Dead Lodges Walking

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski

One of my favorite sayings is "You can't step on the same piece of water twice." It's akin to "You can never really go home." We long for times when things seemed better. We fight the current to return to Whence We Came instead of dealing with an uncomfortable, unpleasant, or unfamiliar Now. We want to have what we once had, to go back to running a Lodge like we did generations ago.

This is the drag and inertia we see in Lodges, and frankly, it's been killing us. It's the REASON we are where we are. If only we could go back to doing things that made us great! Except it's not the same river. That water has moved on. And we didn't thrive years ago because of anything special we did. Everyone joined everything and they didn't care if it was Freemasonry or any other reason to have another night out.

If we REALLY want to return to what made us great, we have to go much farther back -- to times like TODAY when Lodges that survive do so because they bring meaning and value, not because the masses to fill our rolls want to wear another pin or a fez.

We want to blame television (and more recently, the Internet), apathy, and lack of attendance. We blame parenting for lack of interest in joining. Maybe the fault is us. We think we are more committed and dedicated by being in Lodge just because we are there. Years ago, that was good enough -- or maybe it wasn't but we got away with it. Today, some of the most Masonic of us have learned to pick and choose. We go where the action is -- where we are needed for more than a dues payment or to fill in a chair just to open long enough to pay bills.

We complain about being in a holding pattern -- or a slow spiral downward -- but don't do anything to break out of it. In fact, we will do anything NOT to break out of it. We focus on petitions, money, or a building as if these are the ends and not the means. Masonry isn't rocket science. We don't "make good men better" by running a club that just happens to have some old ritual. We provide instruction and mentorship through fraternal solidarity of purpose.

That's it. Everything we do can be guided by this purpose, from checking in on Brothers to providing relief, to nourishing minds and hearts with programs, to practicing it all by making a difference in the world through community projects.

If a Lodge lacks any of these, we need to address that, not complain about why people don't attend. It's not a secret why some Lodges are thriving and others are not. The ones who do the Work are not talking about mergers or seem desperate for petitions. They are focused on the purpose, not the result.

What would going back to the "Golden Years" of Masonry actually mean? Should we pretend that world still exists and shake our fists at fate for not delivering us into a promised land of busting Degree cycles? That's what we've been doing for almost half a century and it's gotten us nowhere. And Masonic authors from long before this shared the same fears our Craft would not survive another generation. But they've also shared the solution over and over and over -- meaningful programs and instruction.

But knowing the solution and not taking it elevates the issue to "level 2 tech support" where obstructionists need to stand down, step down, or go just away. Our own members are why we can't have nice things.

Freemasonry is starting to finally emerge from this. It's stronger where it counts, having shed skin that doesn't fit anymore. But we still have plenty of Dead-Lodges-Walking and leaders who will keep a Lodge on life support until they -- or the Lodge -- are gone. Forget merging dead lodges into larger dead heaps and waiting for people to age out. Pull charters. Emeritus-away the old guard if they can't let go of the reigns. Stop glorifying hold-outs. Let's climb on the life raft of functional, healthy Lodges. The Fraternity needs some excision or we all risk going down with the ship.

~JP

 

Bro. Ken JP Stuczynski is a member of West Seneca Lodge No.1111 and recently served as Master of Ken-Ton Lodge No.1186. As webmaster for NYMasons.Org he is on the Communications and Technology Committees for the Grand Lodge of the State of New York. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason, serving his second term as Sovereign Prince of Palmoni Council in the Valley of Buffalo, NMJ. He also coordinates a Downtown Square Club monthly lunch in Buffalo, NY. He and his wife served as Patron and Matron of Pond Chapter No.853 Order of the Eastern Star and considered himself a “Masonic Feminist”.

