I am very pleased to be back among my fellow Brothers, after our annual sojourn to
Maine. We trust that all had a great summer, and are eager to continue the Lodge’s
business of strengthening Pearl of the West, by continuing to bring new members into the
Craft

As your Assistant Chaplain, I was very pleased to know that this Lodge is continuing its
mission with the initiation of 3 new members on November 10th. With this in mind, the
following seems to be fitting:
“Freemasonry provides opportunities for sincere, honest, forthright men of all
walks of life, to contribute to the improvement of themselves, their families and their
communities. Through our Masonic brotherhood, we reaffirm our dedication and unity
to brotherly love, relief and truth, faith hope and charity, the values that make America
great”

My Brothers, you will hear the following as you progress in your work ,and I believe it is
worthy of repeating:

The Rugged Road:

Each of us must travel it, this rough and rugged road, no one else can journey with us, or
bear the heavy load.
Each of us must face the future, determined to seek the light, never faltering or
complaining, working far into the night.
Let the way be rough and rugged, after all it is the best, for the joy of over coming, leads
to victory and to rest”

Yours in the Faith,

Bro. Bill Crane, Asst. Chaplain

The year 2011 is almost to a close, which is unbelievable.  We have made an enormous number
of  positive  advances  and  I  know  that  next  year  will  yield  similar  results  as  well.   For  me,  there
are almost too many people to thank.  Those that assisted me know who they are and I cannot
express  enough  gratitude  to  exude  my  appreciation.   The  whole  Team  deserves  a  pat  on  the
back.  But through it all, when it came to keeping the kitchen together, I can name one for sure.
If it were not for Rickey Sikes, we would not have enjoyed so many meals.  Also, thanks to Adam
Semel, Bill Neihr, Ray Vance and of course, my wonderful and extremely supportive Wife.  Your
contributions have clearly kept the kitchen afloat.

The   month  of  November  opened  with  our  usual  business  meeting  and  great  news  from  our
Lawyer, Randall Love, concerning the current status of our lawsuit against Judson Hiscutt.  The
message  we  received  was  one  that  we  have  anticipated  for  quite  some  time  now;  here  is  an
excerpt from that communication:

“I am happy to inform you that I just received in today’s mail the court’s order dismissing the
lawsuit with prejudice. “With prejudice” means that the plaintiff will not be permitted to further
amend his pleadings. I am mailing a copy of the court’s order. Please pass along the word. I will
be filing a motion for attorneys’ fees with supporting affidavits.”

Obviously, this is outstanding news and what we had expected since this ordeal began. The
mere fact that this is behind us will help our financial outlook by several thousands of dollars and
remove weight from our Lodge’s shoulders. We will be attempting to retrieve financial losses and
will continue to update The Craft as to the progress thereof.

On Thursday, November 10th, we celebrated Veteran’s Day with an outstanding meal inspired by
the chow halls of our military; of course, Veterans ate free. Brother Richard Sikes prepared quite
a meal, serving Salisbury steaks, mashed potatoes, salad and macaroni and cheese. We had a
great turnout and had the pleasure of witnessing a near-perfect EA Degree, too! Congratulations
to the Brothers that have been newly initiated.

As this year comes to a close, especially with Veteran’s Day near, let us remember and give
thanks to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free of tyranny and terrorism.
After all, they are the reason that we have such a wonderful life in the Home of the Free because
of the Brave!

Fraternally Yours,

Brother Scott Mitchell

My years coming up the line has truly produced a better Mason, and has given me some interesting insights
of our Craft as it exists in practice today, which has allowed me to learn much about myself. One lesson
that I’ve learned from observation and experience is that Masonry is not the bureaucracy, but Lodges tend
to get lost in the decorum and administration and forego the esoteric aspects of being a Master Mason.
Bureaucracy is a necessary evil, but it shouldn’t be the focus of our journey toward enlightenment; it
should be a facilitator, not an obstacle, of the construction of our spiritual buildings.

Another lesson that I want to highlight is Brotherly Love. Harmony is the strength of all societies, and it
doesn’t mean that we have to fall in line and agree with another Brother like sheep, but there has to be a
willingness to step back from a stance from time to time. Being adamant to the point of verbal and physical
altercations is the anti-thesis of so many Masonic lessons and has caused distrust, dismay, and disharmony
within our Lodge and other Lodges. We must focus on subduing our passions, and more importantly, we
must be willing to forgive those who trespassed against us. Indulging one’s ego and maintaining grudges
will cause our Lodge, and ultimately our Fraternity, to implode, leaving nothing for the men of the future.

