| January - March 2008 Master's Message |
|
My Brothers:
I thank you for your vote of confidence in electing and installing me as Master of Columbia Lodge #25 for 2008. I pledge to do my best to merit that confidence. I take great pleasure in joining WB Henry Killam as a third generation master of this lodge. My roots go back in both Daskam and Columbia lodges. My grandfather Louis O. House Jr was master of Daskam Lodge in 1935 and served for more than 25 years as its Secretary. Dad, Louis O. House III, was master of Daskam Lodge in 1956 and served many years as a trustee. My maternal grandfather, Perrin B. Allen was a member of Columbia Lodge. Thus it seemed only appropriate to affiliate with this lodge when I returned to Connecticut from my 28 year sojourn in the woods of Maine. I have scheduled the repeat this quarter of a popular event from last year: the Ladies at Table. I expect that we will “sell out” the Ladies at Table, so get your reservation in early with the Junior Warden for that evening.Unfortunately, WB Rich Beebe discovered that corporate sponsors grabbed all CPTV/UCONN Lady Huskies telethon dates, so we will not be able to participate in a telethon this year. Rich vows to call earlier next year. I am going to try to help the “Kitchen Crew” out this year with more accurate head counts for dinners. All reservations are to be made with the Junior Warden, Jeff Moores by calling his cell phone: 860-614-5474 and leaving a message if he does not happen to be available when you call. Reservations should be made by Sunday evening preceding the dinner, but please call after that if you have a last minute change in plans.Brothers, you may still show up for a dinner without being on Bro. Jeff’s list, but you will pay exactly TWICE the regular price for the meal. I’m asking our chef of the evening to plan for no more than five extra places. We are not being good stewards of lodge funds or food when we have to guess how many will be attending a dinner. There is no reason that we should lose money on any meal. While I’m on the subject of funds, please consider what you would pay for equivalent refreshments at a commercial establishment when you contribute to the basket on the refreshment table. The Wardens and I have discussed dropping the summer picnic from the schedule this year and making our last stated meeting in June a bigger affair. I am also planning to separate our widows program from our ladies night and hold them as different events in the fall. I will be looking for your input for these ideas was well as the two big projects I outlined in the last trestle board at our first meeting in January. Columbia Lodge is fortunate to have a great line of first time officers for 2008. Past masters are occupying only the master’s, treasurer’s, secretary’s and tiler’s chairs this year. Since we also have a number of newly raised brothers who are also good candidates for chairs in the line, the wardens and I are establishing an informal “Stewards Corps” who will sit adjacent to the stewards and be ready to fill in for them should occasion arise. I will give them the opportunity to perform smaller parts in our degree work. Bro. Rick Wilson is the first appointee to the corps. I am looking for additional volunteers.I am asking the corps, as well as the Stewards, to learn portions of the second and third lectures in the EA degree. I am planning to have those lectures regularly portrayed in place of rehearsing the first lecture for the newly admitted brothers. You will notice that I have scheduled a couple of rehearsals to follow a business meeting and a program during the first quarter. This is an intentional attempt to reduce the number of nights out for our “younger” officers. In no way do we wish them to neglect their professional, family, religious or social obligations. There will be a short break between to closing of lodge and the start of the rehearsals to get the refreshments started. Any brother is welcome to sit in on the rehearsal and help wean me from too much Grand Lodge of Maine ritual. Fraternally, Skip House |
