| Los Altos Lodge No. 712: | Last Updated on October 6, 2005 |
Return to the Los Altos Lodge Trestleboard TOC Page
Return to the Los Altos Lodge Papers Page
As in past years, October finds us looking forward to attending our annual Grand Lodge Communication in San Francisco from the 9th to the 12th.
This year there will be a special discussion event offered to explain our "New Senior Housing Alternatives".
Those attending will enjoy a complimentary breakfast or lunch at which they will learn about the latest senior housing alternatives being explored by our Masonic Homes of California. Your input is critical to this future planning.
Those interested will be afforded four opportunities to attend. On Monday October 10 for breakfast from 8:00 to 9:00 am, or for lunch from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm. The event will be repeated on Tuesday October 11 at the same times. I encourage each of you to attend. Please RSVP as soon as you can by calling toll free to (888) 553-7555.
Because of the Labor Day Holiday our September Stated Meeting was postponed one week to September 12 but on September 6 Los Altos Lodge represented by five Brothers visited the California Lodge, No. 1 stated meeting in San Francisco. Be sure to view the picture on page 10.
At our September stated meeting on the 12th, we received a memo from Grand Lodge on a special Grand Master's project. For your information it was as follows.
- - - - -
Relief for Victims of Hurricane Katrina
I have received many inquiries about contributions for relief of victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Should you wish to make a donation through your Grand Lodge, either as individuals, or as a lodge, you may send a check made out to the Masonic Service Association of North America to the Grand Lodge Office and earmark it for "Hurricane Relief." The Grand Lodge will then forward the check to the Masonic Service Association of North America, which will forward the relief to those in need.
I am designating this as a Grand Master's Project so that you may make any donations you feel appropriate from your lodge funds. The Grand Lodge Office will acknowledge each check that is sent in - from lodges or from individuals - and keep a record so that we know how much has been contributed through Grand Lodge. Please open your hearts to the victims of this disaster, and give what you can to help.
- - - - -
The above memo from our Grand Master should be considered one of the most important projects of the year.
As you will learn when you read Worshipful Ernie's Southern Breeze article this month, we had a visit from Worshipful Brother Brian Blackburn, PM from New Orleans, who was a victim of the Katrena storm.
During that stated meeting I assigned Worshipful Robert Martin as Chairman of a committee to look into the details of contributing to the storm victims. He called a committee meeting on Tuesday September 20th, and will report the committee results back to the lodge at the October Stated Meeting.
Because this is such an important subject, I strongly suggest that all members attend the October Stated meeting. In addition, I will make a special mailing to all members on the subject.
On the cover of this Trestleboard issue is a picture of Worshipful Ernie and our newest Entered Apprentice Mason, Brother Richard Andresen who received his first degree on Monday September 19th. As is customary at Los Altos Lodge, he was treated to dinner at a local restaurant before the conferral of the degree. The Brothers in attendance at the dinner were Worshipful Ernie, Brothers Lu Clavijo, Charles Westbrook, Larry Fagan, Maurice Dunbar, Jeffrey Altera, and myself. (See Dinner Picture on page 10.)
On September 17 the Santa Clara Officer's Association chose Los Altos Lodge as the site for the annual Constitution Night observance. The Prime Rib Dinner was catered by Golden Harvest Restaurant and about 95 people were in attendance for the program which took place upstairs in the lodge room following dinner.
The program began with the entrance of the Master of Ceremonies, Worshipful Royce M. Ford, P.M., Inspector of the 172nd Masonic District, and the Keynote speaker, Worshipful Robert D Rowan, Jr, P.M., Assistant Grand Lecturer, Division I.
Next the Masters of the several sponsoring Lodges were escorted to the East by members of Campbell Chapter DeMolay. The Master's of each Lodge and the members of the DeMolay escorting team were then introduced.
There were eight lodges represented. (Be sure to see the pictures on page 10 of this issue).
Next the Flag was escorted into the lodge room by "The Heroes of 76", who, after leading us in the salute to the Flag, proceeded to present their well known "Building of The Flag" Presentation.