Light in Masonry being our task, we are sent back to the West multiple times to be taught how to advance
towards the first light of day. This, as all lessons in Masonry, is an allegory, and the symbolic tools with
which we are provided via ritual, lectures, charges, education, catechism, schools, courses and mentoring
are not only for making ourselves better Masons, but making our Fraternity more viable for the future by
empowering each of us with the knowledge to improve ourselves, each other, and our Lodges.

When entrusted with the responsibilities of wearing an emblem of a position within the Lodge, we are
expected to be an example to the Lodge in certain regards and are rightfully held to a higher standard than
most other Brothers. Each seat has its own duties, its own lessons, its own prestige, and its own rewards.
As a Brother progresses through the Steward, Deacon, and Warden chairs to ultimately preside in the East,
he is given knowledge and experiences that will make him a strong leader and mentor of the Lodge. Each
seat is a piece of a larger puzzle; in a sense, a building block for our spiritual building.

Being an Officer is more than just wearing a jewel and apron, or getting the Past Master title and apron, or
dutifully showing up to every meeting. It is a trust that the Brethren bestow upon a small percentage of its
members, and in carrying out the tasks of each office a committed Officer aspires to leave the position and
the Lodge in a better position at the end of the year than at the beginning.

2011’s Officers did just that. The civil lawsuit against the Lodge is all but over. Years of neglect with the
building and landscape have been remedied. Fraternal relations between Pearl and some area Lodges have
never been better. The proficiency of the Officer line in Masonic law, ritual, and education is the envy of
the District. Long-term problems with the finances and building that were previously ignored have been
addressed and solutions are being implemented.

I couldn’t have done it without the Brothers you had the wisdom to elect to preside as Wardens, Secretary
and Treasurer this year, and the same goes for the Brothers who stepped up to the plate to fulfill the duties
of the appointed positions and committees. We were of one mind throughout the year, willing to put forth
any and all effort required to make our Lodge better, and I will reflect on this year and my previous years
as a Steward, Deacon, and Warden with great pride and an endless appreciation for the Brothers I’ve had
the privilege to interact with.

FROM THE EAST CONTINUED

No man is an island; we as individuals are the culmination of all of the experiences, good and bad, and
those experiences are due to the influential people in our lives; if any of them weren’t in my life at a given
point, I wouldn’t be the man I am today, so I need to express my gratitude toward certain Brothers who
mentored me, stood by me, and supported me in my various roles in and out of Lodge.

First, Ray Trahan, who was my FC and MM catechism instructor and later on, my ritual instructor; he
instilled a passion to become as proficient as I could be with our Degree work and Masonic law, which
later opened other doors for me. Also, during my lapse of faith, he spent hours talking with me about life
and philosophy and renewed a belief in myself and my deity.

Second, Ray Vance, who has been my friend and advisor, who urged me to participate with Masons outside
of our Lodge and who counseled and befriended me in my years as a Warden and during an unpleasant
time in my personal life. He spent numberless hours teaching me about our Fraternity and life and on some
occasions took flak for my mistakes.

Next up is James Mayo, who I can’t express enough appreciation to. He was elected to the Secretary
position out of the blue last year, and though having a tight cable-tow, accepted the arduous duties and took
to the role like a fish to water. He has been a pillar for me in and out of Lodge and the star player of this
year’s Officers. Our accomplishments certainly would not be possible without his undying commitment to
Pearl of the West and his steadfastness to the principles of our institution.

Scott Mitchell is another Brother who has caused me to want to become a better person. He always has a
smile and a kind word, even about the most contentious Brothers and the direst of situations. As Senior
Warden 2 years ago, he didn’t get the Worshipful Master position, yet he stood tall and got right back in
the line as Junior Deacon. Most men would’ve left in disgust, but he exhibited a maturity and resolve that
should be a lesson to us all, and he is now more motivated and proficient than ever.

Then there’s Richard Sikes, my right hand, who has been a Godsend to me, many other Brothers, and our
Lodge. He was my go-to guy all of this year, covering for me when my cable-tow became taut. He was
the ear I chewed on in my passionate moments and my Gibraltar in every storm I weathered. He has been
my best friend for half a decade, advising me in every aspect of my life and being a needed counterweight
to my over-enthusiasm. He has given me light in my darkest times, and has motivated me when I felt like
quitting, and is a model of a Mason that we should all endeavor to emulate.

