ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE BODIES VALLEY OF DANVILLE. Valley Echoes

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1 ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE BODIES VALLEY OF DANVILLE Valley Echoes 109 W. North Danville, IL aasrdanville.org May 2013 Ill.. Bro. Christopher Hodapp, 33 to speak at Valley Fundraiser Masonic education is a purpose that is often lost upon the members who get lost in the duties of their office and other obligations to being a upright and true Brother of the Craft. But occasionally great opportunities arise to allow for deeper understanding and greater growth as a Mason. The R.E.B.I.S Research Society dedicates their efforts to creating these experiences for valley members in Danville. R.E.B.I.S is a research club dedicated to assist valley members in their own masonic interests as well as to promote the values Scottish Rite through lectures and educational presentations. R.E.B.I.S will host a dinner and lecture event in celebration and observance of St. John the Baptist s day Sunday June 23, 2013 and will feature prominent freemasonic lecturer Chris Hodapp. Brother Hodapp is a 33 rd degree of the Valley of Indianapolis, Past Sovereign Master of the Allied Masonic Degrees, and a well-known member of numerous other Masonic organizations. Hodapp is the author of Freemasons For Dummies, Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C., The Templar Code for Dummies, and many more works. Hodapp also developed episode outlines for the History Channel program, Brad Meltzer's Decoded, and contributed material on conspiracies and secret societies for TruTV. The lecture event is open to all non-masons and prospective members. An early dinner will start at 3:00 pm with an introduction and short lecture about John the Baptist. Chris Hodapp s presentation will begin around 4:00 pm. Tickets will be $15.00 each. The Brethren of the R.E.B.I.S Research Society hope to use this educational event as a fundraising opportunity for the Valley Library. The Valley Library has been all but defunct for a number of years, it is the goal of R.E.B.I.S to re-establish the Library as a vital and functional aspect of the Valley as well as grow its contents for the benefit of the valley membership. Please come and support our endeavors as well as learn more about our beloved fraternity. This event is open to the public. Learning Center Fundraiser Inside this issue: The Children s Dyslexia Center of East Central Illinois will host a Chicken Noodle Dinner on April 29, 2013 at the Masonic Temple. The dinner will be $7.00 per person and will include Chicken and Noodles (made by our own Robert E. Jones, 33 ), Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable, Drink and Desert. Lunch will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dinner will be served from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Carry-outs will be available. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Valley office at or the Learning Center office at Please come help support this fundraiser. Supreme Council Birthday 2 Ancient Craft Degree 2 Fall 2012 Class 3 Golf Outing 4 Ambassador Program 5 In Memoriam 5 Secretary s Corner 6

