DeKalb Royal Arch Announces 1st Annual Pool Tournament

Are you a hustler? Know how to handle a stick? Ready to rack ‘em up? Then we’ve got the event for you!

DeKalb’s own Chapter No. 52 of Royal Arch Masons is announcing the First Annual R.A.M. Pool Tournament. To be held Saturday, November 21st, starting at 8 a.m., this is round robin tournament of fast-paced 9-ball. Entry fee is $10 per person with proceeds going to a local food pantry. There will be trophies for first, second and third place winners.

A Special Dinner in Honor of Our Masonic Widows

We're presenting pins with the "broken column" to all DeKalb Lodge's Masonic Widows at the upcoming dinner.

DeKalb Lodge is planning their first Widow’s Dinner next Friday evening at the DeKalb Masonic Temple. Honoring all the special women in our lives — but especially the widows of our passed Brothers — we’re having an evening of fellowship and tribute.

Planned is menu of spiral cut ham, mixed vegetables, rolls, potatoes, salad and dessert. ALL WOMEN eat for free and the cost for us guys will be in the range of $8 to $10 to cover food costs.

DeKalb Lodge Donates to Senior Services Center on Behalf of Brother

Brother Dave Kuhn -- a legally-blind Brother of DeKalb Lodge -- trained alone on a country road this past fall for the Chicago Marathon.

DeKalb Lodge’s own Brother David Kuhn continues to make headlines and be the news darling who’s the talk of the town.

First, there was the DeKalb Chronicle story about his extraordinary endeavor to participate in the Chicago Marathon and the regimen of training on his own (for those that don’t know, Brother Kuhn is legally blind).

An Inspirational Message

Thank you all for the overwhelming response to one of my latest blog entries, The Value of Time. It continues to have a high readership and the comments on it have been fantastic. When I am sometimes frustrated that an event was not as successful as I had hoped, a meeting was not as well-attended as I anticipated or someone’s enthusiasm is a bit less than I expected, I have to remember all who participate in our Great Organization are giving that great gift…their time.

One of our prominent Past Masters, Worshipful Brother Rich Spahn, wrote such a moving response to this particular posting that I am posting it here for all to read, rather than simply approving it as a comment.

While Wor. Bro. Spahn’s words are deeply moving and certainly very inspirational, what’s more incredible is that he wrote this after an evening at the Lodge — I’d like to think it was as result of what he experienced that evening, but the genius probably comes more from the two glasses of Laphroig Scotch and his own passion for a Brotherhood I know he perfectly exemplifies.

I have come to understand that the earliest written records we have of Grand Lodges of Freemasonry date back to 1723, which tell of a merger of four lodges in 1717. While some might be disappointed that there is no actual record of Freemasons lodges in ancient times, though our traditions allude to them, 1717 is a strikingly early date for a couple of important reasons. I am referring to the place of Freemasonry in the world stage, and its place in our nation’s history.

Our country, though not perfect, remains the greatest democracy in the world, and has been since 1776. There have been elections in this country every four years without fail since 1792, with the first elections held just three years before, in 1789 (this was the year of the French Revolution, incidentally, with the Reign of Terror and the Empire of Napoleon still to follow).

News from the DeKalb County Shrine Club

Yes, Brothers and Nobles, the DeKalb County Shrine Club is still going strong!

I received a neat little newsletter from Shrine Club Secretary, Jay Elliott, the other day and thought I’d share some of the news and upcoming events:

September Meeting
The Club met at Niko’s Lodge in Wasco and had a wonderful meal. If you’ve never been to Niko’s, it’s highly recommended and not too far of a drive east on Rt. 64. The Shrine Club plans more dinners there in the coming year.

The Value of Time

Sometimes I’ve forgotten the one precious gift all of my Brothers have given to our Great Organization…their time. It’s important for us to remember that ours is a volunteer organization, whether that’s a Brother coming a few times a year to work on is pancake breakfast team, a Brother who puts in extra effort to learn a part or lecture for one of our degrees or simply a Brother who attends Lodge on a regular basis.

Here’s a story Brother David Hunter of HiramHunter.com send along a few weeks ago. I hadn’t had a chance to post it yet, but a recent event brought it back to mind and I though I’d share it with you all now.

A young man learns what’s most important in life from the guy next door. It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.

There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with those important to him. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, “Mr… Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday.”

More Reader Response to Open House Follow Up

A letter was sent to the DeKalb Daily Chronicle thanking everyone for their participation at our Open House earlier last month. You can view the letter here, plus some very amusing — and misguided — comments. Enjoy.

Lodge Tomorrow: Hiram and the Word

We have Lodge tomorrow night, Brothers, and we’ll be enjoying a special visit from our Grand Master Hiram Abiff, as he is featured in the one-man play, “Hiram and the Word.”

All Brothers — of any degree — are invited to join us at 6:30 p.m. for dinner (yes, leftovers from the Royal Arch’s Italian Dinner) and then the meeting at 7:30 p.m. We will NOT be doing a Third Degree that evening, but will later discuss the possibility of a Blue Lightning for our 16+ candidates slated for sometime in December.

Come out and enjoy an evening of Fellowship, Brothers!

Chapter Italian Dinner Fundraiser: Good News & Bad

This past Saturday evening saw DeKalb Chapter’s 2nd Annual Italian Dinner Fundraiser go off without a hitch. Well sort of.

First, the good news. Everyone who attended said the food was wonderful and most everyone went back for seconds (we featured spaghetti with meat or marinara sauce, lasagna, mosticholli, garlic bread, caesar salad and tiramisu for dessert, all homemade except for the dessert). Two of our widows came out to enjoy complementary dinners and no one left hungry.

Sycamore Commandery Welcomes New Sir Knight

DeKalb’s own Dean Clark Sr. became the latest Sir Knight of Sycamore Commandery No. 15 of Knights Templar. Sir Knight Clark must have had a recent itch to become a member as he traveled to Downers Grove last Wednesday to receive his Orders of Malta and Red Cross, then was accompanied this past Monday to Dixon with Captain General Jim Tome to be Knighted.

The Story Behind the Masonic Blue Slipper

Click to order the pin.

Courtesy of Brother David Hunter, owner of the Masonic supply house, HiramHunter.com, comes this story about the Masonic blue slipper, a reprint of the article that first appeared in the July 1986 issue of the Scottish Rite Journal:

Are you familiar with the Masonic blue slipper?

It is a small lapel pin in the shape of a blue slipper. Over the years it has been my habit to ask my wife and my daughters to wear one of these slippers on a coat or dress when traveling alone away from home.

What is the meaning of this blue slipper and why should female relatives of Masons wear one?

Some 50 or 60 years ago, while I was still living at home, a widowed lady who was a cousin of my Dad’s came to visit our home. She vacationed with us for several weeks every summer. She always wore this blue slipper pin. Her late husband was a Mason. The pin that she wore made a lasting impression on me. Through my curiosity and questioning, she told me it was a Masonic pin and served to identify her as a Masonic widow. She declared that Masonic men gave her extra attention while traveling, especially on the railroad (conductors, etc.).