Boots Across America

by Midnight Freemason Emeritus Contributor

Bro. Aaron R. Gardner, 32˚

Over the past couple years, I attempted to raise awareness to the number of veterans who were losing their personal wars after returning home in an effort known as “Brothers in Aprons for Brothers in Uniform”. The concept was easy, donate money to help other organizations that assisted in finding military personnel that were living homeless in our country and forward them a hoping chance at survival and becoming effective citizens in the United States again. For so much money raised, I would run a mile. However, the attempt didn’t go as according to planned.

The initial mission was to have as many lodges across the country raise money in their lodge and that money would go toward the efforts by individuals that would scour the homeless populations, searching for veterans. Understandably, many lack the confidence in what their money is actually going towards. However, over the time that this awareness mission was in effect the number of people liking the facebook page, “Brothers in Aprons for Brothers in Arms”, has multiplied. Forcing me to believe that all wasn’t lost; people still do care and want to help where they can, even if it isn’t in helping raise funds.

Therefore, I am attempting another mission that will still provide that sense of duty from our Masonic Brothers toward the brothers and sisters who have written a blank check to the defense of this great nation. This is titled “Boots Across America”. Yet, again the mission is simple. Raise money to help various organizations that make veterans, military members, police officers and other public service members, the main focus.

To help alleviate the issues that arise when raising money, the goal is to establish a location in every lodge across the country that members can give in their own ability to an organization that has been agreed upon by the lodge at the time the lodge has agreed to donate the money. This will help keep the rest of brothers who are unsure of what they are paying for. Below this article I have included a list of various charities that make an effort to help our military, police, firefighters and EMTs.

If the national level of charitable organizations is something your lodge is not interested in providing for, it is completely understandable. There are local organizations that are in dire need of your assistance. My local lodge has recently decided to take an old boot of mine and use it to collect any monies that brethren are willing to donate, and attribute it toward local fund raising money for monuments for the Gold Star Mothers and Blue Star Mothers in Genesee County, which I will be publishing an article on my “Off Topic” blog, as well as different newspapers in the local area.

If your lodge would like to help contribute to any fund that offers assistance toward our military, police, firefighters and emts; I would highly suggest you place a boot in your lodge that allows for loose change to be donated. Perhaps, you can use the boot at your monthly pancake breakfast or whatever else you use to help raise money for the lodge and your lodge’s endeavors. If you would like access to a boot, access to a public presentation of this event, or anything else, you may contact me via telephone or email (located at the bottom of this article, just before the chartiable organizations). I would be honored to provide an old combat boot of mine, or to come to your lodge to provide a presentation about what “Boots Across America” is all about.

~ARG

Aaron R. Gardner (aarongardner@aaronrgardner.com) (810) 423-3932

List of Charities
Military oriented: 

USA Cares: http://www.usacares.org  

Hope for Warriors: http://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/
Puppies Behind Bars: http://www.puppiesbehindbars.com/home
Spirit of America: https://spiritofamerica.org/
Operation Gratitude: https://www.operationgratitude.com/

Police Oriented:
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund: http://www.nleomf.com/
Correctional Peace Officers Foundation: http://cpof.org/

Fire Fighter Oriented:
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: https://www.firehero.org/

EMT Oriented
NAEMT Foundation: http://www.naemt.org/foundation.aspx

H.I.K.E.

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Judy A. Gordon

This is an article by Judy A Gordon originally printed in The Working Tools magazine. 

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

~ Bro. Mark Twain

If you hear me say…”go take a H.I.K.E”.…do not be insulted. In the Job’s Daughters word, H.I.K.E has a new meaning. Here is a brief history of H.I.K.E.;

The HIKE Fund, Inc. (Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund) collects funds to award to children who are in need of hearing aids or other assistive listening devices whose parents or guardians are unable to meet this specific need.

The HIKE Fund, Inc. was created in 1985 by Emma Tedrick and Charles Terrill, the international leaders for Job's Daughters International (JDI). The Fund was developed as the philanthropic project of the JDI, a Masonic youth organization for girls, to give the members of that organization a specific and unique charity to which they were able to devote their energies.

