Greetings Brethren,

This year’s Hands on DC work-a-thon will take place on two dates: May 4 and May 18. During the work-a-thon, more than 2,000 volunteers will spend the day working to create a better learning environment at one of about 40 DC public schools.  Projects are available for every skill level and typically include painting, cleaning, and landscaping.

The Freemasons of the Nation’s Capital team is recruiting volunteers for to help on either or both workdays.

Work-A-Thon Day 1 – May 4

Stuart-Hobson Middle School, 410 E St N.E., Washington, DC 20002
Street Parking Available, Union Station is the closest Metro stop.

­Work-A-Thon Day 2 – May 18

Garfield Elementary School, 2435 Alabama Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20020
Street Parking Available, Limited on-site parking

You can volunteer for this service project by visiting the “Freemasons of the Nation’s Capital” team recruiting site at http://www.firstgiving.com/handsondc.  Select the event for which you would like to register (the May 4 and May 18 events are listed as separate events). As you complete the online registration form, you will be asked to “Join a Team.” Select the Freemasons team for your intended volunteer date. To volunteer on both days, you will be asked to register twice.

If you have any difficulty with online registration, please contact me at Dustin.Rawlins@SingletonLodge.com. Please include the names, ages, and Lodge affiliation of your attendees and I can add them manually.

This is an open event, so please encourage your family and friends to come out for one day to refurbish the District’s public schools, get some exercise, and witness an excellent example DC Freemasonry in action.

Once you join the team, you will receive periodic updates via e-mail that will provide instructions regarding the day’s schedule, reporting times, school assignments, and metro/parking instructions.  The day usually begins around 8:30 A.M.; breaks for lunch around Noon, and work/clean up conclude around 3:30 P.M.

Recommended dress for the Work-a-thon should be “work” clothes such as sturdy and comfortable shoes, jeans or long pants, and so on.  Work gloves will be provided to all volunteers at no cost.

Please sign up today to join your fellow Brothers, family and friends in this important endeavor.

For any questions, please contact Brother Dustin Rawlins at Dustin.Rawlins@SingletonLodge.com.

Brethren, our Grand Lodge Charity effort culminates in one week!

As a reminder here are the steps:

1. Think - Sit down and give some thought to a mentor in your life when you were a child.  Reflect on someone who made that difference in your life, and whose help eventually led you to the point where you knelt at the Masonic altar.  With that person in mind, purchase a new toy and a coat for a child as a donation.

2. Act - Write a brief note to that person, expressing your thanks.  Use the Grand Lodge stationery that has been provided to each Worshipful Master.  The note can be something as simple as, "Thanks to you and what you meant to me as a child, another child is enjoying a new toy and a new coat this holiday season..."

3. Share - Share the experience and story with your loved ones.  This is the step that distinguishes us as Masons.  Use your experience as a child to inspire your own loved ones.  Children, in particular, can benefit from this storytelling.

4. Collect - Deliver the new (unwrapped) toy and child's coat to the Grand Lodge building, prior to 5 December.  Most Lodges are organizing the collection effort within their Lodge and then delivering the donations as a group to the Grand Lodge.

The final "act" of our charity effort is a presentation of the donated items to the selected charities at our Grand Lodge Annual Banquet on Friday, December 7.

The Marine Corps "Toys For Tots" will be there to accept the toys, and "Safe Shores" ( a shelter for women and children in Washington DC) will receive the coats.

Our hope is to line a wall in the banquet hall with a display of coats and toys.

If you cannot drop off your items at the Grand Lodge Office, you CAN bring your toy and coat to the Grand Lodge Banquet on December 7th.

Thank you for your help and support of this project.  Especially when consumed with our own Thanksgiving Holiday joy and activities, it is a challenge to devote time to this special effort.

Please share this message with your Lodge brethren and gather the toys and coats at our Grand Lodge.  We have a small committee of dedicated Masons who will move the items to the Renaissance Hotel on the afternoon of 7 Dec.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
Mike Nicholas, PM
Grand Marshal

Brethren,

The Grand Lodge Fall Charity has been announced.  The two chosen charities are the Marine Corps “Toys for Tots”, and the DC Children’s Advocacy Center “Safe Shores” (www.safeshores.org) programs.  More information about the goals and intention behind selecting these charities will be forthcoming from your Worshipful Master.

In the meantime, the collection of new, unwrapped toys and new coats can begin.  The Worshipful Master of each constituent lodge will supervise collection and delivery of the coats and toys to the Grand Lodge Office drop-off.  All items should be delivered to the Grand Lodge office no later than Wednesday, 5 Dec, for presentation at the Annual Grand Lodge Banquet on Friday, December 7.

The point of contact for info and coordination:

WB Mike Nicholas, Grand Marshal, michael.nicholas.sr@gmail.com
RWB David Han, Senior Grand Steward, dhan74@gmail.com

Sincerely & fraternally,

Office of the Grand Secretary
The Grand Lodge
Free and Accepted Masons of Washington, DC
5428 MacArthur Blvd., Washington, DC 20016
(202) 686-1811 - telephone
(202) 686-2759 - facsimile
www.dcgrandlodge.org

Celebration of the Craft:   May 19th, 2012 at 6:00 pm - 12:00 am, EDT

This celebration of the Scottish Rite will be similar to a telethon but broadcast over the internet on May 19th. Our Web Event will pay tribute to Freemasonry with entertainment, celebrities, humor, and educational programming.  Our host will be Ill. Norm Crosby, 33°.  It will be broadcast through the Scottish Rite web site at www.scottishrite.org.

For donations made online or called in during the Web Event, 50% of the net proceeds will benefit the Rebuilding the Temple Campaign to restore the House of the Temple and 50% will benefit Orient and/or Valley 501(c)3 organizations.

What can you do?:

1.       Mark May 19th on your calendar.

2.       Plan on watching with your Valley or at home.

3.       Let all of your Masonic friends know about the Web Event and its importance.

4.       Plan on making a gift to help us preserve and restore the House of the Temple and also benefit your Orient.

5.       Donations can be made online, by text, by phone, and on Facebook. Throughout the broadcast we will give up to the minute updates.  If every member made just a $5 contribution we would hit our goal of $1 million.

Brethren,

The annual meeting of the Masonic Foundation of the District of Columbia will be held on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the Grand Lodge building, 5428 MacArthur Blvd., NW at 7:00 pm.  Use the rear entrance off the parking lot.

The agenda for the meeting will include receipt of the 2011-2012 financial report, nominations and election of Trustees, and appropriations for scholarships and proposed contributions to other charitable activities for the ensuing year.  Submissions for such contributions should be made in advance to the Secretary of the Foundation at least one week prior to the meeting.

Masters & secretaries, please encourage your lodge representative to attend.  The meeting should last about 90 minutes.

Sincerely & fraternally,

The Office of the Grand Secretary