Pearl of the West: Nov & Dec 07 Trestleboard ================================================================================ webmaster on 09 February, 2008 05:20:00 Brothers of POW Advertise in Your Trestleboard, Over 300 Copies Mailed & Handed Out Every Two Months. $75.00 will advertise your business card through June 2008. Remit $75.00 to the Secretary with a business card to get started. Optional renewal every June thereafter. Help yourself and your lodge NOTICE Do yourself a favor. Send an e-mail to Greame Marsden gmarsden @ colehersee.com and ask him to add you to the distribution list for his Masonic newsletter. It is full of all sorts of interesting Masonic related and articles and mini-biographies. VOLUME: 3 PERIOD: Nov. & Dec. ISSUE YEAR: 2007 ` Trestleboard Pearl of the West Masonic Lodge #146 F. & A. M. 319 Louisiana Avenue, New Port Richey Florida Telephone: 727-849-4122 WM 727-742-5381 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 971 New Port Richey, FL 34656-0971 STATED MEETINGS: 1st & 3rd Mondays CALLED MEETINGS: 2nd & 4th Mondays LODGE WILL BE DARK; July-August Trestleboard Published Bi-Monthly ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pearl of the West Masonic Lodge #146 F. & A. M. Non-Profit Organization P.O. Box 971 U.S. Postage Paid New Port Richey, Florida 34656-0971 Permit Number 6426 Tampa, Florida Return Service Requested FROM THE EAST Brothers, We are fast nearing the end of the year and what a good year we have had. A great amount of degree work has been done and all the candidates and newly raised brothers are going to be good Masons. The new master masons are stepping up and filling in the chairs when we need them to, showing great Masonic spirit. We still have some degree work to do, two EA's, and 4 more master masons. On the 12th of November we will have a dinner and a presentation from the NPR Fire Department. Bring your friends and neighbors. This will be in the dinner hall where they can do a better presentation about Holiday Safety and related subjects. We have a better handle on our finances and have found a way to give us more income, less tax liability and be able to lower our dues to a more reasonable amount. This is especially good for a number of our brothers that are squeezed financially. A financial report is in this Trestleboard. We will keep the craft informed and if there are objections or questions, speak up. We will vote on the by-law change concerning the 2009 dues decrease on December 3, just before the election for 2008 officers. YITF, Jon Kueny, Master FROM THE WEST Brethren, As one of the responsibilities of being Senior Warden, I am required to oversee and report back to the Worshipful Master and the craft the affairs concerning our financial stability. In speaking to a great many members of Pearl of the West, I have had an opportunity to understand the financial workings of this benevolent organization. I have worked with the elected officers of our lodge to envision a path that will both benefit the membership and allow us to fulfill our main purpose of being better men and inspiring those around us with charity and right living. Charity, first and foremost, is the proper road for all masons and one that we can be doing a great deal more with to inspire goodwill in our community and a better understanding of masonry to those around us. We also took a serious look at what we could be doing to benefit our membership. What seemed most obvious was that we had a great deal of money (one of the wealthiest lodges in the state) yet we were crippling our members with one of the highest rates of dues in Florida. WM Jon Kueny, myself, JW Ray Vance along with our Senior Deacon Scott Mitchell and W Br Ray Trahan met with our treasurer, W Br Fred Slack. To our complete amazement we were told that more that 10% of our membership can not afford our dues and they just send in what they are able be it $50.00 or $60.00. This is unacceptable. For that reason, I presented the lodge a written proposition and then made a motion that was seconded by W Br Ray Trahan and received unanimously that the dues paid to our lodge be reduced by 25%. That relates to a reduction from $74.00 to $59.00 annually. This motion is being reported to you now and will be discussed and voted on at our election night meeting on December 5th, 2007. That allows the proper time in accordance with our by-laws. Remarkably, this will not even change our bottom line. During a financial meeting with the Raymond James specialist who has directed our future for the last 5 or 6 years, he suggested and we agreed to move a couple of funds into higher yielding accounts that are equally well insured and will bring us a greater return. This reduction in dues will unfortunately not take place until 2009. If any brother is having difficulty with their dues, please let us know. With the confidence and continued support of the craft we will endeavor to increase activities of interest that will entice our members to return to lodge. We have experienced a remarkable year and look forward to seeing you in attendance. Remember to be present for our December 5th election meeting and vote on the reduction of dues. Fraternally, Glenn R. Clarke Senior Warden FROM THE SOUTH Brethren, As the year winds down I want to remind you all that we will still be having dinner before lodge meetings on the 2nd Mondays. We also have been having food before lodge on some of the other meetings at the request of the Master. I don't mind the extra effort required to put these together but I would like to serve more than 10 to 14 people. Don't forget the breakfast on the 4th Saturday (Oct. 27th). There will be omelets to order, eggs to order, potatoes, sausage, sausage biscuits and gravy to choose from and I'll even have a pancake or two. All this with a suggest donation of $3.50. Please note, in December there will not be a breakfast because it would fall on Christmas weekend. See you all at the meeting. Ray Vance Junior Warden Something To Think About Submitted By Fred Slack, Treasurer Buzzards, Bats, Bumble Bees and People The Buzzard If you put a Buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The Reason is that a Buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. The Bat The ordinary Bat that flies around the night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, can not take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can fling itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. The Bumble Bee A Bumble Bee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides at the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself. People In many ways, we are like the Buzzard, the Bat and the Bumble Bee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up to God. Something to think about………………