July-September 2010 Vol X Issue 3

July-September 2010 Vol X Issue 3

In This Issue... Spring Schedule........................................................... 3 Featured Presiding Officer................................................... 3 Valley News.............................................................. 4 Family Life Program News.................................................. 7 Reservation Forms (Dinners, Luncheon)....................................... 11 Scholarship Recipients..................................................... 13 From the Desk of the Editor................................................. 15 Valley of Hartford Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite View of the Valley The View of the Valley is the official publication for the Valley of Hartford, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U. S. A. Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33º, Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. James R. Spencer, Jr. 33º, Deputy For Connecticut Ill. Richard V. Travis, 33º, Active For Connecticut Ill. David L. Sharkis, 33º, Active For Connecticut The Scottish Rite Bodies, sitting in the Valley of Hartford, State of Connecticut, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, 33º, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America whose Grand East is in Lexington, Massachusetts View of the Valley Editor: Francis G. Way, MSA, 33º way2go@cox.net Valley of Hartford Office: 207 Deming St,.Newington, CT 06111 Office Hours: M,W 8:30-noon, F 9:00-11:30, otherwise leave a phone message. Mailing Address: PO Box 310198, Newington, CT 06131-0198 Phone Number: (860) 666-0712 Fax Number: (860) 666-5448 Email Address: sect@snet.net Valley of Hartford Officers 2010-2011: Charter Oak Lodge of Perfection Thrice Potent Master: Hartford Council Princes of Jerusalem Sovereign Prince: Cyrus Goodell Chapter of Rose Croix Most Wise Master: Nathan Hale Consistory Commander-in-Chief Jeffery A. Flynn Aaron R. Sussman Richard F. Denno Francis G. Way, MSA, 33º Valley of Hartford Treasurer Allan E. Acker, 33º Valley of Hartford Secretary David R. Blythe, Sr., 33º Scottish Rite Foundation President John F. Kessler, 33º Copyright 2010 by the Board of Trustees of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Hartford 2

This Edition's Presiding Officer Schedule (see www.valleyofhartford.org/calendar.html) Thursday, July 15, 2010 Officer's Planning Meeting, Gallery Restaurant, Glastonbury. All Officers required to attend. Cocktail Hour 6pm, Dinner 7pm. Saturday, July 24, 2010 Valley of Hartford 5K Run to support the Learning Center. Race Start, 9am. Thursday-Sunday, July 30-August 1, 2010 THEATRE NEWINGTON-On Stage production run, Valley of Hartford. See article on page 10. Thrice Potent Master Jeffery A. Flynn was born in Hartford, Ct. on January 20, 1960. He grew up in Thursday, September 16, 2010 Wethersfield and played for the infamous 'Acker's T.V.' Little League team winning 3 straight championships. Candidate Information Night, 7:30pm, Valley of Hartford. All officers required to attend. Dress is coat He graduated Wethersfield High School in 1978. He attended University of Hartford where he graduated and tie. Summa Cum Laude, with a B.A. degree in Philosophy Thursday, September 23, 2010 in 1982. th th 4 and 6 Degrees. Pre-Degree Dinner 6:10pm. Jeff married his wife Peggy on June 19, 1982. They Degrees start 7:30pm. have 2 children, Nick, who recently graduated Xavier High School and will be attending University of Thursday, September 30, 2010 Hartford in the fall majoring in Education, and Lisa, Old 4th and 14th Degrees. Pre-Degree Dinner 6:10pm. who will be attending Mercy High School in the fall. Degrees start 7:30pm. Jeff was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason Thursday, October 21, 2010 on April 19, 2006 at Estuary Lodge #43 in Old th th Saybrook, where he is currently Worshipful Master. He 15 (V) and 16 (F) Degrees. Pre-Degree Dinner immediately sought further light in Masonry and joined 6:10pm. Degrees start 7:30pm. the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite becoming a 32nd Thursday, October 28, 2010 Degree Mason in Fall of 2006. He is also currently 18th Degree. Pre-Degree Dinner 6:10pm. Degrees start Junior Warden at Granite Lodge #119 in Haddam, 7:30pm. Senior Warden at Cyrene Commandery #8 in Middletown, Excellent King, at Burning Bush Saturday, November 13, 2010 Washington Chapter #6 in Middletown, and Vice Consistory Day. 28Th, 32nd, 31st Degrees. Registration President of District 7 Blue Lodge Council. Jeff also begins at 9am. See Lunch Reservation form on page 12. proudly serves on Masonicare Board of Directors for Masonicare Home, Health and Hospice. He is Family NOTE: Life Chairman for Valley of Hartford. All Thursday activities start at 7:30 p.m. unless Jeff is a recently retired Park and Rec soccer coach after otherwise specified. Pre-Degree Dinners before all 11 years. He enjoys running when he has the time (ha degrees. See the RSVP form on page 11. ha), and is the owner of Shoreline Value Advertising, Please see Valley Calendar on the website for rehearsal Inc. for 24 years. dates. (www.valleyofhartford.org/calendar.html) 3