2 P AGE 2 V ALLEY ECHOES Happy 200th Birthday to the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction! Scottish Rite Lectern, 1931, Century Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of the Supreme Council, 33, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, USA, Photograph by David Bohl marks the 200 th anniversary of the founding of the Scottish Rite s Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. The first American Supreme Council was established in Charleston, South Carolina, in In 1813, that body recognized a Supreme Council that had been formed in New York in One of the members of this group was John James Joseph Gourgas ( ). Gourgas eventually became Sovereign Grand Commander, serving from 1832 to The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, in Lexington, Massachusetts, actively collects objects and documents associated with Scottish Rite Freemasonry. Scottish Rite members and Valleys donated many of the objects now in our collection. One of the most eye-catching items in the collection is a lectern that DeWitt Clinton Consistory of the Valley of Grand Rapids, Michigan, presented to the Supreme Council in Constructed from several different woods, and inlaid with miniature Masonic symbols, the lectern shows an Egyptian Revival style and sports a book holder at top supported by the Scottish Rite s double-headed eagle symbol. A silver plaque on the lectern credits the design of the piece to Edgar A. Somes, the inlay to T.A. Conti, and the fabrication to Century Furniture Company Ancient Craft Degree Team and Associates. Grand Rapids, Michigan, was a center of American furniture making during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The pride that makers took in their craft is evident. Commander Leon M. Abbott ( ) received the lectern at the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction s 1931 annual meeting in Detroit. At the meeting, a representative from Michigan explained that the Egyptian style was chosen because of its connection to Masonic rituals and symbols. The Supreme Council used the lectern for many years, before it was retired to the Museum & Library for safekeeping and its preservation. The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library is pleased to present an exhibition about the history of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, opening this summer (see our website, for more information). The lectern will be one of the objects on view. The exhibition will be up for at least a year, so start planning your visit now. If you have any Scottish Rite objects that you would like to donate to the Museum & Library s collection, please contact Aimee E. Newell, Ph.D., Director of Collections, anewell@monh.org or Further Light Degree Hoopeston Degree The Degree Team continues to be an active part of the Valley s prescience in area Blue Lodges. In the past couple of month the team has been involved in raising 4 new Team has been involved in raising 4 new Master Masons by conducting work in two different Lodges. On February 16 th, Further Light Lodge hosted an event in which candidates from Further Light, Sidney, and Collison were raised. The Team was attired in tuxedo and candles were used for the lesser lights. One candidate was raised to the Master Mason s Degree on March 3 rd at Star Lodge in Hoopeston. Degree Team members from as far away as Charleston, Tolono, and Mahomet helped in presenting the degree. There are plans being made for degrees to be held in other locations in the coming months. On June 22 the 3 rd annual outdoor degrees are being planned for Palestine. Times are not yet in slated, but the event will most likely take place in the late afternoon. The Team has performed the degrees in a replica of a fort that once stood at the edge of the community attired in clothes reminiscent of the frontier. Palestine Lodge has put on an excellent meal prior to the degree in the past two years and they are sure to have a great event again this year. Discussions are also taking place to hold a degree at Crete in which the Team would be dressed in colonial garb. No date or time has yet been decided upon for this event. Many lessons have been learned in the past year. Each time the team puts on a degree, improvements have been made. The most noteworthy has been with the preparation prior to the event. Although there have been things that need to be addressed at the last minute the team is doing a good job of sharing responsibilities. In the future the Team will be sending Lodges a letter outlining what responsibilities are expected from the Lodges when they enlist the assistance of the Valley s Degree Team. Team Secretary, Brian Sides has been doing an outstanding job of keeping all members notified of events. If you are interested in being a part of the Team or would just like to know what s going on, make sure the Team has your . The Team can be reached by sending mail to bcronk@cumtd.com.

3 Ambassador Program Annual Meeting May 8, :00 p.m. Earlier this year, the Valley of Danville appointed Mike Dooley as the new Lodge Ambassador Coordinator to take the reins of the Lodge Ambassador Program. Mike is excited about this new challenge, looking forward to working with our Lodge Ambassadors, expanding on this program and taking the lodge representation concept in new directions. To those not familiar, the Lodge Ambassador Program is endorsed by the Supreme Council NMJ to provide a designated representative or representative in each Masonic lodge within the Valley s jurisdiction. The Lodge Ambassadors job is to be an official liaison/representative of the Valley to his lodge providing mutual assistance, promoting good understanding and open communication between his lodge & the Valley, work closely with promote the Valley activities, help with Scottish Rite petitions and to further encourage opportunities for new Scottish Rite membership. The Valley of Danville has 85 Masonic Lodges within its jurisdictional boundaries. It is a very large geographic area to cover with a great many of those lodges currently represented. However, the Valley is looking for additional Ambassadors to appoint & fill open lodges on the Valley roster. Lodges in our Valley needing Ambassador representation as of this article are: Ridge Farm #632, Bement #365, Atwood #651, Bloomfield #148, Oakland #219, Paris #268, Jackson #53, Greenup #125, Watson #602, Flora #204 and Olney #140. If one of these listed above is your lodge, if you are active in your lodge, a Scottish Rite Mason and interested in helping the Valley of Danville share the Scottish Rite experience with your fellow Master Masons and the honor of becoming a Scottish Rite Mason, we P AGE 5 would like to hear from you. If you are generally interested in the Ambassador Program, perhaps in helping out the Ambassador in your lodge as an associate or maybe knowing who your current Ambassador may be, we welcome the inquiry. In any event, the Lodge Ambassadors are there to help. You can contact Mike Dooley, Valley Lodge Ambassador Coordinator by at dooley-m@att.net for further information or call the Valley office at We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible. Our thanks to the current Ambassadors and the good work they do for the Valley of Danville. Be sure to visit our website at for information, Masonic links and upcoming Valley of Danville events. Officer Installation May 18, :30 A.M. Open to the public Well done, good and faithful servants Listed below are Brothers recently reported January to March 2013 who have been summoned to join the Great Architect of the Universe Stanley B. Balbach, Urbana, IL Lloyd J. Hickman, Covington, IN George W. Roberts, Danville, IL Marion E. Davidson, Casey, IL Gordon H. Johns, Spring Branch, TX Robert E. Staley, Paris, IL Kenneth E. Devoss, Covington, IN Michael H. Lake, Fairfield, OH David W. Stewart, Robinson, IL John E. Earling, Custer Park, IL Elmer S. Malone, Chrisman, IL Merle T. Swantner, Frankfort, IN Clarence C. Frank, Bloomington, IN Harlan L. Martin, Danville, IL David W. Stewart, Robinson, IL Everett R. Fuller, MSA, Mattoon, IL Lowell E. Massie, Greenup, IL Melvin E. Symmonds, Hoopeston, IL Cecil H. Gates, Arcola, IL Willis E. McKinney, Jr., Tucson, AZ Carl H. Warner, Toledo, IL Harold B. Grisamore, Mattoon, IL Jackie L. Olmstead, Danville, IL Jack E. Waters, Rantoul, IL Robert W, Haddix, Lutz, FL William P. Renz, Youngstown, OH Leonard W. Hampton, Charleston, IL Jackie D. Richards, Sr., Westville, IL

