Starting Your Chapter::
Once you are ready to start, you will need to assemble a minimum of 5 Master Masons who will serve as your starting group of officers. To become a member of the Widows Sons you must be a Master Mason in good standing, and ride a motorcycle capable of sustaining highway speeds. Once a chapter is formed, you may allow brethren to join who are not yet Master Masons according to the directions in our By-Laws, and also allow a defined number of "Associate Members" who are not members of the craft.
Your Officers shall be comprised of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Guardian of Membership, and a Sergeant at Arms. In cases where you only have 5 members to start your chapter, the Guardian of Membership may also serve as the Sergeant at Arms.
Once your Officers have been elected or appointed, your next step will be in drafting a set of By-Laws for your Chapter. Since each Masonic Jurisdiction has differing By-Laws and regulations governing the Freemasons in their State or country, you may tailor your Chapter By-Laws so that your chapter will be in accordance with the regulations in your area. You may download a copy of the Ohio Grand Chapter By-Laws to use as a guide in drafting your own set
Since you will undoubtedly be taking in new members, you will also need an Application for Membership. You may use the Ohio Grand Chapter's form and modify it to meet your needs:
Becoming Established:
Once you have elected your officers and have an initial set of By-Laws to work under, it is very important to perform the next 2 steps in order to become established and avoid problems in the future.
Step 1:
Since the International Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association is not a recognized Masonic Body, we need to follow the laws of the Masonic Jurisdiction we are members of. It is important to state that we are the equivalent of a "Masonic Booster Club" with the following intentions:
A very high percentage of Widows Sons are active members within their Lodges and Grand Lodges. We have members who have served our fraternity as Grand Masters, Worshipful Masters, and Lodge Line Officers. The Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association encourages their members to attend lodge and be involved in lodge activities. We attend many public motorcycle events and often have the opportunity to introduce and explain Freemasonry to potential members and those who are curious about our fraternity. The Widows Sons Masonic Riders strive to represent Freemasonry in a positive light when in the presence of the public, and within the company of our fellow Masons.
Step 2:
The Widows Sons are not a "Motorcycle Club", gang, or 1% group. We are a motorcycle or riding association, comprised of Freemasons. Because we wear a logo or patch to identify our group while riding together, we may possibly be mistaken by motorcycle clubs who are not familiar with us, as being a new club or gang. It is highly important that your new chapter take steps to avoid this misconception. In many states and countries, the predominant motorcycle clubs have restrictions against the formation of new clubs. There are often rivalries between competing clubs, and you do not want your chapter to be mistaken as a supporter of one or the other.
To avoid such problems, each new Chapter must find out who the predominant MC clubs are in their area, and arrange a courtesy visit with their Presidents. During these visits you will also explain the nature and purpose of the Widows Sons, and stress that we are an Association and not an MC Club. You may state that we are internationally recognized, approved, or accepted by MC clubs in each of the states and countries we operate in. In America, the Outlaws and Hells Angels, along with their associate clubs have an understanding at the national level of who the Widows Sons are, and have given us permission to operate without being mistaken for a MC club. You will want to bring a sample of your Widows Sons patch or logo so that they may become familiar with it and be able to recognize you as a member of a Riding Association in your future travels. If you neglect this important step, it may be interpreted as a sign of disrespect and can cause you problems down the road.
If either your Grand Master or any MC clubs in your area have questions or reservations about a new chapter forming in your state, you may contact your Grand Chapter President for further assistance.
Once you have operated for one year and have successfully cleared any hurdles which may come in the way of your success, your Chapter will be issued a Widows Sons Charter. At this time your Chapter will then have the authority to facilitate the formation of new or associate chapters within your state or country. Feel free to contact your National Director at any time for any further assistance or advice that you may need.
We wish you the best of luck and success in your endeavors!