Valley of Hartford News View of the Valley, Reservation Forms, Calendar: All On-Line Copies of View of the Valley (in PDF format), petitions and reservation forms, as well as a calendar of Valley events, are all available on the Valley's website http://www.valleyofhartford.org Please bookmark this site, as it is the most up-to-date reference of Valley events available. A common calendar of all Scottish Rite events in CT is available at http://www.ctcouncilofdeliberation.org/calendar.html Consistory Day in Hartford a Huge Success On a very warm Saturday, May 1, 2010, the Valley of Hartford hosted a combined Consistory Day in Newington. Lafayette Consistory, Connecticut Consistory and Nathan Hale Consistory combined to present the 20th (Lafayette), the 31st (Connecticut) and 32nd (Nathan Hale) degrees. The day also featured the first official visit to Connecticut by Illustrious Brother John William McNaughton, 33º, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. A highly successful Ladies program was presented while the brethren were engaging in their degree work, and a banquet followed at the Shrine Center. It was a day of which all Connecticut Scottish Rite Masons can be proud. Alan J. Cunningham Receives Meritorious Service Award On Friday, June 11, 2010, at the Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Council of Deliberation in Niantic, Connecticut, Brother Alan J. Cunningham received the Arthur M. Brown 33º Meritorious Service Award. Brother Al has steadfastly ensured that our make-up team is on top of things on degree nights for many years. He even filled in as Moses on an emergency basis one evening during the 14th when the brother playing Moses could not make it. Al has filled that role ever since. Please congratulate him when you see him! July Officers Planning Dinner The Annual Officers Planning Dinner will be held on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at the Gallery Restaurant in Glastonbury. Cocktail hour starts at 6pm, and dinner will be served at 7pm. Invitations have been sent and should have been received as this goes to press. All officers are reminded that it is their duty to attend. Should an officer not be able to attend, he should contact his head of body, the Secretary and the Commander-in-Chief as soon as possible. Important business will be discussed. Heads of Bodies should be prepared with their degree schedule and to mention any special needs (i.e, directors, props, tech). Dress for the evening is coat and tie. 4

