VWB Brian B. Hardy Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4 of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington for 2007-2009 Mailto: Brian B. Hardy

Fraternal greetings brethren, from our Grand Master, MWB Douglas E Tucker.

It’s hard to believe that June is right around the corner, and my time as your Deputy in District 4 is nearly over.  During the month to April I performed some of my duties to the Grand Master by completing “official visits” to five of our seven lodges.  In each case, it was an opportunity to address the brethren present and thank them for the courtesies afforded the office and support for many of the Grand Master’s programs.  You all have been very kind, and supportive to me, and it has been a pleasure to have served you in this capacity.

In terms of inter-lodge activities, March and April were very active months in District 4.  The District 4 Lodge Officer’s Competition was held at the Ballard Masonic Center on March 30th.  I was happy to see that there were three lodges who accepted the challenge - Occidental 72, Rainier 189, and Greenwood 253.  It was a fun evening, and the ritual work ranged from very good to excellent.  Special thanks to VWB Michael Cuadra, DDGM in D5 who provided the scoring.  The good news is there were no losers.  Everybody learned something by watching the other lodges, and none were perfect, but all three lodges were on the podium in my mind.  In the end, Greenwood Lodge No. 253 was deservedly declared the winner.  Congratulations to WM Tod Smith and his officers for a job well done.

The District 4 Bowling Tournament was held on April 5th, and there was great fellowship to be seen and enjoyed this afternoon.  All lodges were represented, and for those who couldn’t muster a full team, great effort was shown to make sure brothers from other lodges filled them out.  In the end, Green Lake 149 remains the champion and actually widened the gap in total pins.  Congratulations to WM Leeland Artra for bringing it home again.

April is also the month when the District 4 Scholarship Committee is most active.  With your help, they graded applications and conducted oral interviews with students from the area high schools.  Thanks for your support.  As an individual, it is never too late to send in contributions to support the continued scholarships your money can provide.  On Friday, May 22nd, the D4 Scholarship Awards Ceremony will be held at the Greenwood Masonic Center beginning with a dinner at 6:30 p.m.  Please come and meet these kids and their families and show them Masons care.

Your support in all these events is evidence that many of you enjoy working together in both fun and serious endeavors.  Good for you, you are showing your support for your brothers, the fraternity as a whole, and mankind in general!  If you have been missing these opportunities then ask yourself why?  Working together can be uplifting and contagious.  It raises the spirits, renews hope that things can be accomplished, and it can simply change attitudes that may have become stale or self centered.  Join your brethren when you can.

May is a month to prepare for the coming Grand Lodge business.  Study the issues that have been mailed to you, and I admonish each lodge to study and discuss the merits of each resolution carefully.  If you have been to our MLA meetings, you will know we have been fortunate to have heard from some of the candidates running for Junior Grand Warden.  When you attend Grand Lodge, be well informed.

As I have been visiting our lodges in April, I have been making announcements of those who have accepted Grand Lodge appointments from Deputy Grand Master Gale Kenney for 2009-2010.  It’s very difficult to individually name all those from District 4 because there are 44 brothers who are members of Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research No. 281.  I can’t really be fair about this due to space in this paper, so I apologize, and will reserve naming only those who also belong to other D4 lodges.  By committee or position they are:

Credentials Committee:  WB Larry Blake (253, 281)

Jurisprudence Committee:  MWB Carl B Smith – Chair (253, 281)

Public Schools Outreach Committee:  WB M. Gene Ross (239, 253, 281), VWB C. Blair Leckie (239)

Research & Education Committee:  VWB Ian Hyde (239, 281)

Technology Committee:  WB Daniel Miller (239, 253, 281) & WB Charlie Tupper (253, 281)

Grand Historian:  VWB Coe Tug Morgan

Deputies of the Grand Master:

                D2 – VWB Ray Lavadia (189)

                D4 – WB Marv Pearson (253, 281)

                D5 – VWB Michael Cuadra (149)

                D7 – WB Henry Fletcher III (72, 281)

Please congratulate all these brothers at the next opportunity you have.  These are dedicated men who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills.  In particular, I will be working closely with WB Marv Pearson to see that the position of Deputy in this District is transitioned smoothly.  I have no doubt that he will serve you in that capacity with all the honor and fairness that you expect, and bring pride to us all.

Thanks to both the District Deputy of the Grand Master in District 4, and the Masonic Monitor which publishes his articles for allowing us to reprint them.  The Masonic Monitor is published monthly (except August) under approval of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington.  The Masonic Monitor can be contacted at: 6619 132nd Avenue NE, PMB 237, Kirkland, WA, 98033-8627, USA.  Phone: (425) 822-4605 - FAX: (425) 822-2535 - Email: masonicmonitor@earthlink.net.