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We hope that you will find the information in this publication useful and timely. And we
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Grand Master Visits Paul Revere
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On Monday, March 17th, Paul Revere Chapter was surprised and honored by a visit from DeMolay International Grand Master Patton Hart who was in town for a membership meeting at Shrine HQ.
Dad Hart said what a pleasure it was to visit Florida's first Chapter, that he was happy to have visited Florida several times during his year as GM. He congratulated Florida DeMolay on leading the world, not only with Membership, but also with several of the programs we have employed (Knighthood specifically), and thanked Paul Revere Chapter for their hospitality.
On Wedneday night, Dad Hart attended the Legion of Honor Observance hosted by Florida Preceptory No. 1. You can read more about the outcome of that meeting a few stories down.
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Masonic Home Homecoming & Car Wash
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 April 19th
April 19th is "Piligrimage Day" at the Masonic Home. This day includes a BBQ, a Car Show, a Chili Cook-Off, and the presentation of the First Lady's Project. The car wash will run from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Last year, there was a Tri-Youth Car Wash. There WILL be one this year, thanks to Dad Phillip Paul (aka "Grandaddy" Lake Sumpter DeMolay Advisor and a advisor for Orange Assembly). Each chapter that wishes to participate needs to provide their own sponges, buckets, rags and soap. The proceeds will be divided between the youth groups who participate based on the number of participants.
Feel free to contact Dad Paul with any questions you may have. |
SMC Banquet and State Sweetheart Ball
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 Saturday, May 24th
Your State Master Councilor, Brother TJ Parker, and State Sweetheart, Miss Kristin Markle would like to invite you to their "Las Vegas Mafia" night at the Bahia Shrine Center in Altamonte Springs (map) on Saturday, May 24th. The proceeds from this dinner will go to the Florida Masonic Home "Tree of Life" program.
Cost for the steak dinner is $25. Registration starts at 6:00 p.m. Dinner, music, and the "roast" will follow. Doors will close at 11:00 p.m.
For more information, download the Banquet Flyer.
In addition, TJ and Kristin are trying something new when it comes to "ads." Rather than an Ad Book, they will have an "Ad Wall" at the Shrine Center. So check out all the details on the Ad Sheet.
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Registration Fees Again Waived
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After a most generous gift from Florida Preceptory No. 1, Legion of Honor, located in the Tampa Bay area, Florida DeMolay has been endowed with the funds to cover the registration fees for 150 new DeMolays who join starting in March, 2008.
At their recent Legion Observance, which was attended by the Grand Master of DeMolay, Dad Pat Hart, the Preceptory voted to give to Florida DeMolay $3,750.00, which was specifically earmarked for new member registration. Each Florida Chapter is encouraged to send a letter of thanks to the Preceptory for their continued support of Florida DeMolay. Letters or cards can be sent to: Florida Preceptory No. 1
c/o Hon. Jerry Meguiar
145 W Davis Blvd
Tampa, FL 33606
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Distinguished Service Award Nominations
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 Our Executive Officer, Dad Richard Lynn,
and the executive staff, would like to
encourage every Chapter to select a nominee
for the Distinguished Service Award.
Award nominations, with their accompanying
supporting documentation, must be received in
the State Office by May 31st. The
brother chosen will be presented the
Distinguished Service Award at Conclave in July.
You may download the nomination forms from
the DeMolay International web site. For
additional information, please contact a
member of the executive staff.
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Time to Apply for the FEFI Scholarships
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 Deadline June 1st
Time now to apply for the 2008 Florida Education Foundation Inc. Scholarship! The 2008 scholarship application period closes June 1, 2008.
Scholarship grants are made for one year only. Applicant's may reapply each year by fully completing a new application. Scholarships are generally granted up to $1,200.00 to students in all educational pursuits beyond high school. However, the amount of the scholarship granted is at the discretion of the Foundation. Applicant's must be members, or Senior members, of either the Order of DeMolay, Rainbow Girls, or Job's Daughters or the son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter of a Florida Mason.
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Interested in running for State Office?
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 Deadline June 1st
Florida
DeMolay is now accepting Letters of Intent from those Brothers who wish
to stand for election for State Junior Councilor or State Senior Councilor for 2008-2009.
Your
letter of intent should include information on your DeMolay
experiences, awards and honors earned, offices held, and if you
have a computer readily available to use in your official duties. Plus, you need to specify for which office you are declaring yourself a candidate.