Brothers Adam Semel, Don Venedam, and Matt Quinn have each been a boon to our Lodge, stepping up
to the plate whenever asked for any task, putting forth the work to learn the catechism and parts in the
Degrees, and being an extra set of hands for any and all labors. These men have proven to be the epitome
of Brotherly Love, the beacon of dedication to the Craft, and they are going to be the future leaders of our
Lodge and make us all proud one day to be members of Pearl of the West. They are fiercely loyal in all
aspects of their life and I am blessed to call them my friends and Brothers.

There are many other Brothers whom I should thank individually, such as Bob Matheson, Luke DeRoberts,
Chris Schlenker, Jim Ullery, Ed Street and Aaron Robertson for their contributions to my years as an
Officer and to the Lodge, for their friendship, and for their dedication to the principles of which we
pledge to conduct ourselves. All of the Brothers I’ve named and more give me hope for the future of our
Fraternity, and regardless of how small our numbers may get at the Lodge and state levels, the tenets of
Freemasonry will live on through these Brothers and into the future.

Fraternally,

Bradley Watson
Worshipful Master, Pearl of the West
District Instructor, District 20

To start, we had 21 Brothers participate and complete either one, two or all three of the Master Mason Exams. We’ve had
4 Entered Apprentice Degrees, 2 Fellow Craft Degrees, and 2 Master Mason Degrees. In every one of these Degrees we had
Brothers performing roles for their first time. We’ve had Brothers earn their proficiency cards for all three of the catechisms
and Degree work. And I know of at least three Brothers working on learning the lectures. We’ve also had Brothers complete the
Lodge Officer’s Training Course furthering their Light in all things Masonic. Many Brothers have also traveled and participated in
Degrees in Districts 19, 20 & 21.

Charity being at the heart of Freemasonry we have donated more than $2200 to various charities and we’re not done yet.
We’ve given to the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory Cardio Research Institute, the Florida Masonic Home, the Shriner’s
Gas Fund, the Rainbow Girls, the Boy Scouts, the Volunteer Way, the Susan G. Kohlman Charity Golf Tournament, the SPCA, the
Toy Makers, and the USO Care Package Program for Servicemen, and Gulf Middle School’s ABC Program. We will allocate more
at the next Stated Meeting to close out the year.

The market fluctuated all year causing panic throughout the world. At times we lost money and at others we made money.
On the year we lost money in our Managed Account due to a number of factors, none of which could have been foreseen
or prevented by us or our financial advisor. However, our Treasury Security went up close to $20k on the year. The Finance
Committee dealt with the finances openly and transparently and all minutes and records are archived and available for anyone
to view. The long term usage of the Portfolio will be required in the future in order to cover budget deficits due to loss of
members and increase in expenses. Doing so, the Portfolio will run out entirely in less than 20 years. We cannot wait for this to
happen; we have to remain diligent in our pursuit to lower costs and generate revenue.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you for the honor to have served as your Senior Warden for this year. It has been one of the
greatest privileges of my life to serve the Craft. There have been ups and downs throughout the year and the Brethren’s
support has been immeasurable. I want to thank the 2011 Officers, R:.H:. Bradley Watson (WM), Scott Mitchell (JW), James
Mayo (SE), W: Luke DeRoberts (TR), Don Venedam (SD), Matt Quinn (JD), Bill Crane and Larry Dodd (CH), Adam Semel (MA), and
Ray Lindstrom (TY), for their friendship and support. Thanks to Catechism Instructors Darin Porter, Ray Lindstrom, Tony Gentile,
and Henry Eichner (who has also given numerous lectures this year). Thanks to Brothers Darin Porter, John Connors, Jason
Connors, Don Venedam, Scott Mitchell, Ray Vance, and Adam Semel for their work on the interior and exterior of the building
this year. Thanks to W:. Ray Trahan and R:.H:. Dave Rasmus for our new Altar. And thanks are in order to everyone who came
to see or participated in any Degree in any capacity this year. And finally, thanks to the GAOTU for bestowing the countless
blessings upon us and all of mankind.

Fraternally,

Richard T. Sikes

Senior Warden

The  month  of  August  has  been  both  busy  and  restful  for  Pearl  of  the  West.   As  most  of  you
know,  while  other  Lodges  sleep  in  the  summer,  we  have  been  continuing  to  operate,  both
for  business  purposes  and  for  the  purpose  of  performing  degree  work;  a  task  of  the  Brethren
which is much less a job, but more over a fun night filled with purpose, meaning and of course
symbolism.  This month, we were fortunate enough to enjoy both with our regular camaraderie
to start off the night, as usual.

