Dad Dale Dietzman served as Grand Commander, Brother Anthony Pickren as Commander in the West and Dad Mark Griffis as Commander in the South. The team did an outstanding job of conferring the highest honor that may be conferred upon a DeMolay for service to the Order.

The team was joined by family, friends, the Brothers of South Seminole Chapter, and numerous other Chevaliers from the Central Florida area, most of whom joined Edward Haughter Court in their annual Chevalier Observance after the Investiture.

Hopefully most Florida DeMolays know about Dad Frank S. Land, our Founder, and Dad Frank Marshal, author of our Ritual. Anyone who doesn’t is encouraged to borrow or buy a copy of Hi, Dad! and learn about our early DeMolay history.

Another of the members of the Original Grand Council, which might be considered to consist of the “Founding Fathers” of DeMolay, was a gentleman with the unforgettable name of Dr. Zoro D. Clark. Dad Clark was the Founder, and first Chapter Dad, of the first Chapter outside of Missouri, Omaha Chapter, in Omaha, Nebraska under Letters Temporary #3, in 1920. Omaha Chapter appears at times in the DeMolay Trivia on the DeMolay International web site as the longest continuously functioning Chapter in the Order, so Dad Clark obviously “built well’.

What few people realize is that sometime before 1930 Dad Clark, a dentist, had moved to Florida, and was living in West Palm Beach, with his wife Jessie Clark and their son. He was in attendance at out Conclave of 1930 as a Member of the Grand Council, and in 1931-32 his son, Zoro D. Clark Jr., served as State Chaplain of Florida DeMolay.

While Dad “Zoro” never served as Executive Officer of Florida, he is the only member of the Founding Father’s to live in Florida and to be active with Florida DeMolay, as his attendance and participation at Conclaves indicates. Whether he ever served as Advisor at Thomas A. Edison Chapter in West Palm Beach is a question I do not know the answer to.

Bro. Zoro (Jr.) passed away 13 Jan 1985, in Pinellas County, Florida, and I am unaware of any members of the Clark family still residing in Florida. So many questions we would like to have asked him.

If you happen to be traveling to Omaha, and get a chance to visit Omaha Chapter, you are visiting DeMolay History, and indirectly visiting a historical connection to early Florida DeMolay. I encourage every DeMolay and Dad, who is traveling on business or pleasure, to take any opportunity to visit Chapters wherever you go. It adds immensely to the experience of DeMolay Brotherhood, both for the visitor and the visited.

Effective immediately, all Award applications should be sent to the Florida DeMolay mailing address. Dad Blaisdell will handle all the administrative materials, and the Leadership Correspondence Course. Dad Dale Dietzman will serve as the Dean for the Representative DeMolay and PMC-MSA programs. Dad Blaisdell will send all the applications to Dad Dietzman, who will review and approve the materials. Then Dad Blaisdell will take care of seeing that Awards are sent to the Chapter for presentation.

We hope that this new process will help our Chapters in the DeMolay Awards program.

The day will be filled with fun and food. Including flag-football and volleyball contests. Cost is $10.00 for the day, or $15.00 if you are staying to camp. Please send all reservations to , or call him at 407.947.6034. You may also download the flyer from the Florida DeMolay web site.

Moss Park is located at 12901 Moss Park Rd, Orlando (map) and is one of the largest parks in Orange County. For those Chapters interested, Moss Park offers camping facilities. Details on Moss Park, and the services available there can be found on their web site.

The evening’s festivities included a knightly duel by members of the SCA, and a lot of fun, merriment, food and dancing.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards, the selection of a new First Lady and Priory Princess, and the Knight of Rose presentation by Sir Knight Cory Hutson of South Seminole Chapter who was presented the Jean Kicklighter Memorial Trophy.

Mom Claire Knafla was received as the new First Lady of Col Rowe Priory, Miss Sydney Threadgill was elected the new Priory Princess. Sir Knight Anthony Pickren, State Master Councilor, was awarded the Joe Aspley Sir Knight of the Year Trophy, Sir Knight Guy Sutton from Lake Sumter Chapter received the Howard “Skip” Mauller Memorial Trophy for Drill Team Excellence, and as a culmination of the evening, Dad Richard Lynn, the Executive Officer of Florida, became the first Honorary Sir Knight to receive the distinguished Keith W. Dean Knighthood Grand Cross of Honor.

Many thanks to everyone who made this evening a great success. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Knighthood Spring Festival.

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO COTILLION!

Tickets are $15.00 per youth, $20.00 per adult. Reservations are required for this event, and tickets must be purchased in advance, as there will be no ticket sales at the door. All tickets must be purchased no later than Friday, October 3rd. To purchase tickets, please contact Lady Elaine Graulich:

214 Flagler Ave
Edgewater, FL 32132
Phone: 386-423-4826

The Tampa Scottish Rite Center is located at 5500 Memorial Highway, Tampa, FL 33634-7336 (map)

For more information, including available hotel accommodations, please download the flyer.

The Tampa Scottish Rite Center is located at 5500 Memorial Highway, Tampa, FL 33634-7336 (map)

Chapters are encouraged to bring both new candidates, as well as brothers who have not witnessed the degrees in full-form.

While your there, stay, and enjoy the Knighthood Cotillion that begins at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the Cotillion — and the time between the degree work, and the Cotillion will allow those who are dressing in costume (or formal attire) time to change before dinner.

We hope that all Chapters will join in for this great day of fellowship, degree work, food, and fun — the complete DeMolay experience!