Reminder: Blue Envelope Appeal It is that time of year again. If you have not already responded to the 2010 Blue Envelope Appeal, please consider doing so. Your support helps fund the Leon M Abbott Scholarship Fund, The Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, The 32º Masonic Learning Centers for Children, and The Almoners Fund (an outreach program to assist needy and distressed brethren). Our overall percentage of participation as well as our total amount also directly affect things like how many Abbott Scholarships the Valley receives. October 30 Blue Lodge Open House Brother Charles A. Buck, Jr., Most Worshipful Grand Master has decreed that Saturday, October 30, 2010 will be Open House Day at all Connecticut Blue Lodges. As our candidates must be Master Masons, it is very important that we support our Blue Lodges at every opportunity. All Valley of Hartford brethren should be aware of their own Blue Lodge Open House, and try to help in any way possible. If successful, the Open House can bring many new men into Masonry, and eventually, we hope, into our Valley. Be sure to coordinate with your Blue Lodge Ambassador. Fall Class Accepting Candidates We are now accepting petitions for our Fall Class, which is named in memory of Ernest J. Jack Smith, MSA. We will accept petitions through September 23, 2010. Candidates must be Master Masons in good standing with their Blue Lodge. A check for $100 (our degree fees) must accompany the petition. Should the candidate not be able to afford $100 all at once, the minimum fee of $30 must be paid before the first degree evening. Pre-Degree Dinners For the Fall The Valley is again pleased to host our pre-degree dinners before all Thursday evening degrees this fall. Priced at $12 per meal, or $10 per meal if the full dinner package is purchased, these meals are an incredible value. Served buffet-style, there is usually something for everyone's taste. Further, these dinners provide an excellent opportunity to share fraternal fellowship before the evenings's work, as well as a chance to get to know our candidates. You can find the reservation form on page 11 of this issue. Choir Members Needed!!! If you sing, and have any interest in singing with the Scottish Rite Choir, please call or email our Valley Secretary (860-666-0712 or sect@snet.net). For years our choir has supported our degree work and portrayed the 22nd Degree, Princes of Libanus, in a form not seen in many other Valleys. They need new members to continue this strong tradition of support. If you sing, even a little, consider joining the choir and helping in our degree work! 5

Valley of Hartford Necrology Since the last publication of the View of the Valley, we have been notified of the following deaths. We mourn the passing of our fellow brethren who have been called to their eternal reward in the Paradise of the Grand Architect of the Universe: (50 year members designated by italics) Carl B. Ericson Wilfred J. Lord William Pantages Fred Paulson Lester R. Willard, Jr. George W. Wales Home Blue Lodge Passed away on: Wyllys-St. Johns Lodge #4 Temple Lodge #16 Wyllys-St. Johns Lodge #4 Lodge #112, Michigan Valley Lodge #36 Lodge #770, Illinois 10/15/2009 04/18/2010 03/01/2010 11/05/2009 02/23/2010 05/03/2009 Constant Contact Email List Brethren should take care when reading our Constant Contact emails to not remove themselves from our mailing list inadvertently. We sometimes receive unsubscribe notifications from brothers, and seeing who some of those brothers are we wonder if they really did intend to unsubscribe from the list. The link to unsubscribe is placed in such a manner that it can be clicked inadvertently. Please use care when reading our Constant Contact emails. If you think you may have inadvertently unsubscribed from the list, please notify Ill. Brother Frank Way (way2go@cox.net). Valley of Hartford's Facebook Page Brethren are reminded that the Valley of Hartford has a page on Facebook. If you're a Facebook member, look for the Valley of Hartford page and Like us. That way you can keep up with events, and new, and commentary right in Facebook. If you're not a Facebook user, it's fun and easy to get started. Just go to http://www.facebook.com and sign up. It's free and fun. While you're there, look for the Facebook page for the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, and the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction as well. Facebook is just one of the many ways that the Valley is reaching out to newer, younger, members and communicating with them in ways that they use and are used to. 6

