Another 70-yr Award

I almost missed the most important posting of all.   On Thursday, 9/8, Julia and I were off to Cincinnati to present a 70-yr award to Companion John Nullmeier of Cincinnati Chapter #1.

Before the meeting we had a nice dinner of fried or baked chicken with all the trimmings.  I got to meet our recipient and he told me something I found hard to believe.   In the 70 years he had been a member of the Grand Chapter of Ohio I was the first Grand High Priest he had ever shaken hands with.   I thanked him for giving me that honor and was just tickled by it.  He was having a hard time believing I drove from Medina to Cincinnati just to present him his award.  



The East

  After the dinner we went upstairs for the meeting.  It was Cincinnati's stated meeting so they had to open in the Royal Arch.   The Lodge Room is a nice room with what I think has an unique paintings in the east and west.   If you look about the chairs you will wee the sun rising and setting.









The West



After opening and introduction I presented Companion Nullmeier his 70-yr plaque.   He uses a walker to get around but believe me, he is as sharp as a tack and is 91years old.

This is my final presentation of the year and one I shall remember.   Nothing is more enjoyable for a Grand High Priest than giving out service awards, especially 65 and 70 year awards.

I excused myself after the presentation because the drive home was 3 hours and 30 minutes and got rained on most of the way to the meeting.   As luck would have it, we had dry roads all the way home for a change.

A great day.

'til the next time.

 





Wadsworth #385 Steak Fry, 9/10

Saturday afternoon, after the outdoor Mark Master, I headed for Wadsworth for a lodge steak fry.  It started in the morning with a corn-hole tournament.   Meals were served starting at noon and going to 4:00 PM.   The cost was $20.00 for all you could eat.

 The menu consisted of an 8 oz strip steak, baked potato, ear of sweet corn, pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans and cake.

This was the first dinner of this type that the lodge has done and must be considered a great success.  Approximately 75 dinners were served.  Everything but the steaks was donated by Brothers of the Lodge.

A great dinner, good fellowship and a dry place to set and eat unlike earlier today.

 'til the next time.

Outdoor Mark Master, 9/10

At 9:00 AM Saturday, 9/10, the 17th District held its annual Outdoor Mark Master degree in Shalersville and hosted by Silvercreek Chapter.   It has been held here for several years but never has it rained like it did yesterday. 

There is coffee and donuts from 8:00 AM until 9:00 AM when the degree is conferred. After the degree there is a lunch.  Take a look at the pictures of the cooks getting lunch ready.   If you look you can see the water standing in the area behind them.

Normally the degree is done totally outside but thank goodness there is a pavilion available.   It is rather small but we managed to make it do.   Otherwise we would have a had about 30 drowned Companions.   Now the pavilion roof did leak so most of us still got wet, just not soaked.


When all was said and done we had two new Mark Masters so getting wet as worth it.

'til the next time.

Portage Chater #202 Stated Meeting; 9/1

I was asked by the High Priest of Portage Chapter to attend the stated meeting.   Since it is just about 40 minutes to the Chapter, that was no problem.

It turns out that the reason was the Chapter had a presentation for me.   One of the members, EC Virgil Mick, belonged to Akron-Washington Chapter before it merged with Cuyahoga Falls Chapter.   After the merger he found the key stoned that was used in the Most Excellent Master degree.  He managed to have my mark entered in the center with the date of my year on the back.   It is really great.





I want to again thank EC Mick and the members of Portage Chapter for this special gift that I saw used many times at Akron-Washington Chapter.

'til the next time.

Supreme Council A.A.S.R.; August 27-31

On Saturday, 8/27, Julia and I boarded a bus at the Cuyahoga Falls Masonic Temple and we were off to Chicago for Supreme Council, A.A.S.R.    The bus trip was arranged by EC George Tilden of Cuyahoga Falls Chapter.   He and his wife Gloria and REC Richard McMasters and his wife Wilma saw too it that we ate all the way to Chicago.   Between stops to eat at McDonalds we had any type of snack you can imagine.
There were members of the Vallies of Akron, Canton and Youngstown on the bus.  We got to the Sheridan in Chicago around 3:30 PM Chicago time.  Saturday night you were on your own for dinner.

Unlike last year when I got my 33rd in Philadelphia, Julia and I had a some time for sight seeing.   We took a ride around town on one of the double deck buses, went to the aquarium and Navy Pier.  Julia and I were amazed at the number of people on the streets on Sunday.  I would suppose that it is because of the number of people that live in the city.

Sunday night the members of the Valley of Akron go out to dinner together.  This year it was to a restaurant called Sullivan's which is one of 8000, according to the tour bus guide, in the city.  I am embarrassed to say what I payed for my dinner but I will tell you I had the best steak I have ever had.   I had a 12 oz, bone-in, fillet.   I had never had a bone-in fillet and never a steak that will come close to the flavor and tenderness of this one.   Portions of the side dishes and desserts were extremely large and enough for two people.

Monday afternoon was the start of Supreme Council.   Sovereign Grand Commander McNaughton was everything done to have Inspiration, Convenience and Enjoyment.   He held to it at the meeting.   There was very little business conducted but rather entertainment.   There were some awards given out but that was about it.

Tuesday afternoon is the conferring of the 33rd degrees.  It was done in its normal exceptional manner with over 150 candidates.

Tuesday evening was the Ohio dinner where all those newly elected to receive the 33rd degree were announced.   The highlight of the evening is when those Brothers are called and informed of their election.

At 7:30 AM Wednesday morning we boarded the bus and headed home.   Nothing changed!   We ate our way from McDonald's to McDonald's on the way home.

A great trip.

'til the next time.

Update on my eye; August 24th

Well Companions since I told you about my eye earlier I guess I should update you on what is going on.

On August 24th I saw a new surgeon by the name of Dr. Marc Jones.   After checking my eye he agreed with the original diagnosis.   I see him again on September 28th when he will decide if surgery is necessary.  He gave me a 20% chance of not needing it.  The way the eye is acting I think the chance has dropped drastically. 

If I have surgery it works this way.   The doctor goes in through the white and removes a layer of cells from the back of the cornea.   He then transplants cells from a donor to the back of the cornea.   According to the surgeon the biggest problem is getting the transplanted cells to adhere to the cornea.   They do this by putting an air bubble in the eye that forces the transplanted cells up against the cornea.  Dr. Jones told me that I would start seeing sight improvement after about 3 weeks,  good improvement after 3 months and final improvement in about a year.   The eye will never be as good as new but will be pretty darned good.
That is about all I can tell you.

Ohio Priory #18, Springfield, August 20th

Well I finally got to go to Priory.  This was the first time I did not have a conflict with a Grand Chapter function.  The Eminent Prior William Stratton is  close friend and I felt really bad about not being able to support him.

There were two candidates that were knighted at the meeting.  Illustrious Grand Master Lively, Right Eminent Grand Commander Clime and I were all asked to speak for a moment.   EC Clime, a member of the Masonic Home Board,  used his time to talk about the proposed dementia units that are hopefully coming to Western Reserve and Browning Masonic Communities.

After the meeting we retired to the picnic pavilion for a cook-out that sure reminded me of the York Rite Tea cook-out.   We had burger, hot dogs, potato or macaroni salad, baked beans and cookies.     There were approximately 90 in attendance for the cook-out which is a really nice group.

Unlike the trip home from the York Rite tea, Julia and I got home without being rained on.  This was nice for a change.

'til the next time.