From The East

From NYS Grand Master

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My Brothers,

The autumn season is approaching and so is our traditional end of summer holiday. This also is the time that the officers and brothers of our lodges plan their trestle boards for the ensuing year. Let us pause to appreciate all that our working people have contributed to our society. All of us look forward to the new Masonic Year with all the importance and enjoyment that will come along.

This year, the end of September also brings the New Year to our Jewish brothers and families. “La Shona Tovah” to all them. May they all be inscribed in the Book of Life (as well as all our brothers and their families).

I am proud and pleased to wish all our brethren and their families a hearty Happy Labor Day, and best wishes for the coming Autumn season. My wife Carla, Deputy Grand Master RW William Sardone and his wife Nancy, and the entire elected and appointed members of the Grand Line and their ladies are all pleased to join me in this greeting.

This year we have an almost unique situation. As all our brothers know all too well, brothers, sisters, family, and friends in South Texas have endured massive flooding, with many homes and lives totally destroyed. The Grand Lodge of Texas has requested financial help to assist our Brothers and their families who have been injured or received extensive damage to their homes from Hurricane Harvey. We remember all too well when our brothers endured Hurricane Sandy, and the help we received from brothers all over the country. It’s just fair that we now reciprocate and I have set up a special section of the Masonic Brotherhood Fund for this purpose. For your ease and convenience, we have established a special tab on the main page of our Grand Lodge Website (www.nymasons.org). I urge all brothers to help out.

In addition, let us implore the Great Architect of the Universe to protect the members of our Armed Forces and First Responders as they are protecting us, wherever in the world they may be serving. May He bring them back home and out of harm’s way to their families and friends!

Sincerely and Fraternally,

Jeffrey M. Williamson
Grand Master

Annual York Rite Picnic

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My family and I had the opportunity to attend W:. Barber’s annual York Rite Picnic for the first time this past weekend.  We had a wonderful time!  Of course fraternization with other Brothers and their families was the primary pleasure of the day.  Additionally, the activities available for my children made it seem like a day at Disney.   They swam in the giant pool, we walked down to the creek (we had another event to get to later in the day so we couldn’t do the creek walk to the waterfalls – that is a guarantee in itself that we will be back to do in the future), they also enjoyed the basket raffle and the food (I think we need to apologize to the other guests who may not have had the chance to enjoy the raspberry chip dip – from what I saw we consumed more than our share of that).  And then we were given a private tour of the house, which we all appreciated.

Thank you Russ and Donna, we felt you spent more time with us than you could afford to with so many other guests you were attending to.  We all had a great time, you can expect us back, whether you want us or not.

For anyone who has not found their way to this picnic in the past, put it on this year’s calendar as soon as the date is set!

Masonic Service for PM Paul Cochran

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Called from laborThe Masonic Service for PM Paul Cochran will be this Saturday at 11:00 am in East Aurora. Paul was a very special member of our lodge and was still active well into his eighties. His last visit to lodge was when he received his 60 year pin. Paul passed away just weeks before reaching 65 years in the craft. Wor Breth did some research and found that PM Cochran was originally raised at Whiteface Mountan Lodge #789 in Saranac Lake, NY. He affiliated with Blazing Star in 1962.

Masonic Memorial Service

Saturday, May 30, 2015
Time – 11:00 am (please be there at least 15 minutes prior to get your aprons and get the group organized)
Location – 29 Temple Place, East Aurora, NY 14052
Corner of Temple Place and Millard Fillmore Way. (Just down the street from the back of the lodge, about a minute walk from the lodge)

Dress – Normal lodge attire
Aprons – Will be brought to the church – Only white aprons to be used. No name tags on suits. Only one masonic pin on suit.

Please call with any questions.