Valley of Hartford Family Life Program News Chamber Music Concert The Valley of Hartford's Chamber Music Concert, held on May 16, 2010 was a moderate success. Although somewhat less well attended than the Family Life Committee had hoped (38 people), only six of those who attended were Masons. Having 32 people from the general public see our building and be exposed to us is a good thing. Those who did attend had an enjoyable time, however. Another concert may be held in the future, which we hope will be better attended. 2nd Annual 5K Road Race Preparations for the 2nd Annual 5K Road Race to support the 32º Masonic Learning Center for Children are well underway. Pre-registrations are beginning to arrive in the mail, and the call for volunteers (the first of several) has gone out. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Brother Bruce Hoffman via email (hoffman.bruce@att.net). If you are interested in walking or running, please see our website page http://www.valleyofhartford.org/roadrace.html. There you will find instructions for registering for the race. All of our proceeds go toward supporting the Learning Center, so signing up to run or walk will directly support our goals. Better yet, get a team from your Blue Lodge and engage in some friendly competition. See which Blue Lodge can raise more money or sign up more runners or walkers. Remember, the real winners here are the kids with dyslexia! Goodspeed Opera House for the Fall Family Life Chairman, Jeff Flynn, is again arranging a Goodspeed Opera House trip for the fall. The past two events have been highly successful and very well enjoyed. The fall offering How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying will be playing and Jeff is looking at October 17 or October 24 as a target date. Watch this space for more information. Remember, this is a travel on your own event, and you meet at the Opera House. UCONN Football Trip Family Life is tentatively planning a UCONN Football outing on October 2 in East Hartford. Tickets will be $35 per person. If you are interested, please contact Jeff Flynn (jedge60@yahoo.com) as soon as possible. We have not yet purchased the tickets but knowing how much interest there is will help in the purchase. 7

Annual Dyslexia Awareness Walk The Annual Dyslexia Awareness Walk, which supports our 32º Masonic Learning Center for Children, will be held on Sunday, October 3, 2010 in Waterbury, CT. This year, the two-mile walk around the Town Plot area of Waterbury will be held, rain or shine, at 1:00 P.M. starting behind the Masonic Temple at 531 Highland Avenue, Waterbury, CT next to the Learning Center. There will be a picnic lunch for all participants and their families following the walk. Additionally, those who collect $2500, $3500 or $5000 in donations have a chance to win a flat screen TV for themselves, their lodge or their organization. Dyslexia is estimated to affect some 15 to 20 percent of our population more than 2 million schoolaged children in the United States. Since 2002, the Waterbury Center has provided professional, free tutoring to children with dyslexia who have attended the program. On average, a child will require 2 years of professional tutoring at no cost to them or their family, valued at approximately $10,000 per student. Donations and annual contributions from people such as you is what makes this program a continued success. More information, including PDF copies of sponsor forms and brochures, are available at the Connecticut Council of Deliberation website: www.ctcouncilofdeliberation.org/lcwalk.html. 8

Library of Congress Veterans History Project We recently received a letter from Brother Morton N. Katz, MSA, asking us to raise awareness of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. What Is the Veterans History Project? The purpose of the Project is the collection of first hand accounts of U.S Veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and the Afghanistan and Iraqi Conflicts. Brother Katz was especially emphatic that World War II veterans contact this Project to give their histories, as we are losing approximately one thousand WWII veterans a day. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation, sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000. The Project collects interviews with veterans, either at the veteran's home, or at the office of a local agency tasked with doing the interviews. In our area, the Center of Public Policy & Social Research at Central Connecticut State University is the local agency in charge of interview veterans for the Project. How to Contact the Project: Veterans are asked to contact the Project in the following ways: Call the Library of Congress directly during business hours at (202) 707-4916. Leave a message on the toll-free number (888) 371-5848. Call the Center for Public Policy & Social Research at Central Connecticut State University, the local agency who actually conducts the interview, at (860) 832-2976. Visit the website: http://www.loc.gov/vets/ All interviews are done at the convenience of the veterans, and any photographs or records that the veteran provides will be copied and returned to the veteran, along with a DVD of the interview itself. Why Contribute To the Project? Contributing to the project leaves an indelible record of the veterans service to our country. It will be available for future researchers and students of our country's great history to learn what a certain time period was like, and how it affected the people who lived at that time. Further, our masonic fraternity received an tremendous influx of members in the years following World War II, and many of those brothers are still with us. We urge them to contact this important project and to give their history, so that it may be laid up in the archives of our country, and their contributions to our freedom may be preserved for all time. NOTE: While this appeal for the Veterans History Project has emphasized World War II veterans, we should remind any veteran reading this that the Project is open to veterans of all conflicts since World War I. Visit the website (http://www.loc.gov/vets/) for more information... 9