In
addition, as an elected officer, you will be required to be an
active participant in the activities of the Jurisdictional Chapter across the
State of Florida. Details regarding transportation should also be
included in your letter of intent. All Letters of Intent must include a
statement by your Chapter Dad or Chairman that the Chapter is aware of
this application, and that they approve of your candidacy as well as
one from your parents or legal guardian stating the same.
All letters should be emailed to Dad Ron Blaisdell,
and mailed to the State Office address, with a postmark no later than June 1, 2008. Interviews of all candidates will be conducted with
the Executive Staff and the final candidates will appear before the
State Chapter for Q&A and elections.
Installation will be held at Conclave.
For any additional questions, please email Dad Ron Blaisdell, or call the Florida DeMolay toll-free number, and press "0" to be connected with Dad Blaze.
We look forward to seeing a number of qualified candidates for these very important offices.
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| Conclave |
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 July 19-23
The 2008 Florida DeMolay State Conclave will be held at:
Comfort Inn Conference Center 820 East Busch Blvd. Tampa, FL 33612 813-933-4011 ( web site)
Conclave will start on Saturday, July 19th, and we will be checking out on Wednesday morning, July 23rd.
More details to come! |
| Awards |
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The following brothers have earned awards since our mid-March issue:
#1 Pin (1)
Justin Smith, Bahia Chapter
Founder's Membership Award (5)
Brendon Blankinship, Greater Titusville
Red Membership Merit Bar (6)
Brendon Blankinship, Greater Titusville
Blue Honor Key (10)
Andrew Santorelli, South Seminole Chapter
Gold+Red Membership Merit Bars (21)
Stephen Pitts, St. Petersburg Chapter Representative DeMolayCory Hutson, South Seminole Chapter Brandon Elson, South Seminole Chapter Lamp of KnowledgeCory Hutson, South Seminole Chapter A note to the Chapter Awards Advisor - DeMolay International will automatically send your Chapter the #1 Pin, White Membership Merit Bar, Founder's Membership Award, and Blue Honor Key. Florida DeMolay will provide the Representative DeMolay, Representative Sweetheart, Lamp of Knowledge, PMC-MSA, and 1st Star for the BHK. All other Membership Merit Bars are the responsibility of the local Chapter. |
State Chapter Dad's Corner
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 WOAH!!!!!
Hey there, Brother Master Councilor. Suddenly you've got a VIP visiting your Chapter's meeting. How do you deal with this? Are you prepared?
Who is this VIP? It could be "just" the Presiding Officer of your Sponsoring Body (e.g. the Worshipful Master, if you are sponsored by a Lodge). It could be someone else, like the Grand Master of Florida Masons. Recently one Florida MC found himself with the Grand Master of DeMolay International attending his Chapter's meeting! Have you ever even though about how you deal with any VIP guest?
You there, you SCs and JCs, not only are you a (potential) future Master Councilor, but you COULD be acting as the MC at the next meeting, and have a VIP show up. If you don't know what you should do, ask your Chapter Dad to explain the kinds of courtesies you could and should extend to your VIP guests.
There is even an official DI ceremony for dealing with the EO, if he should drop in on your Chapter's Meeting. Have you ever looked it over, much less practiced it?
Any Major League Baseball player doesn't just amble up to the plate and hit a home run. He has practiced in the batting cage for many hours at hitting balls. And he has carefully visualized 'picking up' that pitched ball, recognizing it as hittable, swinging cleanly through it, and driving it out of the park. Perhaps thousands of times, he has visualized it.
You should be doing the same things in DeMolay, imagining what you could need to deal with as MC, and visualizing how you would do it. Then, if it happens, you at least have a plan in place. If you have practiced with your Chapter, you could have even more than a plan.
WOAH, TOO!!!
Congratulations to Brother Jesse Knafla, who put Florida back on the radar of the DeMolay Old South Tournament, by winning the Ceremony of Light Competition at DOST. he won, and in doing so he joined Florida DeMolays like Ryan Jones, Clarke Jeffris, and the Brandon and St. Petersburg Chapter DeMolay Degree Teams of years past, all of who came home with the Winners medals from DOST. But Florida has always also been known for the quality of its Competitors who didn't win, who placed second of third, but whose very high scores made the winners really earn their victory.
And, there are no losers who go to DOST, or any other Tournament, and compete, just as there are no losers who compete at Conclave. The losers are those who don't make the commitment to try, who don't stand up and take their best shot at Second Preceptor or the "Mag Seven", or their Exam Queries.