This special evening became even more special as we were treated to a classical music interlude on Piano and violin presented by the Redwood Rainbow for Girls and performed by Mrs. Margery Groshart, her daughter Stacy, and a close family friend, Miss Emily Sanders.
The evening was not only entertaining, it was also educational. Brother David Kimball presented us with a very informative talk in story form on the contributions of Brother Benjamin Franklin to our U.S. Constitution.
Worshipful Robert Rowan then presented the keynote talk, "We The People - We The Craft."
With his well known usual humor he opened his presentation with good advice by quoting Brother Will Rogers. 1. "Never squat with your spurs on!" and, 2. "If you believe that you have reached a level of some importance in your life, try ordering someone else's dog around."
All in all, a truly great time was had by all.
Fraternally,
Luis Oroczo
Master
We are now preparing for the Grand Lodge Communication scheduled for Oct. 9-12. The items being voted on are very interesting and will be covered at the October meeting so please attend and hear about all the proposed big changes for next year.
I want to welcome and congratulate our newest Master Mason, Jeffrey Kenneth Altera. I also want to congratulate our Past Masters. The degree at the Masonic Home was indeed a success.
We had in excess of 11 Past Master participating in the degree. Nine from Los Altos plus Tom Evans, Past Master of his Modesto lodge and his friend Phil Bramley, PM of Alameda Lodge #167. Sterling Bailey was our JW and did his usual fine work throughout the degree.
Robert Martin, PM gave the long form lecture and it was one of the finest lectures I have every witnessed. Thank You Brother Robert!
I want to also thank the Masonic Home for the great reception and cooperation. Eighteen brethren and guest were served dinner at the home. The lodge room was in perfect working order. After the degree, around 9:15 pm we retired to the small dinning area where they had all the necessary paper ware and coffee for a small reception and congratulations to our newly raised brother.
Our September stated meeting and dinner was exceptionally well attended. We had fifty reservations for dinner with approximately forty five showing up. The dinner was excellent. I am looking for a way for the lodge to express our gratitude and acknowledge our appreciation to our chef, Bill Malmstrom and the Eastern Star Sisters for the fine dinner and service during this meal and all our previous meals.
At our Lodge stated meeting, one of our guest was Brother Brian Blackburn, PM from New Orleans. He told us of his harrowing experience in the flooded city. He currently is staying with his brother in Los Altos but expects to return to New Orleans soon. It was a very moving tale. Let us do what we can so that all the disaster victims and their families gain a brighter and better future.
In my last few articles I have spoken about Dan Brown's book "Angels and Daemons". I have now read both Angles and Daemons and the Spanish book "Beyond Angels and Daemons". I thought the book made an interesting murder mystery. As the author states, this is fiction and so it should be taken. I might add that the author of "Mas Alla de Angeles y Demonios", also contained much fiction, besides not knowing his facts this author shows no references and obviously wrote the book to cash in on the popularity of Dan Brown. I do not recommend "Mas Alla de Angles y Demonios".
However the Dan Brown book, looks like meat for a Hollywood fast paced murder mystery movies. The book itself takes place in less than 24 hours and the characters travel from Boston to Geneva to Rome. Not as good as an Agatha Christie mystery but quite entertaining.
In closing I will quote from my Encyclopedia Britannica in its definition of Freemasonry. "Though often mistaken for such, Freemasonry is not a Christian institution. Freemasonry contains many of the elements of a religion; its teachings enjoin morality, charity, and obedience to the law of the land."
I feel these are the seed qualities that we find in our members.
Fraternally,
Ernie Castillo,
Junior Warden
Get This Trestleboard by Email & help us save some money
You can now receive this Trestleboard by email in pdf format. This will help the lodge save much money in printing and mailing costs. It is easy to start. Just send an email to me at oldsalvus@comcast.net and I will start sending it to you by email. An additional advantage to emailed Trestleboards, is that they are in full color, and since there are no space limitations I can include additional Masonic stories and tidbits. Please do it now.
Fraternally,
Luis J. Orozco, II, Master
Go to the Last Trestleboard Issue
Go to the Next Trestleboard Issue
Return to the Los Altos Lodge Trestleboard TOC Page
Return to the Los Altos Lodge Papers Page