Orlando Lodge No. 69, Trestleboard for October 2010

From the East: My Brothers, As I became your Master for this fine year, one of my projects was to resurrect the Orlando 69 Building Fund. This fund was to be as a means to set aside dollars for major Lodge Building expenses and to begin the savings to expand, relocate or build a new Lodge to meet our growth. I challenged each of you to consider being a contributor to the building fund and be recognized as a “Builder” of Orlando 69.

As the year quickly comes to a close, I would like to send the challenge out again to each of you to consider being a “Builder” of the Lodge.  As a reminder, I established the following levels of recognition:

I understand now more than ever, times are tough and each dollar we have is precious to our home and families. But our Lodge is also our home and the Brethren are our family as well and we must take care of them as well. I am asking that each of us try in some way to help build the future of our home by considering contributing to the fund in some way. Many of you have contributed and I know many of you have made plans to contribute, but may have let it slip your mind or you may have put it off till the end of the year. Well my brothers, the end of the year quickly approaches and the time grows short. I would like to thank the following Brothers who have contributed to the fund and have either met or are well on their way to reaching their goal for this year.

This is a second request that fully recognizes the length of your Cable tow and you should respond only if it appropriate for you. On the square, Greg Hoggatt WM.

From the West: My Brothers, As we approach the New Year, and IF it be the will of the Craft, we would like to finalize some plans. If any brother is interested in filling an office or serving on a project team next year please let me know….soon. It would appear that at the least we will have the two steward’s positions, the Tyler and a number of projects we are hoping to accomplish next year. If you are a recently raised brother (within the last couple of years) or one who has been looking to get involved and have been waiting for someone to ask you to help out or participate, then consider yourself “asked”. On the Level, Rickey

From the South: Well, It’s time for the November Trestle Board and it seems like I just wrote the January edition.  This has been a great year so far and Greg and Ricky have done a great job keeping the lodge moving forward.  The brethren have come together at lodge and outside events to make Orlando #69 a shinning beacon in the 17^th Masonic district.  As the year nears it’s end we still have a few degrees left as well as the elections.  On a personal note, my professional life has had more of a pull on me this year than I thought it would.  I’d like to thank Greg and Ricky for the support they have given me this last year as well as all the brothers and sisters that have made the kitchen and lodge dinners a success.  Next year I will not have the time to devote to the lodge.  So my brothers, you will need to look to the others in the line for next year’s SW.  I will still be around to help where it is needed, but the lodge deserves someone who will be able to complete what is required of them.  By the Plumb, Craig

From the Scribe:  My Brothers, for those of you that were not present at the official visit, I was under orders from the Grand Master to read a particular series of letters.  Those letters were critical of lodge officers and their duties, ritual work, and general performance.  There was truth in what was written, however, in my opinion, what was missing was leadership.  It is never easy to lead, especially a group as diverse as ours, leading is not best done by threats, particularly in an environment wherein those that could lead and have the desire to lead, are told before they take office that if their work is not perfect, that someone is waiting in the wings to prefer charges.  It is the nature of man to err, we are not perfect beings, and if you tell me that if I make a mistake I am going to get hammered, the likely hood of me stepping up, gets very slim, and with all that goes on in our everyday lives, I just would not want the extra threat hanging over my head for taking an office; neither I, nor my family need that kind of grief.  I do agree that the ritual work could be better, and I would encourage practice in those areas, but I certainly am not going to condemn one who has the intestinal fortitude to step up and do the job if he misses a word or more.  The day to day operations are done to the best of our ability, same principles apply, anything that has been done wrong, can be corrected, with rare exception, those errors may cost us some money, and that it unfortunate, but to condemn one for an error, and prefer charges is extreme, and under those circumstances fewer and fewer will be willing to step to the plate.  If there was criminal or malicious intent, then by all means lash out and hit hard, let it be known that behavior of that type will not be tolerated but to punish one for being human, is beyond the pale.  Those are my thoughts on the matter, if one desires to castigate me for them, by all means go for it.  Fraternal regards, Bob

Petitions:  Mr. Hector Colon, for the three degrees; Mr. Walter Hnot III, for the three degrees;  Richard Madrid for the three degrees(Waiver of jurisdiction received from Clermont Lodge) John Schild for the three degrees, Berk Ocal for the three degrees, three others awaiting waivers of jurisdiction. Brother Harold Buchanan, for plurality.