On  August  4th,  Champagne  Day, we  enjoyed  meatball  hoagies  and  on  August  11th,  Sons  and
Daughters  Day, hamburgers  and  hot  dogs  with  Brother  Rickey  Sikes’  famous  chili  all  were  on
the  menu.   Turnout  was  great  for  both  meetings  even  being  “dark,”  but  then  again,  that was
to be expected.  The first meeting of the month brought a beautiful new addition to our Lodge
that  is  sure  to  astound  anyone  who  enters  our  Lodge-room.   If  you  have  not  yet  gazed  upon
its  wonderful  craftsmanship,  it  is  a  sight  to  behold!   Brothers  from  Sutherland  appeared  and
took  the  Traveling  Gavel  during  the  last  meeting,  replacing  it  with  a  new  tool  to  break  off  the
corners of rough stone and thus delivering us yet another new addition; probably about one one-
thousandth of the size of the first and not quite as spectacular, however.

On  Saturday,  September  17th,  which  happens  to  be  Constitution  Day,  by  the  way, we  will
resume  our  breakfasts.   You  can  expect  our  regular  eggs  to  order,  biscuits  and  gravy,  bacon,
sausage,  pancakes  and  who  knows  what  else  might  materialize.  Thursday,  September  29th,
is  the  day  before  National  Mud  Packing  Day  and  also  the  night  we  will  have  a  Widows’  Dinner
at  which  all  Masonic  Widows  will  eat  free  of  charge.   As  we  honor  those  who  supported  our
Brethren  Past  in  their  Labors  we  will  have  the  unique  pleasure  of meeting  and  interacting with
these  remarkable  Ladies.   Lasagna,  meatballs,  salad  and  garlic  bread  will  all  be  served  for  this
event,  which  will be  second  only  to the  fun  and  insightful  dialogue  of  fellowship.   Come  meet
the “better halves” of our Brethren Past.

I look forward to seeing you all in the coming weeks.

Fraternally Yours,

Scott Mitchell

August was a slow month by our Lodge’s standards, but at the same time, we did accomplish
much as we typically do. Our Stated Communication saw much needed conversation about
challenges our Lodge faces, most importantly our budget deficit and relocation. Many ideas were
offered by W:. Ray Vance, R:.W:. Ron Newton, W:. Ray Trahan, W:. Glenn Clarke, and many
others on tackling these dilemmas. The consequences of these issues may be years down the
road, and with time they will compound, but the problems won’t be solved unless we approach
with sensible solutions today.

We also had a wonderful evening with our Entered Apprentice Degree, with many Brothers
stepping up to the plate to do various positions for the first time, and the outcome was
outstanding! I’m proud of the Brothers who have heeded their respective callings and rose
to the occasion. Brothers Don Venedam, Scott Mitchell, Matthew Quinn, Richard Sikes, and
Adam Semel have been integral to the success of this year, and will be outstanding Officers
for the future of this Lodge. If you’ve not seen them work, my Brothers, you are missing out on
something to be eminently proud of.

Our civil lawsuit seems to be coming to an end, and hopefully we will be hearing from the Pasco
County Court on the dismissal of the final charge. This will be beneficial to the Lodge’s finances,
and after that we must work to repairing relations, and that requires us to adhere to the Charges
given to us in the Three Degrees, so I ask that we put our egos aside.

The end of the year approaches; the summer break is all but over, and we will be going into full
throttle to finish out the year on as positive a note as within our power. The two big events on
the horizon is the Widows and Wives Appreciation Dinner in September, headed up by Junior
Warden Scott Mitchell, and the Christmas party, headed up by Brothers Don Venedam and
Matthew Quinn, which will be in December. In a mere 3 months, we will be having elections, and
before then we have at least 3 Degrees on the docket and much Lodge business to attend to. I
ask the input and assistance of all the Brothers so that we may leave the Lodge better than when
we found it.

Fraternally,

R:.H:. Bradley L. Watson
District Instructor, District 20
Worshipful Master, Pearl of the West #146

I hope this finds you well. The last few weeks we have had a lot going on. I’d like to start off by paying my respects to Brother’s
Jim Bierce and Jack Tocco. These Brothers have finished their labor and have moved on to the Celestial Lodge above. I offer
my condolences to their families and all of their friends. I’d also like to thank all the Brothers who were able to attend and
participate in their funeral services.

