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(by Filipa Gaspar, The Westmorland Gazette, 28th December 2022)

 

Members of Trinity Lodge in Kendal, part of the Cumberland and Westmorland Freemasons, organised the fundraising as a thank you to the charity which has been supporting the partner of one of its members who has terminal cancer. The event, a Cheese and Wine evening at Kendal Masonic Lodge, raised more than £3,000. But the amount was increased to £5,000 thanks to support from the charity platform Big Give – which runs match funding campaigns for charities like Carer Support South Lakes. All the money goes to Carer Support South Lakes’ Give Carers A Break Appeal which helps provide respite breaks for unpaid Carers – many of whom struggle to get any free time away from their Caring responsibilities. “It’s an amazing amount of money,” says Nicola Edmondson, a Young Carer Support Worker at Carer Support South Lakes which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year. “We are so grateful to the Cumberland and Westmorland Freemasons for their support and would like to say a huge thank you. The funds will… read more:

 

 

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(by Danielle Hicks, Community News, 19 December 2022)

 

At the start of 2022, the Buckinghamshire Masonic Centenary Fund donated over £12,500 to local organisations and individuals. The fund was established in 1991 to aid non-Masonic charitable causes with strong Buckinghamshire connections. It makes donations to these causes on behalf of the 3,000 Buckinghamshire Freemasons, who are the sole source of its financial support. Buckingham Judo Club was one organisation that benefited from the grant in 2022. The donation enabled them to provide 80 sq meters of… read more:

 

 

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(by Amanda Marrazzo, Northwest Herald, December 26, 2022)

 

About 50 recruits from the Great Lakes Naval Base were hosted on Christmas Day at the McHenry Masonic Lodge 158 A.F. & A.M. where Frank Heabler said they cooked up at least 150 eggs and 240 sausage links and 350 pancakes for breakfast. For many of the sailors in boot camp at the North Chicago base, who came from across the country, this is their first Christmas away from home, said Heabler, the worshipful master of the lodge, built in 1854, where Christmas Day has been hosted for the recruits since 2003. Recruits such as Dylan Rumantier, 19, who is experiencing his first Christmas away from his family in Riverside, California. He is missing not only Christmas but a number of birthday parties that his “huge family” of more than 100 relatives gathers for this time of year, including his great grandmother’s birthday on Dec. 31. He also said… read more:

 

 

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(by John Lovejoy, The Daily Jeff, December 24, 2022)

 

Members of the Masonic Volunteer Program from four Masonic Lodges, Flushing #298 in Flushing, Friendship #89 in Barnesville, Point Pleasant #360 in Pleasant City and Harrison #219 in Cadiz distributed fruit baskets to widows and senior Lodge members. The Masonic Volunteer Program is part of the community outreach of the Ohio Masonic Home Resource Center and coordinated by DeAnna Kinney by partnering with local Masonic Lodges and Eastern Star Chapters. This year, 96 fruit baskets were packed and distributed. The volunteers can attest to the satisfaction they feel by assembling and delivering the baskets. Many recipients expressed their gratitude for the gesture and welcomed a visit during the holiday season. It was even more meaningful this year, as so many have been forced to stay home and limit contact with others for a third year, due to COVID-19 and the flu. An important tenet of Freemasonry is that widows and orphans are to be cared for. These Masons use the holidays not only to give a gift to these widows, Eastern Star members, and senior Masons but… read more:

 

 

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(by Ali Ansari, The Spectator, 28 December 2022)

 

The political movement that led to Iran’s first constitution in 1906 – which established the country’s first parliament – was underpinned by an intellectual revolution which absorbed and adapted ideas from the European Enlightenment. How these ideas came to influence Iran, given the absence of a print industry in the country, is a question that has long intrigued intellectual historians. One route was membership of the Freemasons. In 1835, three Iranian Princes paid a visit to London where they visited and commented on the varied and interesting developments that were taking place in England, including the construction of the Thames Tunnel – an engineering wonder – and a review of the political system which was described in thoroughly whiggish terms. Their fascination with British notions of liberty was writ large throughout the diary they kept of… read more:

 

 

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(by Joe Willis, Richmondshire Today, December 21, 2022)

 

