in Miamisburg. The MIGM Ed Herrick was also in attendance with some of his officers. PGHP George Shell, PGIM Bobbie Campbell, Arch Inspector Mike Smith and State Rep Scott Lipps all who are members of our Council. We then went upstairs to listen to some high school singers.

Monday, May 8, 2017

Summit Baker # 74 Stated Chapter Meeting

Tonight I traveled to Twinsburg Ohio near Cleveland. This is REC Bob Nielsen's chapter who is DDGHP  for the 16th district.  It is also the last chapter in Ohio that I had not been to yet.  They have several new members and were practicing the MEM  degree tonight to get some new people prepared to help them with the degree. The High Priests ran a very efficient  meeting.  I could definitely see tonight why it was mentioned that this chapter has really made a good turnaround. Unfortunately on my way home the highway was closed for about an hour so we were stopped in traffic during that time.   Glad I don't have to get up early in the morning.

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Grottto State Meeting

This morning I went to Perrysburg to attend the state meeting of the Grotto. As the new Secretary for our Grotto I definitely wanted to attend as I knew the Executive Secretary and Grand Monarch would be present and could help me out with a couple issues I had run into. Our State President, Josh Anderson, is also a younger very enthusiastic guy and the meetings are always efficient and entertaining. I wasn't disappointed as we covered lots of items and still finished on time.

9th District GHP Reception

MEC Addis keeping up updated on the Kentucky Derby
This evening was the Grand High Priest Reception for the 9th District held in Norwalk Ohio. They had a nice turnout and as always a nice reception including appetizers for their socializing. Since our Grand High Priest, Jeff Addis, is a retired police officer they had plenty of police themed items but I thought the best was the give aways which were a small package of donuts. MEC Addis also brought one of his Aides with him for the evening. After dinner they presented awards and had a Scottish Bag Piper and Drummer entertainers.

Friday, May 5, 2017

3rd District Annual Meeting

Tonight was our Annual meeting for the Chapter District and we had a nice dinner with the ladies and then went up to elect officers for next year and discuss plans for the future. PGHP George Shell and Steve Duncan were present while PGHP Jerry Craword continues to recover from his lastest fall. Our President elect Alf Butler has some big plans for the District from a social events standpoint and I really happy with the quality of our officers this year. While our discussions for improvement in the future went a little long, it was a very good discussion.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Trinity Chapter


Tonight I went to my Chapter stated meeting and we also portrayed the Royal Arch Degree for 3 candidates. The work moved right along and all work was done by members of our Chapter (and believe it our not, we had people on the sidelines as well). They did a good job with some performing their parts for the first time. After the degree work we went downstairs for Anne Hoskins famous Lemon Pie ... glad I didn't miss this meeting as it was delicious.

Monday, May 1, 2017

Hi 12 Meeting

Today I went to the Dayton Hi 12 Club at the Dayton Temple. We were in a different room today since they had a party where we normally meet over the weekend and they had yet to clean up the room. As normal we had lunch and then a speaker. One thing I like about Hi 12 is you get to see many of the men who worked in the lodge for years but now like to travel during the day as they have trouble seeing at night.

PDDGM Dinner Meeting

Well tonight I headed back up to the Dayton Temple as we meet for dinner with the PDDGM's. Our crowd this evening was a little smaller than normal as some were at a 32 club meeting for Scottish Rite. I really like hearing what the Grand Lodge is discussing in their meetings and also hearing about what is going on with the various lodges in our District. After fellowshiping for a while after the meeting, we all headed home.