Special to View of the Valley Bonnie L. Keizer, Vice President/Publicity, TNOS Fasten your seatbelts and hang on! THEATRE NEWINGTON-OnStage is about to take you on a wild ride with the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing, when they present the Tom Smith farce, Drinking Habits. Produced and directed by TNOS veterans Mimi DePasquale and Scott J. Barnard, respectively, Drinking Habits is a look at the ins and outs of a very small, struggling order. Sisters Augusta and Philamena make and sell wine to the local village, allowing their little convent to stay open. They juggle their day job, (stitching clerical garments) with moonlighting in the vineyard and pressing room, trying to stay one step ahead of Mother Superior (who has some secrets of her own). The arrival of Sally and Paul, two newspaper reporters who were once engaged, complicates matters. Operating undercover as a nun and priest, their assignment is to find the vintners who have won a sizable monetary award for their wine. An already tricky situation becomes more entangled with the appearance of Sister Mary Catherine, a novice sent from Rome, George, the groundskeeper with a past and Father Chenille, a befuddled parish priest/amateur magician who fears his replacement by a younger counterpart. The frenzied comings and goings make for a hilarious romp through accusations, paranoia, mistaken identities and unresolved romances. Drinking Habits will be presented at the beautiful, air-conditioned Scottish Rite Auditorium, 207 Deming Street, in Newington. The show will run on July 30th and 31st at 8:00 pm and closes with a matinee on August 1st at 2:00 pm. Doors open 30 minutes before curtain. Tickets are available at the door: $15 for adults and $13 for students 18 & under and seniors, 62 & over. Group discounts of $12 per person are available for parties of 10 or more. Call for information: (860) 202-9793 and leave www.theatrenewington.org or email tnos1@juno.com. a message. Visit the TNOS website: Support THEATRE NEWINGTON-On Stage Calling on all of our Scottish Rite brethren to support our local theater group. Gather your friends, go to dinner, go to see a comedy, have a nightcap, and fall asleep knowing that you had a great evening, and support our local community. THEATRE NEWINGTON-On Stage will be undertaking their fourth production in our auditorium on July 30th and 31st, and a matinee performance on August 1st. Please come out and support them! Don't think twice. Just DO it! 10

Valley of Hartford Pre-Degree Dinner Reservation Form DATES: September 23, September 30, October 21, October 28 (all Thursdays) We will once again be offering pre-degree dinners for Brethren who plan on attending the Valley Degrees that evening. Dinner will be over in time for cast and support members to fulfill their duties and prepare for the evening's degrees. Dinner is Buffet Style with Beef or Pork, Chicken, Pasta, Salad and Bread/Rolls (menu will vary, but will usually contain those types of dishes). Dessert and Coffee will be served after the degree work. Reservations and Payment are required IN ADVANCE (return the form below) Reservation Deadline: 12 noon on the Monday prior to each degree Price: $12 per meal -or- all four (4) for $40 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Sphinx Shrine Dining Room Make checks payable to: Valley of Hartford, AASR Mail To: Valley of Hartford, PO Box 310198, Newington CT 06131-0198 Name: Amount Enclosed: Email Address: Please sign me up for the following meals: Please sign me up for the 4 meal package: ( ( ( ( ( ) ) ) ) ) Phone: ( ) Sept 23 @ $12.00 per meal Sept 30 @ $12.00 per meal Oct 21 @ $12.00 per meal Oct 28 @ $12.00 per meal All 4 meals @ $10.00 per meal NOTE: This form is not used for the Consistory Meal (Sat. Nov 13). Please use the Consistory Luncheon form. (If reservations are made without advance payment, and the member is a no-show, a bill will be issued in the amount of $18.00, the cost of the dinner) 11

