| Los Altos Lodge No. 712: | Last Updated on December 30, 2004 |
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By the time you read this our Los Altos Lodge installation of officers for 2005 will be history, but in order to publish our trestleboard in a timely manner, I am writing this a week before Christmas. At this point last minute plans are being put into final action and the installation on Saint John’s Day (December 27th) looks like it will be a great success. I look forward to serving you as your Master during the next year with truly great expectations. To start the year Worshipful Bill Malmstrom and our OES ladies have promised a great Prime Rib dinner with all the trimmings for our January Stated Meeting. If you have some non-Masonic friends this is the time to invite them to have dinner with us.
For quite some time I have been planning to use my year as a springboard of communication with our youth groups, as well as a time to perhaps better communicate with our non-Masonic civic community. I believe that if we become better known by non-members, we stand a better chance of contributing to the betterment of our community.
Brother Hal Bain is active in service with a San Jose musical group, and has indicated he would be happy to assist me in arranging at least one cultural youth trip to the world of stage and music in the San Jose area this year. I am aiming at an event in the fall, perhaps even “The Nutcracker.” I believe this would be a great opportunity for our lodge to contribute to the cultural development of the local members of Job’s Daughters, Rainbow Girls, and our De Molay boys. We may even be able to arrange a back-stage tour for them… maybe even an autograph signing session with the stars. I am sure the young people would enjoy this kind of event. If you have any other ideas on this sort of subject please call and let me know.
I have many other events planned, and I will share details with you each month, and in good time so you can plan to participate. If it has been difficult for you to attend our lodge events in the last few years, please try to attend at least one meeting and one degree this year. I promise to make them as interesting as possible. For one thing, in order to shorten our Stated Meetings I plan to find a way to complete some of our un-tiled business downstairs before we hold our tiled meeting up in the lodge room. Secondly those of you who attended the installation found that I appointed one additional (unofficial) officer after the ritual portion of the installation was completed. This new officer was Brother Maury Dunbar, who was appointed our lodge orator, and Masonic Information Officer. He was installed behind the podium in the North in accordance with a very ancient tradition of seating the lodge Masonic Information Officer there in order that he might bring light from a traditional position of darkness. Our plan is to help each of us to begin to learn and understand both the wonderful history of our order, and the deep and intriguing meaning behind our ritual.
Finally, I want to thank my lovely wife Jeanna, my daughter Leonore, and my son Luis, for their untiring support during a very difficult year of repair and preparation for my year as Master.
I also want to thank the ladies of our Eastern Star, all our installing officers, our host, and each of our installed officers of both lodges for serving and supporting Worshipful Fenton Mereness, (2005 Master of El Camino Research Lodge) and myself, in the coming year as Masters of our respective lodges. In fact a great big hug of thanks to everyone who so unselfishly made our installation a great success. As you well know this year the installation was a double installation wherein the officers of two lodges (Los Altos Lodge No. 712 and El Camino Research Lodge) were installed at the same time, and in the same ceremony. I am advised that in all of the 150 years of Masonry here in the Santa Clara Valley, this is the first time it has ever been done. I do hope you were there.
Please come and support our lodge this year… it will be a good one.
Fraternally,
Luis J. Orozco, II, F.M., Master Elect
Master Luis Orozco, FM, HA Sr. Warden Harold Bain Jr. Warden Ernest Castillo, PM, HA Treasurer Jim Gable Secretary Richard Rosenberg, PM, HA Chaplain Kermit Williams, PM, HA Sr. Deacon Robert Sohigian Jr. Deacon Larry Fagan, FM Marshall Paul Ladd, PM Sr. Steward Craig Schoonover Jr. Steward Lu Clavijo Tiler Earl Gault Head Officers Coach Richard Rosenberg, PM, HA Inspector Doug Clifford, PM
This marks my last article as Master. I owe a great debt to my officers. They did a great job considering the circumstances during our year. I decided to write these individual thanks to them. To paraphrase a well known saying, “it takes a line of officers to make a lodge” It has been a good year for Los Altos. We have a good line in place to fill the officers positions for next year. More about this in future Trestleboards. I wish to individually thank them for their support and commitment to the lodge and fraternity. I will use the order of installation to address them.
To our Tiler, Earl Gault. Thanks for being so reliable. You were always there to ensure the lodge was ready. I know you had to make special arrangements to be available for a few meetings/degrees but even though you knew you were excused you made it anyway. Thank you and your family for being so dedicated and attending most if not all of our dinners. We look forward to seeing all of you next year as you have again consented to tile the lodge. I was especially glad to
learn that your stay in the hospital was due to a misunderstanding.
