Grand Master Presents 60-year pin for Ashlar 33

At the request of Ashlar Lodge No. 33, M.W. Ron Stites, Grand Master, W.B. Rob King, Grand Marshal, and W.B. Kent Newmann, Grand Junior Steward, traveled to Lincoln to present Brother Marvin D. Maurer with his pin and certificate for 60 years of service as a Master Mason.  Observing the presentation were 10 of Brother Marvin’s neighbors, to include the 1995 Nebraska Order of the Eastern Star Worthy Grand Matron, Jeanine Bryceson.  Sister Jeanine accomplished the honors of pinning Brother Marvin with his 60 Year Pin.

 

Waterloo Lodge Initiates Five

Waterloo Lodge No. 102 in Elkhorn initiated five candidates on August 25^th.  M.W.B. Rick Myers served as the Junior Warden and in attendance was Grand Master Ron Stites.  The Entered Apprentice Degree was well done and each of the candidates commented on the positive aspects of the degree and were looking forward to their proficiency work to gain a better understanding of the meaning of the degree.

 

Two Bellevue Brothers Earn Proficiency Coins

Two Fellow Craft Masons demonstrated outstanding proficiency in their individual performance of the answers in FC Q&A, at Bellevue Lodge No. 325 on August 26. R.W. Jim Carlton presented them with the Grand Master’s Proficiency Coin at the conclusion of the Master Mason degree that followed.

Pictured from left to right are:  Br. Bill Pickle, Br. David Pickle, R.W. Jim Carlton, W.M. Kyle Beckner, Br. Damon Opheim, Br. Dan Alati.

Brothers Bill Pickle and Dan Alati were the mentors of the advancing Masons. In his presentation, R.W. Jim Carlton noted that brother Opheim had taken his Fellow Craft Degree just one week prior, and was still able to perform Q&A virtually error-free.

 

Fremont Brother Earns FC Proficiency Coin

Brother Zane Zentic displays the Grand Master’s Proficiency Coin for the Fellow Craft degree he earned on Tuesday night, August 25, at Victory Lodge No. 310 in Valley, NE. Pictured from left to right are Pete Rix, Worshipful Master of Fremont Lodge No. 15, Jim Carlton, Deputy Grand Master, Brother Zane Zentic, and Dennis Rix, Past Grand Master, who is Brother Zane’s mentor. The two lodges combined their efforts to raise Brother Zane to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. Deputy Grand Master Jim Carlton commended the brethren on their initiative in getting back to advancing candidates, and the spirit of brotherly cooperation they demonstrated throughout the evening.

 

Beautiful Evening and Setting for Outdoor Lodge in Decatur

A beautiful evening awaited members of Olive Branch Lodge No. 274, the Straddlers #47 Masonic Camping Club, and visitors on August 20, 2020 for Olive Branch’s annual Outdoor Lodge held beside the Missouri River in Decatur, Nebraska.  There were 19 Masons attending that included the  Grand Junior Steward, W.B. Kent Newmann, and the Grand Master, M.W. Ron Stites.  Despite a lengthy agenda, the Olive Branch Master, W.B. Grady Wells, dispatched all business in a very efficient manner.

 

Bellevue Mason Earns EA Proficiency Coin

Deputy Grand Master Jim Carlton presented an EA Proficiency Coin to brother Damon Opheim at Bellevue Lodge on August 19. Also pictured are Worshipful Master Kyle Beckner and Junior Warden Bill Pickle, who conferred the FC degree.

 

Rainbow Grand Assembly

On August 9 2020, the Grand Master brought greetings from the 8.500 Nebraska Masons to the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls Grand Assembly. It was the first-ever Grand Assembly Live Cast held at the Lincoln Valley Scottish Rite Masonic Center.  The proceedings were live and broadcast via Facebook. 

Pictured are Order of Eastern Star Worthy Grand Matron Karan Birdsall, 2020-2021 Grand Worthy Advisor Haley Ann Daudt, and 2020 Grand Master M.W. Ron Stites.

 

Grand Lodge School of Instruction Held in Kearney

Deputy Grand Custodians gathered July 18, 2020 in Kearney at Rob Morris Lodge No. 46 for a School of Instruction led by the Grand Custodian Delmar Jones. Nearly 20 Deputy Grand Custodians and Apprentice Custodians attended the annual School. 

A point of interest was the review of the “adjustments” for the conducting of candidates for their Masonic Degrees due to COVID and CDC guidelines.  The “adjustments” will be disseminated in the near future to all Nebraska Lodges for an anticipated August 1, 2020 return to conferring degrees and opening lodges in any of the three degrees.

 

The Sonny Eatmon Gavel is on the Move Again

Members of George W. Lininger Lodge No. 268 presented the Grand Lodge James L. “Sonny” Eatmon Traveling Gavel to Western Star Lodge No. 2 on July 16, 2020.  The presentation was originally scheduled for March 19, 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Shown left to right from George W. Lininger Lodge No. 268 are W.B. Andrew Muska, PM; Bro. Mario Buda, Senior Deacon;, and W.M. Don Leu, Master, with W.M. Leu handing the Eatmon Gavel to W.M. Ed Reed, Master of Western Star Lodge No. 2.  The second photo shows all members of Western Star Lodge No. 2 and George W. Lininger Lodge No. 268 present for the Eatmon Gavel presentation.

 

Brothers Honored for 25 Years of Individual Proficiency

Two Worshipful Brothers were recently recognized for earning 25 years of being individually certified proficient. They each received a letter of congratulations and acknowledgement from Grand Custodian Delmar Jones and a 25-year Eternal Certification Card.

At the regular communication of Western Star Lodge No. 2 on July 16, 2020, M.W. Ron Stites presented W.B. David Wetrosky with his 25-year certification letter and card (top picture). W.B. David also serves as the Deputy Grand Custodian for District 2 that includes Western Star Lodge No. 2, Plattsmouth Lodge No. 6, Euclid Lodge No. 97, and Union Lodge No. 287.

At the School of Instruction held on July 18, 2020 in Kearney, M.W. Ron Stites and Delmar Jones presented W.B. Jeffrey Merriman with his 25-year certification letter and card (bottom picture). W.B. Jeffrey also serves as the Deputy Grand Custodian for District 35 that includes Papillion Lodge No. 39, Omaha Lodge No. 288 and Miloma Lodge No. 328. 

Well done Worshipful Brothers David and Jeffrey!