So much has happened in the last week of June!  The 53rd Annual St. John's Day Breakfast Program was a huge success, with about 150 brothers in attendance. They were witness to another outstanding program from Mike Juett and Chris Chag (with help from R.W. King), and the traditional trip to the East by our new Junior Grand Warden, Jorge Aladro.  M.W. Richard Lynn gave a very sharp address on future of Masonry through the lens of our youth groups – DeMolay International, International Order of Rainbow for Girls and Job's Daughters. He pointed out that these kids are looking for guidance, and we, as Masons, should be setting a good example so that our youth see Masons as more than someone who will write an occasional check to support them, but as men who live their beliefs and are happy and successful doing so.

That evening, R.W. Chet King welcomed the entire Grand Line at the Scottish Rite Center for the 17th District Meeting.  After one of Paul Smith's outstanding dinners, the ladies listened to a motivational speaker while the tyled meeting took place, culminating in Most Worshipful Dale Goehrig's message about "Masonry Beyond the Four Walls."  M.W. Goehrig encourages all the lodges to seek activities that will get us out into the community, so that they might gain a favorable opinion of our institution

This could not only increase membership, but expand the quality of the membership as well by giving all of our members more tangible purposes that benefit themselves in addition to the recipient of our charity.

All this was going on in the middle of Rainbow Grand Assembly at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor.  Becky Dunlap, from Hope Assembly #82 (sponsored by S. Seminole Lodge), concluded her term as Grand Worthy Advisor as the state went "Wild for Rainbow."  The final tally is not yet in, but she will soon be making a donation to her service project, the Friends of the J. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge in Sanibel.  Her vision and enthusiasm made for the liveliest, if not the best, Grand Assembly in memory.

The next couple of months will be a bit more subdued in the lodge.  Pat Biggs is looking for volunteers on the morning of July 4th in downtown Winter Park to help serve that great American bit of cuisine – you guessed it - hot dogs.  Get in touch with Pat for the details.  We have a Fellowcraft Degree on July 7th, with our stated meeting on the 14th.  We will then be dark until August 25th.  On Saturday, August 8th, we will be hosting a memorial service for Alice Kummer, the wife of one of our past masters.

Other district & state events in July include the Masters and Warders meeting at Winter Garden Lodge on July 11th, and district school of instruction at Winter Garden on July 8th & 22nd.  See http://www.district17-masterswardens.com/ for more.  The Florida DeMolay State Conclave will be held July 25th - July 28th at the Paramount Plaza Hotel, 2900 SW 13th Street in Gainesville. See  http://www.fldemolay.org/ for more details.

I hope everyone in the Masonic Family has a safe and happy summer, rested and ready to crank it up again for the second part of the year.

Fraternally, 

Bill Valentino, Worshipful Master