The Golden Rule Lodge #479 Annual Installation of Officers was held on January 22, 2001: Bro. David W. Knapp, Jr., Host; Wor. Bill Winter III, Installing Officer; Wor. Art Pasquinelli, Master of Ceremonies; Wor. Ralph Simmons, Chaplain. The Master addressed "Why We Became Masons in Our Hearts…" by recounting an historical event involving his great-grandfather Thomas. About 180 brethren, family and friends attended the ceremonies, and enjoyed homemade Cornish Pasties at the following reception.

The goals of the "Annual Plan" and "Annual Budget," presented at the January Stated Meeting, were to follow the Grand Master's Achievement Award guidelines for 2001, and to trim our expenses $2000 to $6000 lower than previous projections for 2001 while maintaining, or increasing, our lodge activities. A new "5-Year Financial Plan" (the second time since its inception in 1992) was conceived by the Budget Committee; and its recommendation for a dues raise, from $75 to $100 per year, was adopted by a favorable vote of the brethren at the June 4th Stated Meeting.

Twelve Masonic Degrees were conferred on candidates: Harold Morton, Raised on 1-29-01; John Oldfield, Passed on 3-12-01; Max del Hierro, Raised on 4-9-01; Andy del Hierro, Raised on 4-30-01; Andrew Fisher, Raised on 5-14-01; Brandon Ashby, Initiated on 8-20-01; John Oldfield, Raised on 9-8-01; Richard Alvarez and Mike Cozzins, Initiated on 9-24-01; Brandon Ashby, Passed on 10-15-01; Joe Murdock, Initiated on 10-22-02, and Passed on 11-26-01. Several "Walkabout Lectures" were given after Initiations. Wors. Vlcek and Mignosa re-composed and codified the "3 ˝ Degree" ritual, which was conferred several times in 2001. The Past Masters of Golden Rule Lodge conferred the Second Degree of Masonry on Bro. Brandon Ashby on their Past Masters Night 2001.

THE GAUGE was revamped (starting October 2000) from its previous longstanding 3-fold card format into a golden colored 8-page bi-fold pamphlet containing articles, lodge news, and photos. Golden Rule Lodge's newly originated Website was continued and expanded into 2001 under the fine direction of Bro. Bob and Gina Ahrens. A lodge "email mailing list" was continued to be compiled and distributed. A Golden Rule Lodge "Masonic Photo Archive" of lodge activities was created on compact discs.

The Child I.D. Program, hosted by our lodge, was expanded four-fold in 2001 by hosting it again at the Edenvale School Pancake Breakfast and then offered, in its own booth with three machines, at San Jose's "Pumpkins in the Park" under the direction of Junior Warden Fabien Cappa. A new charitable lodge endeavor of Second Harvest Food Bank work parties was organized and directed by Senior Warden Grant Idle.

Golden Rule Lodge's support for the students of Edenvale Elementary School continued with Golden Rule Lodge again co-hosting their Annual Pancake Breakfast fund-raiser supporting the "Adopt-a-College" Scholarship Program (San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales, Sharks mascot "Sharkie," and San Jose Police Department attending); with Wor. Hank Vlcek performing a Magic Show at their Annual Scholarship Awards Night; and by our lodge's own "Public Schools Night" honoring, with dinner and awards ceremonies, their principal, teachers, student essay contest award winners, and parents. The Master and the principal of Edenvale School both spoke on "Public Education," and students Usa Nguyen, Manuel Cisneros, and Jamie Day read their winning essays on the importance of a college education, and were each awarded $100 U.S. Savings Bonds.

Five official lodge visitations were made to the Masonic Youth Groups of the San Jose Masonic Center: Campbell Chapter of DeMolay, Willow Glen Assembly of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and the Job's Daughters of Bethel #129 were visited at several of their meetings and activities. Also, the Bethel Daughters and Adults of Bethel #129 were honored with a special Surprise Candlelight Pizza Luncheon and Magic Show hosted by Golden Rule Lodge brethren. More than $500 was raised informally by members contributing in the lodge room via "the Master's Hat" to the three several Youth Groups' charitable endeavors.