To our Jr. Steward, Larry Fagan. Larry THANK YOU! You were able to make most of the practices and that proved to be a great help when we were short of officers. Willing to try any position is always a great reward for the Master to know he has a corps of officers so versatile. Thank you and Joan for allowing me to have so much of you time. Next year you will be moving up to bigger and better accomplishments as Jr. Deacon.
To our Senior. Steward, Craig Schoonover. I know this year was not the easiest for you. You had many things on your agenda. However, whenever you could, I know you made a strong effort to attend practices. The fact that you consented to be Senior. Steward again shows your commitment to our lodge and I look forward to working with you next year.
To Paul Ladd our Marshal. It was great to have our Past Mater in lodge. There was no need for instructions as Paul showed us, how well he remembered much of his ritual. We appreciate your taking on this obligation again and we look forward to your good health and seeing you at practice. You set a great example for our members in the line.
To Dave Kimball our Jr. Deacon. Thanks Dave, I could not have held a stated meeting or degree without your continual preparation. I can honestly say that you provided me with the extra hand that each Master needs in order to accomplish his year as Master. Thanks for heading the telephone committee and making all those phone calls. Thanks for ensuring that all was in order at the end of each meeting. And a special thanks for being there when we were short handed. It is masons like you that make lodges viable and productive.
To Robert Sohigian, this year and next years Senior Deacon. Thank you Robert! You have earned your stripes and we look forward to your great work next year. The middle chamber lecture you gave was very good and can only get better. A special thanks for setting up the trip to the Masonic Home in Union City and for providing the main transportation there and back. Next year as Jr. Warden, I will be leaning on you a bit more, but with much less stress. You did a great job this year and I look forward to working with with you next year as you prepare for the job of Jr. Warden.
To Kermit Williams or Chaplain, envy! envy! envy! Kermit you have served this lodge in every possible position. For the last four or five as Chaplain, but your invaluable asset as a past Officers Coach and Master have served me and all the officers well. We wish we could travel and see the wonders you and Vera May have encountered this year. With all that traveling you still were here for every meeting and practice that you were in town for. Thank you for the valuable help and commitment you have to this lodge.
To Richard Rosenberg, our steadfast secretary and Officers Coach. Gee Rich, there isn’t much I can say. You have done such a great job as secretary, you may hold the job in perpetuity. Thanks for having all the minutes ready right after the meetings, so that I could review them and thanks for all the record keeping. As officer coach you did a fine job and were a great instructor
To Flemming Nielsen our treasurer. It was the best gift I could have received when you accepted this position. Having you as treasure really made the transition from Sterling to a new treasurer much easier than I thought. I know it was no easy task for you. You had to put in much time with Sterling and understanding all the new rules and requirements now in place since you last were treasurer. It was no easy task. I know that you are still working out the kinks. Thank you! Again you have done the lodge a great service and I am forever grateful.
To Jim Gable, thanks for the great bookkeeping of our stated meeting dinners. It made my budget accounting much easier. Also a personal thanks for all you have done. There was no act that I asked of you that didn’t get done correctly. I apologize for acting like an old hen at times but such is the nature when one is in charge. Thanks for getting the Trestleboard out when I was on travel and we are sure going to miss your good work. I’m sure you will be able to do as fine a job next year as Treasurer.
To Lou Orozco, this year was twice as hard on you as it was on me. We are all just glad to see you recovering so well and looking forward to your administration of the lodge. I’m glad we had you with us the whole year, I know you tried your best and you were instrumental in many lodge decisions. Early in the year the officers planned out the year and your inputs were valuable. I thank you particularly in seeing to it that we found our most worthy Hiram Award recipient for 2004.
To our Jr. Past Master, Rick Weyers, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. Thanks for all your support throughout the year and for the exemplary job you did in putting on our third degree at Paradise Park. I would have suffered sever trauma if it hadn’t been for your steady support and help.
To my telephone committee, which consisted of Dave Kimball, Larry Fagan, Maury Dunbar, Harold Hughes, Gunnar Galsgaard and Chuck Kasaitis. Thank you fellows for all the calling and inputs from the brethren. Your help was critical in making our events throughout the year successful.
Our Chef, Bill Malmstrom did a superb job. He and the ladies from the OES made the dinners something to look forward to. I can’t thank them all enough.