4 Valley of Danville A.A.S.R. P.O. Box 693 Danville, IL NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage PAID PERMIT NO. 538 DANVILLE, IL Forwarding Service Requested Secretary s Corner Traveling Board Meeting August 14, :00 p.m. Tolono Lodge #391, 102 E. Main Street, Tolono, IL Upcoming Events: April 29, Learning Center Chicken Noodle Dinner, Masonic Temple May 8, Annual Meeting 7:00 p.m., Masonic Temple May 18, Open Officer Installation 10:30 a.m., Masonic Temple June 8, Golf Outing, Turtle Run Golf Course June 23, R.E.B.I.S. Society Fundraiser - 3:00 p.m., Masonic Temple August 14, Traveling Board Meeting, Tolono Lodge #391 Note: The Cash Bash that was to be held June 15 has been canceled. Our website: aasrdanville.org Supreme Council website: scottishritenmj.org

5 V OLUME 1, ISSUE 1 P AGE 3 Danville Centennial Consistory Class - Fall 2012 Jason A. Asaad D. Steve Bagwell Christopher N. Boone John L. Bowers W. Thomas Burke, Jr. Jason A. Burris Carlos E. Chacon Paul W. Doggett Glyn D. Draper Charles H. Eakins Forrest G. Foote Keven D. Forney Ronald D. Glasgow Brett M. Goupil Adam J. Hazlett Terry D. Herrington Harold C. Irie Charles A. Kentner Andrew M. Kidwell Jeremy J. Lum William A. Morris Danny L. Sexton Roger L. Thorson Donald E. Ward Not Pictured: Jason D. France Photos by: Bruce Huff Photography President: William Burke; Vice President: Charles Eakins; Secretary and Treasurer: Andrew Kidwell; Orator: Glyn Draper Travis A. Wilcox Timothy G. Windingland Barry D. Wirth

6 7 th Annual Golf Classic Presented by Valley of Danville AASR Masons Saturday June 8 th 2013 Turtle Run Golf Course 332 E. Liberty Lane; Danville, IL Four (4) Person Scramble Registration & Lunch beginning at 11:00 am Shot Gun Start at 1:00 pm Call Turtle Run Cost Per Golfer $60 Non-Turtle Run Members $40 Turtle Run Members Golf Classic Features Closest to the Pin on All Par 3 s Longest Putt Longest Drive Men & Ladies Door Prize for Every Golfer Team Prizes Pro Shop Gift Certificates (Based on 20 Teams) Gross Teams 1 st $200 2 nd $160 3 rd $140 4 th $120 One Blind Draw $100 Cash Opportunity Draw $300, $200 & $100 ($1 per ticket or 6 for $5) 50/50 Card Draw & Chance Draw with Benefit to The Children s Dyslexia Center of East Central Illinois