PUBLISHED BY THE VALLEY OF WILLIAMSPORT, PA

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1 The BULLETIN PUBLISHED BY THE VALLEY OF WILLIAMSPORT, PA February 2014 A Message from the Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees is working diligently to keep your Valleys financial affairs in order. We are half way through our fiscal year and have had success setting a realistic operating budget and are working within that budget, however it is not an easy task considering only 45% of our total income is generated from our dues ILL. Gregory C. Wenrich, 33 and our operating budget does not allow for major building expenses. This fall we had to use almost 30% of our total investments for repairs to the Grand Banquet Hall due to water damages (our insurance deductible), repairs to two air handling units for the Auditorium and Grand Banquet Hall, repairs to the roof over the Auditorium and the cost of a professional inspection of the tower adjacent to the Howard Memorial on 4th Street. The inspection to the tower concluded with a recommendations that we should remove a portion of the tower for safety reasons. After obtaining several bids, the Trustees voted to award a contract to Zartman Construction for $50,000 to remove a portion of the tower. This amounts to 50% of our total remaining investment dollars, we are considering other options other than using our investments. Several months ago we formed three committees, a Building Committee, a Committee to investigate the possibility of relocating and a Committee to stay in our existing location. The Building Committee s role is to determine short and long term requirements to keep our buildings safe and from deteriorating any more than they have. Very little and almost nothing has been done in this regards in recent years. Our finances have dictated what could be done as far as repairs. The Committee to relocate is basically on standby as this cannot be determined until and if we make a decision to relocate. However the Committee is paying close attention to activities in the Williamsport area with regards to properties and potential opportunities. This would also include what would we do in regards to our existing building as there is no way we could afford two properties. The Committee to stay is charged with determining how and what we have to do to stay in our existing buildings based on the information generated by the Building Committee. Determining how would we raise and sustain the income to repair and maintain the buildings. The reason for the formation of these three committees is that we cannot make decisions on our future without realistic facts. Our membership is aging, presently 81% of our members are 60 years and older. We had a great class this fall with many new young members, but it will be difficult at best to keep up with our existing membership level due to our aging membership. We have recently completed an annual plea, something we have not done in a couple years, and the response was not good. We have approximately 2000 members and had response from 110 members in which we raised $10,807. Enough to pay for Continued on page 3

2 NOTICE OF STATED MEETING DEAR BROTHER: An All Bodies Stated Meeting of the Ancient Accepted of Freemasonry of the Valley of Williamsport will be held in the Howard Memorial Cathedral. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2014 at 7:00 P.M., E.S.T. for the transaction of such business as may be regularly presented. A cordial and fraternal invitation is extended to all members of the Rite duly accredited. Chapter of Rose Croix will be greeters and offer the invocation for the dinner. Members and their ladies are invited to attend the dinner at 6:00 P.M. for which tickets are now available. RESERVATIONS NO LATER THAN MONDAY, FEBRARY 24, By order of Ill. Kenneth W. McClintock, 33 Charles T. S. Ricketts, 32 Commander-in-Chief Secretary MENU: Salad, Herb-Stuffed Chicken, Roasted Red Bliss Potato, Golden Corn Dues, Dues, Dues 2014 membership dues were due by December 31, If you haven t done so already, please pay your dues as soon as possible. All members whose dues are not paid by the May Stated Meeting will be suspended on June 1, If you would like to make a credit card payment by phone, please call the office at In Memoriam The Grand Architect of the Universe has received the following into His presence. Ned E. Wagner...1/6/2014 Wayne L. Bergenstock...1/8/2014 Ill. Calvin M. Witmer, /20/2014 With sympathy and sorrow, we share in the loss of our Brethren. 2 THE SCOTTISH RITE BULLETIN Official publication of the Bodies of the Valley of Williamsport, PA Publication Office: Charles T. S. Ricketts 348 Market Street Williamsport, PA (570) or (800) Fax (570) The Bodies of the Ancient Accepted of the Valley of Williamsport acknowledge the authority of, and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, 33, for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America, whose Grand Orient is located at Lexington, MA, and of which Illustrious John Wm. McNaughton, 33, is Sovereign Grand Commander. WILLIAMSPORT LODGE OF PERFECTION Thomas E. Ryder Thrice Potent Master WILLIAMSPORT COUNCIL PRINCES OF JERUSALEM John E. Barnhart Sovereign Prince WILLIAMSPORT CHAPTER OF ROSE CROIX Michael J. Wallis Most Wise Master WILLIAMSPORT CONSISTORY Ill. Kenneth W. McClintock, 33 Commander-in-Chief