To our webmaster, Bro. Patrick Bailey, thank you for continuously updating our web site. I hope that using the PDF files will make it an easier job in the coming year. We received inquiries from men that saw our Trestleboard and wished more information about masonry in general and our lodge in particular.
I measure my success by the good memories I have accumulated and I have many good memories for this year.
May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons .....
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Ernie Castillo, PM
At the Lodges December stated meeting, the newest LAMTA member was elected. Bro. Bruce Pruitt consented to finish out the last year of our incoming Senior Warden’s term in office. Bruce is going to be a key figure in our effort to get the elevator project off the ground. The lodge also voted to maintain Gunnar Galsgaard as a LAMTA consultant for next year, which will be the initial effort of the elevator development.
The Los Altos Temple Association (LAMTA) held its last 2004 meeting on December 8th. Bro. Bruce Pruitt attended even though his term does not start until next year. LAMTA approved to enter into contract with the selected architect for preliminary studies to be made in the feasibility and cost of installation an elevator. So officially we have started the process for determining if and when an elevator can be installed in our building. Hopefully LAMTA will continue to provide monthly updates to the brethren in each trestleboard.
Rather than have the annual Christmas party, this year we chose to give each tenant a Christmas gift instead. The parties were not well attended due to the busy schedule everyone has at this time of year, so our Building Manager suggested the gifts instead.
Also:
At the December meeting, the newest LAMTA member was elected. Bro. Bruce Pruitt consented to finish out the last year of our incoming Senior Warden, Harold Bain. Bruce is going to be a key figure in our effort to get the elevator project off the ground. The lodge also voted to maintain Gunnar Galsgaard as a LAMTA consultant during the initial efforts of the elevator development.
This year we sent each of you a delicious fruit cake from Collins Street Bakery. Please let us know if you received this gift. Every year we allow the Junior Warden to select the gift. Please let us know your thought on next years gift. We are trying different things and enjoy your feedback.
In Memorial to Brother Robert Cook
In Memorial to Brother Robert Cook who passed away on May 8, 2004.
Soft and Safe to thee be thy resting place!
Bright and glorious be thy rising from it
2005 ED FENTUM’S TOUR
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
FOR FREEMASONS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Leaving Los Angeles - Friday, October 28, 2005 at 10:30 pm Returning Los Angeles - Friday November 19th 2005 at 10:30 am LAND ONLY FOR $4650 per person sharing a twin or double room. 20 Breakfasts and 19 lunches or Dinners plus ‘in flight’ refreshments. AIR FROM LOS ANGELES including all internal flights $1850 Late Spring ‘down under’ with Swains Tours Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 in Sydney, Australia 4 -5 star Hotel - Free Half day. Nov. 3 fly to Ayres Rock for 2 nights at the 5 star Desert Gardens Hotel. Nov. 5-8 Fly to Cairns - Tradewinds Esplanade Hotel Nov. 9 Fly Cairns 12:25 pm - Sydney 6:45 pm - Christchurch, New Zealand. Arr. 11:40 pm. Nov. 10 Christchurch. Copthorne Central Hotel. Nov. 11 - 13 Luxury Coach to Queenstown with spectacular scenery and Lunch at Mount Cook. Nov. 14 Fly to Rotorua. Millennium Lake Front Hotel Nov. 15 - 18 in Auckland’s ‘City of Sails’. 8th World Masonic Conference in Sydney Nov. 1 - Nov. 8 2005 Option 1 - Leave L.A. Oct. 28. Attend Conference Nov. 1 -8 and join the Tour in Nov. 9 Option 2 - Leave L.A. Oct. 28. Attend Conference Nov. 1-8 and return home from Sydney Masonic Option #1 & #2 and 2 weeks Australia only ask for details. Covered: 3/4 Star Hotel accommodation in twin or double standard room, Hotel Porterage, Meals, Excursions and entrance fees as specified, Transfers, Ground transportation, Fun and fraternal friendship. Not covered: Insurance, personal tips, private beverages and wines, travel to & from home destination, medical expenses, optional private tours missed portion of the Tour, lost property, cancellations, delays or upgrades. Australian Visa. Optional excursions. Lodge and other Masonic meetings will be arranged where possible. Mail inquiries to: Edgar W. Fentum 1235 Laurel Street No. 3, Menlo Park CA 94025-3223, Phone [snip], Email fentumew@[snip]
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