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Membership Scorecard
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How we doin'? Membership Goals for Calendar Year 2008
New Member Goal: 74
New Members in 2008: 34
SMC's Membership Goal: 120
SMC's Term Majorities: 62
SMC's New Brothers in Term: 101
All numbers based on the receipt of completed Form 10s. Have you sent in your Form 10s?
Meet our new Brothers
Greater Titusville Chapter
Brothers Tyler and Cody were inducted on April 5th at Spring Fest.
Chapters with Positive Growth for 2008
Chartered Chapters
- Greater Titusville +4
- St. Petersburg +4
- South Seminole +3
- South Miami +2
- Biscayne Bay +2
- West Volusia +0
Letters Temporary
Membership Competition
2007-08 Membership Trophy Top 5
- Greater Titusville - 14
- Mahi - 14
- South Seminole - 9
- Marion - 8
- Paul Revere - 8
Membership Trophy Leaderboard
2007-08 First Line Signer Top 5
- Victor Calles, Mahi - 9
- Travis Parker, Lake Sumter - 7
- Andrew Santorelli, South Seminole - 7
- Stephen Pitts, St. Petersburg - 6
- Adam Clark, Greater Titusville - 4
First Line Signer Leaderboard
And, don't forget the DeMolay International "Show Me the Money" Contest Entries
We track the membership our State Master Council achieves during his tenure, but what about our Executive Officer? Dad Lynn was appointed Executive Officer of Florida on July 9, 2004 and through this issue (April 15, 2008), we have positive membership growth!
New Members in Florida: 327
Majorities in Florida: 314
Net Growth: +13
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| What's Comin' Up? |
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 Calendar of Events
April
- 19 - Masonic Home Homecoming in St. Petersburg
- 22-24 - Grand Chapter OES of Florida, Osborne Convention Center, 1000 Water St, Jacksonville 32204 (map). Banquet to be held Monday, April 21st 6:30 p.m.
- 28-30 - Grand York Rite of Florida, Marriott Hotel , 1501 International Parkway Lake Mary 32746 (map). Banquet to be held on Sunday, April 27th.
- 30 - May 4 - Florida Shrine Association Convention, Orlando
May
- May 1 - June 21 - Parent's Day Observance Period
- 3 - Florida Rainbow Fun Day at the Masonic Youth Park and Camp, Wimauma (map), cost $25.00
- 10 - Florida Job's Daughters Ritual Competition, John Darling Lodge No. 154, 4601 N. Habana Avenue, Tampa 33614 (map)
- 22-24 - Grand Court of Amaranth for Florida, Double Tree Hotel 4500 West Cypress Street Tampa 33607 (directions)
- 24 - SMC Reception and State Sweetheart Ball, Bahia Shrine 2300 Pembrook Dr, Orlando 32810 (map)
- 25-28 - Grand Lodge F&AM of Florida, Rosen Plaza Hotel 9700 International Drive Orlando (map)
- Sunday 25th
- Noon - Advisor Training Class, Salon 8 second floor.
- 6:00 p.m. - Grand Master's Banquet
- Monday 26th
- 3:00 p.m. - King Solomon Chapter and State-wide Initiation (arrive by 1:00 p.m.)
- 31 - Distinguished Service Award applications due
Coming Events
- June 1 - FEFI Scholarship Applications due
- June 1 - State Councilor Letters of Intent due
- June 7 - Knighthood Convocation
- June 13-14 - Southeast Regional York Rite Meeting, Rosen Plaza Hotel 9700 Internatinal Drive Orlando (map)
- June 18-21 - DeMolay International Supreme Council & International Congress, Anaheim, CA
- June 20-24 - Florida Rainbow Grand Assembly, Innisbrook Resort, 36750 US Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor, FL 34684 (directions)
- July 1-31 - My Government Day Observance Period
- July 19-23 - Florida DeMolay Conclave Comfort Inn, 820 E. Busch Blvd Tampa 33612 (map)
- August 17 - Combined Honors Investiture, Florida Masonic Home, St Petersburg
- August 28-30 - Triennial Meetings General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons International, and General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International, Indianapolis, IN
- September 5-8 - Florida DeMolay LTC, Florida FFA Training Center, Haines City
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| Allegiance |
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This electronic publication acknowledges authority and yields allegiance to DeMolay International, of which Frank S. Land was founder.
"Building young men of character
since 1919"
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