3 A Message... Continued from page 1 about 20% or the cost to repair the tower which does not improve anything but eliminates a safety issue. The Board of Trustee and the other officers of the Valley needs each member of the Valley s support, attending events, selling and buying raffle tickets, donating time, as well as other resources. Each of you is very important to the Valley s survival. The decision to what we do in the future related to our buildings is not going to be made by the Board of Trustee s alone, it will be made by the membership, the membership will make the final decision. Based on the response of our annual plea and membership involvement I fear that the decision has already been made. Fraternally, ILL. Gregory C. Wenrich, 33 Chairman of the Board of Trustees Thursday, February 20, 2014 WCCA: Krasnoyarsk Russian Dance Company 7:30 PM Auditorium Monday, February 24, 2014 Trustees Meeting 4:00 PM Executive Meeting 6:00 PM Foundation Meeting 7:00 PM Thursday, February 27, 2014 Stated Meeting All Bodies Dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM Wednesday, March 5, 2014 Red Cross Blood Drive 1:00 PM 6:00 PM Acacia Club Sunday, March, 9, 2014 WCCA David Kim Violin Concert 3:00 PM Auditorium WE NEED PETITIONS FOR OUR 113th Annual Spring Anniversary Class Saturday, April 26, 2014 $ Per Candidate Again the Valley has an anonymous donor contributing ½ our Initiation Fee and our Executive Committee has waived the remainder the 2014 Dues for Class members. A petition will be printed in our March and April Bulletins for your convenience. Petitions are also available at the office ~ Kenneth W. McClintock, 33 Commander-in-Chief Monday, March 24, 2014 Trustees Meeting 4:00 PM Executive Meeting 6:00 PM Foundation Meeting 7:00 PM Thursday, March 27, 2014 Stated Meeting Consistory Only Dinner 6:30 PM Meeting 7:30 PM Wednesday, April 2, 2014 WCCA Dallas Brass 7:30 PM Auditorium Sunday, April 13, 2014 Feast of the Paschal Lamb 3:00 PM Howard Theatre Saturday, April 19, 2014 Raffle Drawing & Pizza Party 7:00 PM Monday, April 21, 2014 Trustees Meeting 4:00 PM Executive Meeting 6:00 PM Foundation Meeting 7:00 PM Thursday, April 24, 2014 Stated Meeting All Bodies Dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM Saturday, April 26, 2014 Spring Class 3

4 A Special Thank You to all the Brethern who gave in support of the Valley of Williamsport and the Foundation during the 2013 Annual Plea Fundraiser $0-$99 $0-$99 (Continued) $100-$199 $100-$199 (Continued) Leonard Schanbacher Bruce Orlowski Stephen Kaiser David G. Ernest Thomas Teufel Carl Rehfeldt Carl Fenstermacher James G. Smith Newton Robbins Robert Pardoe Albert Green Kenneth W. McClintock Robert Sheatler Paul Starkey C. Fred Harris Gregory C. Wenrich Robert Brown Russell Bennett John Auten Peter D. Culbertson Frank Roadarmel Scott Younkin Donald Swope James A. Pruyne Jack Whittaker Stephen Hunter Robert More Launcelot E. Soult Charles Smith Donald Moyer Perry Reed James Gleason Roy Carson Chester Pribble $200-$499 Jan Mostowy Raymond Hoover Hayden Butler David Wascher Robert Kauffeld Ford Drake Merle Ulsh Robert Saul Ben Hoffman Nelson Silverstrim, Jr Larry Sheats Kirk Manchester Harold Drick Keith Wagner John Probst S. Richard Hillegas Kenneth Porter Dennis Bender Robert Hockenberry Carl Stitzer Ray Hummel Frederick Carl Keith Tressler Phillip Bower Gary Derr Robert Donehower Howard Lamade Nathan Welshans John Person James Kershner Marlin Plymette Larry Maynard W. Dean Metzger Robert Shaw Wayne Deibler William Skumanich Robert Roxby Phillip C. Bower Wayne Rockwell Ronald A. Aungst, Sr. James Calabro Gerald H. Laninger Wayne Ackerman James R. Sunderland Donald Panichi Jack A. Mosier James Shaner Ronald L. Rock Duane Phillips James A. Smith Donald Bergerstock Jack Rishel Michael Fink J. David Jarrett Clifton Hungerford Gary Womelsdorf Bruce L. Smeltzer James Rockwell $500 & Up Kirk Hofer John S. Murray James Poust James Rogers Dean Paul Harry A. Rhian III Paul Simington Galen Dreibelbis George Henning Laurence E. Klees Douglas K. McClintock Richard H. Lloyd Claude Mancini Marlin M. Roush David Hinaman Gene D. Zartman Charles Sanderson Francis Hochberg John F. Beard Late contributions will be greatly appreciated and will be recognized in the next annual appeal. 4

5 The Williamsport Foundation was created to establish an Endowment Fund to perpetuate Masonry in the Valley of Williamsport. Those pictured with this article are members of the Century Club. They have pledged $1, per year for 10 years in an effort to create a base for the Endowment Fund. Ronald Aungst Gregory Wenrich C. Fred Harris Kenneth McClintock Century Club Welcomes It s Newest Member Larry E. Maynard Charles Springman William H. Rice, Jr. Any member interested in also becoming a member of the Century Club may do so by contacting the Office. All monies contributed to the Endowment Fund will be invested and only the income from those contributions will be used for expenses. If circumstances will allow you to become a contributor, please consider doing so. Current members are pictured at right. Allen Henninger Larry Maynard Muncy Lodge No. 299 David Wascher Stephen Wertz J. Budd Bell John Debo, Jr. Frank Hort, Sr. 5 Robert Johnson Keith Tressler? Will you be the next to join the Williamsport Foundation "Century Club"?

6 6 th Annual Winner s Choice New Car & Cash Raffle Tickets Available Now! The Sixth Annual Winner s Choice Car Raffle, sponsored by the Valley of Williamsport, is up and running for We are again offering a grand prize of your choice. These choices are: $20,000 in Cash OR Chevrolet Cruze LS OR Dodge Dart OR Ford Focus OR Chrysler 200 OR Harley-Davidson Electra-Glide Classic Other prizes include $1000, $500, $250, 3 prizes of $100, and 3 prizes of $50. Winners do not need to be present to claim their prizes. Tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50. The drawing will be held on Saturday, April 19th, 2014 at 7:00 PM following a Pizza Party in the Howard Memorial Cathedral beginning at 6:30 PM. Please come out and enjoy the pizza and fellowship. Contact the office at for extra tickets. ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE Valley of Williamsport Charles T.S. Ricketts, Asst. Secretary 348 Market Street Williamsport, PA Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Williamsport, PA Permit No. 8