The first years of existence of The HIKE Fund, Inc. was focused on establishment and it’s stability. Articles of Incorporation were filed in the State of Nebraska in 1985, and HIKE was temporarily set up as a 501(c)(3) organization with the Internal Revenue Service of the United States. During the first year of operation, approximately $20,000 had been donated to the fund and awards were granted to seven children in the Philippines. Soon after, a $10,000 base endowment was placed in a certificate of deposit. In 1990, a review of the fund's records brought a final ruling from the IRS for The HIKE Fund, Inc. to be considered a tax-exempt charity.

Since those early years, several things have occurred to increase the reputation and responsibility of the organization.

With increased donations and awards has come increased community awareness. Each year the number of applicants increases dramatically. Fortunately, the revenue of The HIKE Fund has increased such that all worthy applicants are provided funding, although there is a waiting list of up to six months for many applicants.

The price of hearing devices continues to inflate. The HIKE Fund, Inc. awards funds to all children and adolescents from birth to the age of 20 years that have demonstrated both a medical and financial need. Recipients can reapply for an additional award after four years. There is no limit on the number of awards given per family.

As the work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. grew, the organizational structure was modified and the size of the board of directors was increased to better serve the purposes of HIKE. Additional board members have been added and responsibilities have been modified to increase the effectiveness of HIKE.

There continue to be no paid solicitors or paid board members. All members of the Board of Directors and all helpers and members of Job's Daughters who collect the funds are unpaid volunteers and the percentage of donations distributed to needy children approaches 95% of all funds collected.

Many challenges, both structural and financial, continue to challenge the work of The HIKE Fund, Inc. Today though, the fund continues to prosper and has reached over $3,000,000.00 in awards to children with hearing loss in the United States and the Philippines.

The structure of The HIKE Fund, Inc. is such that it allows for the organization of 36 states from Alaska to Texas and from Hawaii to Delaware into a cohesive unit, working towards a common goal.

There is also, a H.I.K.E. Fund Canada, Ltd. which serves similar needs in that country In the near future; there may be the establishment of a HIKE Fund Brazil as the JDI organization in that country has been giving serious consideration in establishing their own branch.” (www.thehikefund.org)

This past weekend, I was able to witness a 12 year old young lady become a recipient of the H.I.K.E. Fund. She received an $1800 check for her communication needs.
On September 21, 2013, Illinois and Missouri had a joint event called the Lincoln/Truman H.I.K.E. The two states had a friendly competition as to which state raised the most money for H.I.K.E. They met at Cahokia Mounds; (IL) went on a hike, ate lunch (proceeds of lunch to H.I.K.E) and gave out awards to the top Job’s Daughter for the most funds collected. Donations raised that day were Missouri $2397.43/Illinois $2471.00/Lunch $455-total for the day $5323.43!!! 

In Illinois, we have an Honorary State Honored Queen and her project is the H.I.K.E. fund. She is selling purple can cozies that say “kids helping kids “ on the front and “HIKE” on the back ($5). Also, the chairman of grand representatives project for the year is H.I.K.E. as well; and she is selling ear buds, which are in a case ($10). Both young ladies are working very hard to collect funds. For more information on H.I.K.E., please contact: Kaitlyn S kaitiebugg14@gmail.com Chairman of Grand Representative or Annaliza H glassman93@yahoo.com Honorary State Honored Queen.

If you know of a child that is in need of a communication device, go take a H.I.K.E., you will be amazed at the results.

~JAG

Judy Gordon is very active in Job's Daughters. She's the Past Honored Queen, and Past Bethel Guardian of Bethel No. 55, Pekin (IL). She received the Cryptic Masons Masonic Youth Leadership Award along with her husband, Ray Gordon in July 2007. She's also Past Matron of the Morton Chapter No. 974 (IL) of the Order of the Eastern Star and Historian of the Emblem Club No. 424 of Pekin (IL). Judy is the recipient of the Degree of Royal Purple (2012) and elected to the Grand Line Illinois Job's Daughters (2015-16). Boaz joined the family in September 2013 and grandmother of 3 wonderful grandsons.