Valley of Hartford Consistory Day Luncheon Reservation Form On Saturday, November 13, 2010, Nathan Hale Consistory will be concluding the 2010 Fall Class Degrees with the conferral of the 28th, 32nd and 31st Degrees. The day's schedule is approximately as follows: 9:00 am 10:00 am: 10:00 am 10:45 am: 10:45 am 11 am 11 am Noon 12:15 pm (approx) 1:30 pm 1:50 pm 1:50 pm 3 pm (approx) Registration Opening & Portrayal of the 28th Degree Intermission Portrayal of the 32nd Degree, Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret Lunch at Sphinx Shrine Dining Room Introduction and Reception of Dignitaries Portrayal of the 31st Degree, Knight Aspirant A prime rib luncheon will be served. Reservations are required and must be in to the Valley Secretary no later than November 8, 2010. Payment MUST be included with reservation. Luncheon Price: $15.00 for Valley of Hartford Members, $25.00 if reservation is returned after deadline. Please Include Your Payment With This Reservation Form Mail to: David R. Blythe, Sr., Secretary Valley of Hartford, AASR PO Box 310198 Newington, CT 60131-0198 Make Checks Payable To: Valley of Hartford, AASR Please reserve ( ) Luncheon ticket(s) @ $15.00 each Please reserve ( ) Luncheon ticket(s) @ $25.00 each (past deadline) Enclosed is a check in the amount of ($ ), -or- a cash payment of ($ ) in the name of: (Please PRINT) Email Address: Tickets will be available for pick-up at the sign-in desk on November 13th, starting at 9:00 am. 12

Scholarship Recipients The recipients of this year's Leon M. Abbott Scholarships or Valley of Hartford Scholarships are listed below. The Officer and Brethren of the Valley would like to wish them our hearty congratulations on their accomplishments! Becher, Courtney I. Lyme, CT Junior University of Connecticut Becher, Kristen D. Lyme, CT Senior University of Connecticut Blasé, Karen A. Avon, CT Senior Univ. of N.C. at Wilmington Blythe, Drew M. Wallingford, CT Senior Central Connecticut State University Burton, Heather L. Pope Valley, CA Senior Calif. State Univ. Channel Island Coleman, Alishia Middletown, CT Graduate Studies Central Connecticut State University Coleman, Brent L. Wethersfield, CT Junior University of Connecticut Conley, Leighton C. Granby, CT Junior University of Hartford Dlugoleski, Deirdre New Britain, CT Sophomore Yale University George, Elizabeth Longmeadow, MA Junior Massachusetts Institute of Technology George, Sarah South Windsor, CT Sophomore Elon University George, Thomas C, Longmeadow, MA Sophomore University of Chicago Hallberg, Brittany T. Madison Heights, VA Junior Old Dominion University Harris, Marisa R. Wethersfield, CT Sophomore Western New England College Petrini, Robert G. Simsbury. CT Junior Northwestern University Roebuch, Thedra E. Lakewood, WA Junior Central Washington State University Rummel, Theodore Stafford Springs, CT Sophomore University of Connecticut Schullz, Robert C. Wethersfield, CT Junior Concordia College, New York Von Hone, Brian J, Marlborough. CT Senior Norwich University Junior University of Connecticut Yanofsky. Michael J. Newington, CT The following students, as incoming freshman, are not yet eligible for Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and have been awarded a Valley of Hartford Scholarship George, Danielle C. Longmeadow, MA Freshman Villanova University Maxson, Hillary M. Old Saybrook, CT Freshman Fairfield University Merrill, Alyssa M. Manchester, CT Freshman Southern Connecticut State University 13

