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The
Trestleboard Owasso
Masonic Lodge #545 “Men
working together to build a better community” |
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October 6, 2005
Volume X, Number I |
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2005
Lodge Officers Worshipful
Master Senior
Warden Junior
Warden Senior
Deacon Junior
Deacon Senior
Steward Junior
Steward Chaplain Tyler Secretary Treasurer We’re
on the Web at |
From the East
Greetings
Brethren, This
was a process where seeds were planted, cultivated, took root and are
being harvested today. They were presented a vision, with persistence
and through support of a team effort our city is where it is today. We
as Mason’s should evaluate this process and spread it though-out our
fraternity. I would like to see our membership and involvement with the
community grow right with the city. This
year has been a real eye opener as leader of the lodge, with outstanding
memorable rewards with a solid education. Through it’s teachings I
encourage each and everyone to become an officer of this lodge to
continue growth and new ideas. We can make the difference by
participating together. I
extend my personal invitation to each and every one of you to attend
lodge as often as possible on lodge meeting and fellowship nights. Fraternally, W\Theron S.
Richardville Sr. From the West
We
are having a great time this year, and would love to see you come down
to fellowship with us. We need the knowledge and experience you can
provide the members that are new to the organization. We all need to
hear the stories you can provide and point of view you can offer in our
discussions. We
are planning some great events which you are invited to attend. On Sincerely, Chris
Couch From the South
Things
are going well at the lodge. We now support three (3) different youth
groups in our lodge. We have the Rainbow Girls, DeMolays and now the
Job’s Daughters. The youth
groups need our support in many ways, yes occasionally they ask us for
financial assistance if they have a member that needs it for some
special function, but they also need our attendance at their meetings
and at their fundraisers. All the youth groups are always looking for
more help from adults. Whether it be simply driving the kids somewhere
or just someone to come down and cook some pancakes whatever we can do
will help. Another important
thing that we can do to help support OUR youth groups is by helping them
with their membership. I know that there are many Brothers out there
with daughters, sons, granddaughters, grandsons, nieces or nephews that
need the youth groups. The
youth groups need them too. Our DeMolay chapter is in a rebuilding phase
now and they have been for several years.
The Rainbow assembly is always looking for bright young girls.
The Job’s Daughters are in need of members as well, they moved to our
lodge last year from Coweta and now they need our help to insure that
they keep going. The
Lodge does benefit from these youth groups as well, currently the lodge
has five (5) Senior DeMolays in the line. Our Senior Warden is going to
be the first Senior DeMolay from Owasso to be in the East. Our lodge
also has two (2) Past State Master Councilors from Owasso that are
members and the current State Master Councilor also from Owasso is in
waiting to receive his EA degree. If
you know of some young person who needs these youth groups or someone
that these youth groups need please contact me and I will point you in
the proper direction to get this young person on the pathway to light. Fraternally,
From the Secretary’s Desk
I
would like to take this opportunity to inform the craft where we stand
at this time as far as membership goes and try to explain the reason why
there was such a drastic dues increase.
At the beginning of the year the Owasso Masonic Lodge had 193
members and since that time we have lost one Brother due to death and
one Brother has been suspended for non-payment of dues per his request.
As of July 18, 2005 we have 191 members. Of the 191 members, 74
have purchased perpetual membership at 15 times the annual dues rate at
the time of purchase. Some
of these memberships were purchased nearly 20 years ago when the annual
dues were only $25 a year at a cost of $375.
The Grand Lodge of Oklahoma then puts this money into a trust and
we receive the interest earned off this money.
Currently we are earning approximately 6.2%.
In addition to the 74 living perpetual members the Lodge is
receiving monies from 13 Memorial and Deceased Brethren.
All together the Lodge received 2218.93 from the Grand Lodge as
dues for the 74 perpetual members and the 13 Memorial/Deceased Brothers
that leaves us with 117 dues paying members.
Of the 117 dues paying members 12 have had their dues remitted
because of health reasons and being on fixed income.
That brings us down to 105 dues paying members of which 35 have
not yet paid their 2005 dues. The
Order of the Eastern Star does pay rent at the cost of $1000 a year to
the lodge. So for the
year 2005 our income to date is $10218.93.
Now for the expenses, Grand Lodge Per-Capita Tax $1384.79,
Building Insurance $2154.00, and Utilities for the first six months of
the year $2224.68 for a total of $5763.47.
With six more months of utility expenses to go we expect our
total expenses for just the basic necessities to exceed $8000.
The next list of expenses is per the bylaws of our Owasso Masonic
Lodge and call for 1% of annual dues to be earmarked for the Lodge
Relief Fund, used to assist any Mason, Wife, Widow, or Child in need at
a cost of $191. The bylaws
also state that 4% of annual dues to be earmarked for the Building Fund
at a cost of $764 for a total of $955.
This brings the list of expenses to approximately $9000 and we
have yet included postage (dues notices, dues cards, past dues
notices…) office supplies, printing costs, lawn maintenance (with gas
at $2.79 a gallon), meal supplies for our Fifth Tuesday dinners to which
all are invited. There is
also cost associated with sending our Junior and Senior Wardens to
school for training to assist them in running the lodge, as well as
lodge schools of instruction. We
recently solicited quotes to replace the 35 year old heating and air
conditioning units, and to replace them it would cost us over $20,000.
If dues were kept at $50 a year we would only have $8, 468.93 to
cover all these expenses.
Fraternally,
Rust Nail Degree
Brothers,
if you haven’t been to Lodge in a while, perhaps a L-O-N-G while, you
may be concerned that you don’t remember all the little details of
getting into Lodge. If you fall in this group, Owasso Lodge will have a
program that is aimed straight at you on Tuesday 11 October 2005. |
