Winter Park Masonic Lodge 239 F&AM

Winter Park Lodge Honored by the City of Winter Park

August 23rd 2010 Winter Park Masonic Lodge no. 239 was honored by the City of Winter Park.  The award was given by Allison Bryant Executive Director of the Keep Winter Park Beautiful Program for many years of voluntary service to the City.  The award was presented to us by Winter Park mayor Kenneth Bradley. 

The Lodge has been providing man power (family power) to the Winter Park 4th of July Celebration since, I think, 1999.  At least that's about when I started.  Brother Stan Evens, who never let us rest, was very good at finding charitable and civic activities for the Lodge to participate in.  It always seemed like we were running to catch up to him but with every activity, every degree practice, and every Lodge visitation our friendships in the Lodge grew deeper.  It was in supporting each other, sharing our humor and always working toward a common goal, both inside and outside the Lodge, we were given abiding feelings for one another.  Since Stan’s time life and death have pulled us all apart and I can hardly think of it without tears coming to my eyes.  Still I would not undo a moment of it.  Every man should know true brotherhood.  To me this award represents, not years of service but the making of men into Masons, the forming of friendship and the creation of brotherhood.

There are many who have worked to earn this special recognition.  I think nobody would mind if I made special mention of the two who organized the volunteers until this year when I took over.   Brother Stan Evens, may he rest in peace, always knew exactly what his volunteers were going to do and had them prepared with the information and tools necessary for success and Brother Patrick Biggs, who after the passing of Brother Stan assumed his responsibilities, no small task.  Thank you both and thank you to every Brother who has given of his time and resources to improve the community that our Lodge is in.

0 comments - Posted by Jeff Morgan at 8:19 PM - Categories: Communications

Keep Winter Park Beautiful Program

The City of Winter Park Keep Winter Park Beautiful Program Will honor Winter Park Masonic Lodge No.239, August 23rd 2010 at 3:30pm, In the City Hall Commission Chambers, 401 South Park Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789, For Outstanding Community Contribution, Please join us to receive your award and recognition for your efforts!

This is a public meeting, to which all may come. A lot of brothers are not using Facebook and might like to be at this meeting. I really don't know the last time that something like this award happened. Email your brothers and call them. We should show the city that we are a presence in Winter Park. They seem to be thinking about us. This is our opportunity to make an impression.

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 1:09 PM - Categories: Communications

Master Mason Degree Practice

Degree practice starts at 7PM. We are working on the Master Mason degree. We need all the help we can get for this big class coming through. Grab a friend and bring them out. If we start on time we can get done by 8:30PM.

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 11:37 PM - Categories: Communications

Winter Park Bowling Night

Winter Park 239 is back at the bowling alley tomorrow (Friday-8/13/2010) night at Aloma Bowl at 7PM. Hope to see you all there!

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 10:55 PM - Categories: Communications

From the Secretary's Desk - August 2010

Janet (my wife) and I just returned from a business trip to Canada.  We went to Toronto, Niagara Falls and Peterborough.  We looked up two Masonic Lodges in Toronto, one in Niagara Falls (Canada side) and one in Peterborough, Ontario.  The most interesting Lodge was in Peterborough, Canada.  This is a small town 100 miles north of Toronto.  I went to a Siemens plant and there is also a large GE generator plant in this town.  Thomas Edison started the GE plant in 1892. 

On a hill overlooking this plant and downtown Peterborough is a huge church steeple.  We traveled to the top of the hill to look at the old church.  The church was on a lot almost on top of the hill and another old stone church sat on the other side of the top of the hill.  And to our surprise, in between the two 1860 churches was the Peterborough Masonic Lodge.  The lodge is a huge house built in the 1870's and bought by the Masons in 1950.  It sets on a very large grassy lot with a modern parking lot in the back.  I met several Masons at work and we had a great visit.  Brothers are everywhere and I am very honored to be a part of this worldwide Brotherhood.

As promised from my last newsletter article here are some interesting facts about our Winter Park Lodge.  We have members that live in 23 states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, WV.  We have members that live all over Florida in 76 cities.

• Jason Streit is our youngest Member.
• Kenneth Leroy Davis is our senior statesman at 96 yrs old.
• Gerald Vickers Cook has been a member for 66 years. (89 yrs old)
• The average age of a Winter Park Mason is 61.5 yrs old and going down.

As you see we are a Masonic brotherhood located in many places. We are truly traveling men.

Hobie Fisher, Secretary

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 12:12 PM - Categories: 4. Secretary

From the South - August 2010

I hope the summer months find all of you well. Although the lodge is dark there has been a lot going on.

Bowling night has come to pass, and in my opinion it was a huge success. There were lots of brothers bowling and lots of them not, it was a great night of fellowship. Anyone who can make the next one on the second Friday in August I would urge to do so, you will have a great time.

Open books and the annual Zone 5 Education events were also held open books as always was a fun an informative event, and the Zone 5 Workshop had great attendance and was full of great information.

Another notable event was Demolay's Conclave which was held in Tampa this year, I won't discuss it, suffice to say that I have learned first hand the tyranny that a monarchy can produce.

I wish all of the newly APPOINTED state line the best of luck......they are going to need it! I look forward to seeing all of you at the dinner meeting in August.

Al Stearns, Junior Warden

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 12:10 PM - Categories: 3. South

From the West - August 2010

As a father of young children I have the daily pleasure of watching their innocent play and simple pleasures. Nobody should ever be able to take away the precious laughter of a child, but it happens every day. As Masons living in Central Florida, we can focus on what we need to do in the towns where we live, work and raise our families.
Protecting children is something we must do.
Winter Park Lodge is establishing a Masonic Child ID program thanks to the generosity and leadership of Brother Ken Gregory. This program provides video and fingerprint records of children to their parents at no charge. Child abduction is a serious problem. 800,000 children are reported missing in the U.S. every year. The first hours are critical and frightened parents need help. We can make a difference. We can raise awareness and provide law enforcement with valuable tools. Publix and Home Depot have provided interest. The equipment is being purchased. The FBI has provided new software. Giving up a few hours on a Saturday could save a child's life. You may never if how your actions will help save a child's life. But isn't it worth the little amount of time? Please step forward and join us.

Chris Chag, Senior Warden

0 comments - Posted by Ricardo Parente at 12:07 PM - Categories: 2. West