Communication Breakdown! Communication breakdown, it's always the same! -- Led Zepplin by Francis G. Way, MSA, 33º Sitting in a meeting at work, my cell phone rang. Not being in a position where I could answer it, I silenced the ring and hoped whoever was calling would leave me a voicemail message. When the meeting was over, I looked at my phone and sure enough, the caller had left a voicemail. As soon as I returned to my desk, I went to voicemail and listened to the message: Hi Brother Frank, this is Brother so-and-so, please call me. That was it, that was the sum total of the voicemail. I called the brother back and eventually resolved the issue. But this incident really gave me pause to think. In this day and age, where we have so many incredible technologies that increase our ability to communicate, and where we are all so much busier than we were even 10 years ago, it was an enigma to me why someone would use a medium with such potential in the manner of the old fashioned phone message pad we used at my first job thirty years ago. By leaving a detailed message, the brother would have enabled me to solve the issue before I ever picked up the phone to call back. Instead, I had to call back, get the details of the issue, then go and solve the problem, and then call the brother back to report that the problem was solved. Not necessarily a ton of extra time, but taken over the course of a day or a week, that extra time adds up. Now part of this feeling on my part may be due to me being what I would describe as an email person. As I sit in front of a computer at least eight hours a day (more if I'm putting the View of the Valley together), I have instant access to email and can respond very quickly. I don't often talk on the phone if I can help it. But I find that my methods of communication have also expanded with the technology. I make extensive use of texting in many instances (but please be aware that I do not, and will not, text and drive!). Texting is an even quicker way to communicate that I have learned from my daughters, who'd rather text than call any day, and now employ this medium in ways I never would have imagined when I first got texting capability on the my cell phone. Think of reaching multiple people almost instantaneously by sending just one message. That's what texting provides. As we move forward into the 21st century, and especially as the new, younger brethren come into the fraternity and the Scottish Rite, we need to remember to make use of every possible method of communication to save time, communicate effectively, and (in a round about way) speak their language, for the medium is often the message. We don't want to seem old and outdated to them or they may find some other way to spend their time... So I will invite all the brethren out there to expand their horizons and embrace the many methods of communication that we are now presented with. And remember voicemail is no longer limited to a minute or so of message time, so leave a detailed message, along with your number, maybe your twitter handle and your Facebook page, and possibly your email address, and I'll get right back to you, probably with problem solved. I promise! 14

Help Keep Our Membership Records Up-To-Date We need your assistance to keep our membership records up to date. Please notify the Valley Secretary of any address, email address or phone number changes. If you know of the passing of a Scottish Rite brother, please pass that information along to the Secretary as well. (This can also be done on-line by clicking on Contact Us in the navigation bar at www.valleyofhartford.org). Personal Info Change (please print): Name: Old Address: City: State: Zip: New Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: ( Email: ) Passing of a Brother: (please print): Name: Address: Date of death: City: State: Zip: Please Mail To: Valley of Hartford, PO Box 310198, Newington, CT 06131-0198 A Final Word from the Editor... Summertime, and the livin' is easy... So goes the old song, and hopefully so goes your summer. With the influx of new, younger candidates wanting to become Masons, many Blue Lodges are putting on degrees during July and August months when most lodges used to go on hiatus. We're all far busier than we used to be, and in Scottish Rite at least, some of us look forward to those summer months to rest and recharge for the work to come in the fall. So I hope that you're all taking some time to relax, to slow down, to enjoy family this June, July and August. Summer is fleeting, and before you know it the days will shorten, the leaves will turn, degree rehearsals will beckon, and you will have slid back into labor without really realizing it. Meantime, the burgers and dogs are on the grill, the beer is cold, the pool beckons, and warm sultry summer days slow life's pace and reward those who stop to smell the roses...literally. Wishing you a great, happy and relaxing summer. Fraternally, Francis G. Way, MSA, 33º Editor 15