A "Constitutional Observance Night" was co-hosted by Golden Rule Lodge. More than 200 flag-wavers attended dinner and then enjoyed the Town Square Harmonizers, Wor. Orozco at the piano, "Building of the American Flag" by The National Sojourners, Br. Ken Bruce's lechure on "The Evolution of the U.S. Constitution," a Monologue by Br. David Kimball, and rather Patriotic Magic by our own Wor. Chuck Mignosa.

Lodge officer training and education was observed with Bro. Grant Idle, attending the Annual Senior Wardens Retreat weekend; Bro. Robert Ahrens, attending the Annual Junior Wardens Retreat weekend; Bro. Jim Leggate, attending the Secretary's Workshop of May 12th, 2001; Brother Officers Bob Ahrens and Fabien Cappa attending the January, 2001 Workshop for Lodge Officers in Oakland; Bro. Jon Knapp attending the first annual California Masonic Symposium in Fresno, on Sept. 20th and 21st, 2001; and with lodge officers attended all monthly Officers Association Meetings and Masonic Inspectors' Schools of Instruction for the year 2001. All Officers' Proficiencies were passed in a timely fashion. Two lodge Masonic evening group discussions were held for the First and Third Degrees of Masonry; and Wor. George Allen gave his "Mystic Tie" lecture at our December Meeting. Candidates for advancing through the Degrees of Masonry were required for the first time, by a Grand Lodge resolution, to meet educational requirements (in addition to Proficiencies).

Masonic fraternal relations were observed during the year with the official attendance of the 2001 Annual Communication of Grand Lodge of California (with lunch at Schroeder's Restaurant, Holiday Inn Happy Hour, and dinner at The House of Prime Rib); a visitation to Mosaic Lodge, Livermore; to the very first meeting of newly united Mt. View DeAnza Lodge #194, Mt. View; and to Palo Alto Lodge #346, Palo Alto. Golden Rule Lodge hosted the Annual "Chicken Feed" and Grand Master's Reception in Morgan Hill. Golden Rule Lodge attended the Union City Masonic Home's 2001 Cornerstone Rededication Ceremonies.

The Annual Columbia Traveling Degree Weekend was again based out of the Sonora Oaks Motel and Pine Tree Restaurant; with a Saturday morning "Coffee and Lecture," an afternoon conferral of the Third Degree of Masonry on Bro. John Oldfield in the Historic Columbia Lodge Room, and an evening Happy Hour and Banquet with a "3 ˝ Degree" and Magic Show by Wor. Hank Vlcek.

Other lodge events held during 2001 were our "Annual Sweethearts Night" dinner (the quartet "Aquanettas" entertaining); a multi-lodge "Masonic December Holiday Party"; a special candlelight "Valentine's Dinner"; two lodge "Pot Luck Dinners" with lodge room Historical Art Presentations by Bro. Jim Campbell; an annual "Past Masters BBQ"; a year-end "Festival Lodge/Table Lodge" for the lodge officers at Fung Lum Restaurant; and five backyard chat sessions, or "Masonic Smokers." Some of the officers regularly met at Tina's Restaurant before lodge evenings.

November's Annual Lodge Election of Officers tallied "unanimously favorable ballots" for all lodge elected positions, and were followed by the "Annual Oyster Feed 2001" whose theme was 'We Don't Want Those Slimy Oysters!": Bro. Grant Idle-Master-Elect; Bro. Robert Ahrens-Senior Warden-Elect; Bro. Fabien Cappa-Junior Warden-Elect; Bro. George McCarthy -Treasurer-Elect; Bro. James Leggate-Secretary-Elect; Bro. Wayne Morton-Trustee-Elect.

Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth were truly the tenets observed by the brethren of Golden Rule Lodge #479 in the year of 2001, "The Cornerstone of the 21st Century."