Lennox Lodge Freemasons in Richmond have donated more than 250 presents for distribution to families struggling this Christmas. The lodge’s Harry Elliott decided to act after becoming increasingly concerned for those less fortunate. With the help of the other members of the lodge, he set out to buy selection boxes and small gifts to donate to families who may be struggling to make ends meet at this time of year. When they had finished they had purchased and wrapped over… read more:

 

 

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(by editorial board, KROX, December 21, 2022)

 

The Crookston Masonic Lodge and the Crookston Shriners made multiple donations this afternoon to various organizations around the community to help them in their services to the city. The Masonic Lodge made a $1,000 donation to the Golden Link Senior Center for its senior meals, a $500 donation to the Community Food Baskets for their food baskets, and a $600 donation to the Crookston Fire Department for its Toys for Tots program. The Crookston Shriners also donated $250 to the Fire Department for its Toys for… read more:

 

 

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(by Filipa Gaspar, The Mail, 19th December, 2022)

 

FREEMASONS from the Furness and South Lakeland Group are supporting the Food Bank Appeal this year. They are one of seventeen groups have come together to donate to the cause, which is supported by the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity. This year the charity is to donate £30,000 between all the groups for the Appeal, which is an increase of £10,000 from last year. In previous years each group liaised with their local food banks and provided food parcels and… read more:

 

 

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(by Ashley Mackin-Solomon, La Jolla Light, December 18, 2022 )

 

Aside from their famous members throughout history — from George Washington and Benjamin Franklin to Thurgood Marshall and Harry Houdini — the Freemasons are known as one of the most secretive organizations in the world. With roots in religious faith and a self-improvement mission that has evolved over centuries, they conduct much of their business behind closed doors in ways known only to members. But the La Jolla branch opened its lodge to non-members Dec. 13 for a dinner to help celebrate its 100th anniversary. The history of Freemasons — now considered a fraternity-type association “dedicated to fostering and promoting every moral and social virtue in men” — goes back to the construction of the biblical King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem in the 10th century BCE. “That building marked the first time there were stonemasons that [created] industry,” said Freemason Johnny Law, and rituals were… read more:

 

 

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(by editorial board, Rochdale Online, 19 December 2022)

 

Members of the Rochdale District Freemasons have donated their annual Christmas hampers to patients at Springhill Hospice. These hampers form a major part of the support given to Springhill patients receiving care in their homes and is a highlight of the festive period for many. Through the hard work of the district social committee, putting on regular fundraising events and initiatives such as the NYE Ball and Christmas card scheme, the local Freemasons are able to donate between 40 and 50 hampers to Springhill each year. On Monday 12 December, district charity steward John Taylor and other members visited Springhill Hospice in Rochdale to deliver the annual Christmas hampers. Mr Taylor said… read more:

 

 

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(by Marilyn Cater, abc 7 news, December 18, 2022)

 

Masonic lodges from across Oklahoma also shared the holiday spirit by presenting donations to veterans in Lawton. Organization members gathered at the Lawton-Fort Sill Veterans Center Saturday morning to drop off the items. Donations included throw blankets, warm socks, batteries and board games. Mason, Jerry Armstrong said helping people in the community is what they do best. “If we can come and provide a little bit of comfort this time of year for our brothers and sisters at the veterans centers, we jump at the chance anytime we can… read more:

 

 

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(by Paula Allen, San Antonio Express-News, December 17, 2022)

 

This history play has some history of its own. Its title, “Five Flags Furled,” seems to refer to the concept of “six flags over Texas” — Spanish, French, Mexican, Republic of Texas, Confederate and United States — with the first five having been “furled” or folded and put away after each regime change. The program cover shows all six flags in an illustration captioned “Texas through six political periods,” but the last of the play’s three acts, as described in the program and elsewhere, ends in 1831 at Stephen F. Austin’s colony — under the Mexican flag, with the remaining three banners still in the future. Also according to the cover, this production was given Nov. 2, 1931, in San Antonio’s Municipal Auditorium. Yet other sources say that a history play by author W. Frances Scarborough was supposed to have been presented much earlier. It appears that not only the… read more:

 

 

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(by Katie Woodcock, ElyStandard, 5th December 2022)

 

Cambridgeshire Freemasons have signed the Armed Forces Covenant during a ceremony at Newmarket Masonic Hall at a meeting of the newly-formed United Services lodge. The partnership aims to support members of the armed forces community and ensure they have the same access to government as well as commercial services and products as any other citizen. Brigadier Tim Seal, who signed the Covenant on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, said: “I am hugely grateful to you for the commitment you have made to our armed forces, through the signing of this… read more:

 

 

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(by Louise Hepburn, Ely Standard, 15th December, 2022)

 

Masonic Lodges in Ely, March and Wisbech are among the contributors to the generous amount, which has been shared across six locations. The beneficiaries are food hubs, foodbanks and groups offering community lunches and include Ely Foodbank, Ely Community Lunches, The Rosmini Centre in Wisbech and March Community Fridge. Mark Upex, from Cambridgeshire Freemasons, said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help foodbanks across the county with their hugely important work over the… read more:

 

 

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(by staff report, SanBenito.com, December 13, 2022)

 

Members of Texas Masonic Lodge #46, located in San Juan Bautista, held a fundraiser on Nov. 12 to benefit local youth and homeless programs. Texas Lodge’s Teresa Herrick and her husband, Kevin, spearheaded the fundraiser by holding a “Legit Phở Cooking Class” and holiday floral arrangement pumpkin auction, says a press release from the lodge. Pumpkins were donated by local Swank Farms, and many community residents provided clippings of succulents or donated generously by buying tickets to the cooking class. With more than 30 attendees present, Teresa demonstrated the soup-making steps while Kevin provided a history of Texas Lodge and displayed their centuries-old Lodge records as entertainment. All attendees received a copy of the Phở recipe and… read more:

 

 

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(by Sian Jones, Wigan Today, 8th Dec 2022)

 

Over 600 Freemasons from across West Lancashire, including Wigan Masons, gathered at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool to install a new Provincial Grand Master. Mark Matthews, from Southport, became the leader of the 8000 Freemasons from over 300 lodges across the city-region. Mr Matthews regularly visits the Masonic Halls in Wigan based at Bryn and Pemberton and has strong links with… read more:

 

 

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(by Edward Robert McClelland, Chicago, December 9, 2022)

 

The ERIS Brewery & Cider House occupies an imposing four-story red brick building at the corner of Irving Park Road and Tripp Avenue. Solid, sober, and bulky, it looks like an old elementary school or a police station. Look above the doors to see its actual provenance: a pair of compasses, enclosing the letter G. This was once the Myrtle Masonic Temple, built in 1910 and abandoned by the Freemasons in the early 1970s. The old temple was occupied for decades by a Korean church, which allowed it to fall into disrepair. Some neighbors wanted to see it torn down, but ERIS’s managing partner, Michelle Foik, saw “a very good structure. The foundation of this building is amazing. You had experts building these. The Masons knew what… read more:

 

 

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(by Gary Archibald, CTV News Windsor, December 9, 2022)

 

Efforts are underway to repair the Masonic Memorial in Malden Park vandalized over the weekend. The 22-year-old freemasons war memorial was broken in two, dragged a couple of hundred feet and thrown into the nearby pond. No suspects have been identified, and Windsor police welcome any information from the public regarding the crime. Gene Lotz, a member of the committee that built the memorial, said this took a lot of effort to do and has great meaning in the community. “They’re here to reinforce our memories of the individuals that were lost during some of the great tragedies of history,” said Lotz. “It’s important for the public to savour that, to remember that… read more:

 

 

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(by Valerie Martin, Northern Ireland World, 9th December 2022)

 

The lodge donated £2,750 to the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT) — a charity that takes 100 deserving children to Lapland every Christmas. The funds were raised at the lodge’s annual golf competition at Portadown bringing the total the Masonic Order has raised for the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland Trust to more than £30,000 over nine years. With additional funding provided by the Province’s charity fund it was possible to donate a total of almost £5,000 to NICLT and… read more:

 

 

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(by Adam Donaldson, Continental ENews, December 7, 2022)

 

On Saturday, December 10, 7:00-9:30am, the Continental Masonic Lodge will be hosting their monthly Breakfast Buffet. An assortment of freshly made breakfast foods served piping hot – ham, sausage, scrambled eggs, gravy & biscuits, pancakes, hashbrown casserole, donuts, juice, milk, coffee. Dine-in or carry-out, cost is by donation. If you know someone who is a shut-in or homebound, please call Jeff at 419-306-8939 to arrange a delivery. All proceeds benefit the many programs supported by the Masons. The Masonic Temple is located 309 West Grove Street in Continental. All are invited! read more:

 

 

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