Congratulations to Brother Jesse Coker. At August’s Stated Meeting he gave back his Master Mason Catechism and delivered
it magnificently. I’d like to thank his instructor, Brother Darin Porter, for all of his work during all three degrees. R:.W:. Ed
Street was there to present him with his Bible and Apron. We were also brought our new Altar by R:.H:. Dave Rasmuss. He
handcrafted it and brought it in and put the finishing touches on at the lodge. This is an amazing piece of art if you have not yet
seen it. It has 3 levels of lighting, a rotating square and compass, and 4 beautiful pieces of granite. The top two pieces of granite
have the square and compasses etched into them. Brother Rasmuss has outdone himself on this and for that we thank him. I’d
also like to thank W:. Ray Trahan for making this happen.

We had an Entered Apprentice Degree on 8/11/11 for Brother’s Nick Sherman (from our lodge) and Nicholas Farahvashi (from
Sutherland lodge). We had Brother’s all over the place doing parts for their first time and everyone did a great job. Brother
Mitchell was in the East, Brother Venedam was in the West, Brother Quinn was in the South, W:. Watson was the SD and
Brother Lindstrom was the JD. R:.W:. Ed Street delivered the lecture and Brother James Mayo delivered the Charge. Everyone
did an outstanding job!! At the close of the meeting we were greeted by the W:.M:. and many other Brothers from Sutherland
Lodge #174. They came to see their new candidate made an Entered Apprentice, but they also came to take the Traveling
Gavel. And they did. But they left us a gift in the form of a modern working tool, a hammer. So we thanked them for that and
we also thanked them for coming out to Pearl of the West!!!

This coming month we will be coming back online from being “dim.” We do have some important business to address at the
Stated Meeting so come out if your cable tow allows for it. As many of you are well aware the current markets have been all
over the place and this affects our investments, this will be one of the things we will be discussing. We also have to vote on
some honorary memberships for some very deserving Brothers.

Lastly, I would like to extend my thanks to all of you who I have leaned on so much lately. Many of you know that my mother is
battling cancer right now and I am grateful to each and every single one of you who has been there for me, for us. It was only a
few years ago that I was battling a brain tumor myself and the Brethren here at Pearl of the West for there for me. I will never
be able to express what this means to me, but what it does mean is that I am part of the greatest fraternity on the planet, and
so are you.

Fraternally,

Richard T. Sikes

The Lodge Orion in the West, in Covent Garden, raised £17,000 at a ladies’ weekend in February to be split equally between the Kenton hospice and a children’s hospice.

Both good causes were selected by the lodge’s worshipful master of the lodge Mike Moran, of Manor Road, Harrow, as his charities for his year in office.

The 57-year-old, who works for Transport for London, said: “They do an awfully marvellous job in every sense at the final stages of a person’s life.

“I have been to St Luke’s on a number of occasions where close friends have spent their final days there and it’s a very worthy cause.”

More than 170 guests attended the lodge’s weekend fundraiser in Bournemouth.

more http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/st-lukes-hospice/2011/07/25/london-freemason-s-lodge-is-st-luke-s-first-benefactor-116451-29116903/

This year, the golf tournament, which is being coordinated in collaboration with Shriners fraternity members of the Aloha Temple, will be held on Monday, July 25, at Mid-Pacific Country Club in Kailua, with a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m. A banquet will follow.

“We’re very excited to be able to support Shriners Hospitals for Children once again this year,” said Toni Floerke-Politsch, Chief Executive Officer of Certified Hawaii. “The generosity and support from our business associates, including regular, ongoing sponsors such as Tropical Roofing and Raingutters, have been phenomenal. In combination with our in-kind support, we’re expected to surpass the $100,000 mark in cumulative contributions after this tournament.”

more  http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110725006534/en/Certified-Hawaii-Sponsor-Golf-Tournament-Shriners-Hospitals

His idea? A hazard house.

The only problem was the money it would cost.

“I saw it a while back and I really liked it,” said Sargel, the public education leader for the Bucyrus Fire Department. “I knew we didn’t have the money for it, so I let it go.”

The money for the hazard house certainly was not going to be easy to come by.

more http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com/article/20110726/NEWS01/107260325/Shriners-donate-11K-hazard-house-fire-prevention-teaching?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE