Todd Derksen
Worshipful Master
Harmony Lodge #9 F.& A.M.
2011-2012
Even though most of us receive our Trestle Board a day or two before our monthly meeting, we start writing it the first week of the preceding month. That being said, I will speculate that by time you receive this, we have completed our annual game dinner. Many people sacrifice a tremendous amount of personal time to ensure that we have a successful event and the brethren should take a minute to show their appreciation to the volunteers by thanking them. If you haven’t been involved in this event, let me plant the seed (for next year) this is an annual event and it is never too late to start.
This month we are having our official visitation from RW DDGM Glen Carlson for the central region. I am hopingthat we have a strong turn out from our Past Masters to receive our DDGM. Truth be told, I would like to see the Past Masters every month. I attended a visitation on 2/4 from Ionic and there was a cute little poem hanging on their bulletin board called, “let’s go to lodge”. One of the points that are made in the poem is that it may have been a long time since they were there last. If anyone has any reservations about coming to lodge, please reach out to myself or any of the officers and we will take the time to make you fee comfortable reviewing protocol in the lodge.
Change is inevitable. Change can happen for the betterment or change can be for the determent, but none the less it is going to happen. The evaluations of both are nothing more than opinions. Should anyone believe something it is happening for the wrong reasons, I recommend that they take the time to understand why the decision was made, before they start casting dispersions both in and outside the lodge. Another way to get to understand why change is taking place is to be active and be part of the conversations on the front end, as it is my hope that I have displayed a level of transparency when it comes to the governance of the lodge.
Please indicate your interest in participating in a spring visitation (Easter) to our special ladies/sick & shut-ins, this is modeled after our December visitation, which our Junior Warden will be organizing. We should all be able to find a couple hours to check in with these folks and bring them a little cheer. I need to be honest with each of you; I really struggle trying to understand why we don’t get all able bodies to participate in these types of events. They really are one of my favorite events that we do and I am pleased that I can offer a second opportunity to participate in such a noble undertaking. If any-one knows of a brother, widow or an orphan that needs the lodge, please have them reach out directly to our Junior Warden.
Just to let the brothers know what is going on with our lodge (the building),we are investigating having both a Structural Engineer and an Architect perform evaluations in their respective discipline to understand what opportunities we may have. Once we receive any reports I will set up an opportunity to review the findings and then the Doric Board will offer the brethren a plan to resolve any deficiencies identified. Doric Board meets the 3rd Monday of the month. It is amazing to observe what we can accomplish, when we work together.
Todd