09/06/2026
From the Desk of the Worshopful Master
Greetings Brethren,
Greetings from the East my Brothers. It is hard to believe but summer is about to end. Where has the time gone? Let me begin with a quick summary of the things we did over the last two months. Our first stated meeting on July 2nd was conducted by our Sr Warden Steve Sumners due to my absence. I was in Idaho attending the weeding of my nephew. I wish to thank our SW for stepping up to cover and allow me to travel. I was told the meeting went well and everyone enjoyed our Independence Day salute. Shortly after returning home, I was able to take two of our EAs to the Vero Beach lodge so they could see an EA degree. Our second July meeting we had the pleasure of welcoming the DDGM R.L. Marsh and many of his committeemen to Acacia where he presented the Grand Masters message. The meeting was well attended, and everyone enjoyed themselves. July 22 I was invited to attend the initiation of Ross Friend into the DeMolay. I was honored to be able to witness this event. A big congratulations to Ross and his family. A day later, we held a called communication and passed 3 Brothers to the degree of Fellowcraft. In August, our first meeting was an open meeting. We had a Hawaiian themed evening for a little fun with our families. Br John Clark and his grandson Cameron prepared a special Hawaiian themed dinner that was absolutely fantastic. After dinner I presented some Hawaiian trivia and door prizes for those who attended, gave out perpetual membership certificates to Brs Mike Hafling and Thomas Ladley, I presented a Friend of Acacia perpetual membership to our new DeMolay, Ross Friend, Br E. John Hay received his Bible and Apron, and I presented Mrs. Pat Eisenhart with a Memorial Perpetual Membership in honor of her husband and our dear Brother, Robert Eisenhart. At our second meeting we had Br Joseph Ortega complete his Master Mason return and presented him with his membership certificate to Acacia Lodge and lastly we voted to restart a DeMolay program at Acacia. I will have more on that later. I know I have probably forgotten something, and if I did, please accept my apologies in advance.
The rest of the year looks like it will be just as busy as the beginning of the year. But that’s ok. Please review the calendar in this Sprig. There are so many things coming up that you will not want to miss. Here is just a quick sample. We will have a Master Mason Degree, a Treasures School and the GMOV in October. In November we will have our golf tournament, an open meeting for Thanksgiving and the DeMolay with King Solomons Chapter initiations. In December we will have our Masters Ball on the 19th. Again, please make sure to review the attached calendar and note these events so you do not miss anything.
As promised, I want to take a minute and tell you about the DeMolay and King Soloman’s Chapter. The King Solomons Chapter is for us Master Masons who, for whatever reason, did not belong to the DeMolay when we were young. It will give you the opportunity to be joined with this youth organization. The cost is a one-time $100 fee. And in case you did not know, there are several well-known DeMolay, including Walt Disney and John Wayne. It is my sincere belief that if we want Masonry to flourish and continue for the next generations, then we need to focus on the youth. We must begin the making of good men as these boys become young men. We will also need Advisors for the DeMolay Chapter. There is some studying to be done and a test and background check along with a small fee of approximately $56. But I feel it is a wise investment both of your time and funds. If you would like to learn more, please visit www.beademolay.org or contact RW Paul Friend or me. We will be happy to help answer any questions.
When you love Masonry and you love your Brothers, all this work and effort is worth it in the end. As you have hopefully noticed, I have tried to incorporate our families into more of what we do. I feel it is very important that our wives and families to be involved. Without their support we would not be able to do any of this. So, my Brothers, please try to bring your families to the dinners. It provides another opportunity for fellowship and gives our families a chance to socialize and grow closer. Lastly, I want to say that as much as we
love our appendant bodies, our eyes must always be on our blue lodge. The blue lodge is the root system of Masonry. Just like a tree, if our roots are not strong, our leaves and branches wither and die. So, while you go off to that York Rite, Scottish Rite, OES, or whatever you might be aligned with, do not ever forget that your blue lodge needs you too and if neglected, your appendant organization may soon be gone.
Fraternally yours,
Joseph Schoonover – Worshipful Master
