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Congratulations to the Valley of Syracuse's newest Meritorious Service Award Recipients! Distinguished Brothers Jim Nelson, Carl Fahrenkrug, Jr. and Bill Toth received their MSAs at the New York Council of Deliberation session on Saturday, September 28th. Congratulations also go out to Brothers Bruce Naumann and Jack Dombrowski who were elected to receive the MSA at next year's CoD Session.  Central New York Come Join Us Saturday, October 5th Annual 3-5 K Walk to Help Children w/ Dyslexia Walkathon-10:00 AM Chicken BBq @ 11:00 --$12.00 Cornhole Tournament—11:00--???? Eastern Star Campus—Pavilion 8290 State Rte. 69 Oriskany, NY 13424
Calendar
September 2019 Sept 09 Valley Fall Kick off Program “Bring a Brother Night at MMC Social 6:00 p.m. /Dinner 6:30 p.m. Candidates needed for November 18 Sept 16 Officers Training Meeting7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow All Bodies Sept 23 White Hat Recognition Dinner Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m./ Program 7:30pm Sept 27-28 Council of Deliberation Annual Convocation DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, East Syracuse October 2019 Oct 05 (Saturday) Children’s Dyslexia Center @OES Home Oriskany Walk-a- Thon 9:00 a.m. Chicken Barbecue 11:30 a.m. ‘til gone Oct 07 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Oct 14 Recognition & Awards Night Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m./ Program 7:30pm Oct 21 Lodge Ambassador’s Program 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow Consistory Oct 28 4° Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Consistory Greetings my Brothers, As your new Commander in Chief I want to welcome everyone back from your summer break. The Valley of Syracuse has had a very busy summer filled with many new and fun events. The first being the Knights of St. Andrew Bannockburn Banquet held at the Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia N.Y. on June 15, 2019.This event was a great success and was enjoyed by all who attended. Many thanks to our piper; Mark Stinson, the Venerable Master; Ryan Hanlon, Ill.: Richard Powell, 33°and the Rev. Steve Maddox, 32° D.S.A. for presenting the Battle of Bannockburn story. On July 20th , 2019 we had our Family Life Outing & Picnic at the Cicero American Legion Post. We had approx. 75 adults and 10 children in attendance in spite of the extremely warm day the event was a success and we have already reserved a date for July 18, 2020. Many thanks to D.B. Garry Visconti, 32° M.S.A. for kicking off this event along with his Lady Lynn, Jim and Sharon Swan, my Lady Linda, Terry and Dolly Byard, Hank Havener, Jim and Debra Nelson for giving their time to help make this event happen. Special thanks go out to Duane and Suzann Crapser for the music and my daughter-in-law, Emily Egnaczyk for face painting for the children and adults alike. My favorite part was the dunk tank where Garry and I got to raise funds for the CDC-CNY. August 2nd we held the Teddy Bear Classic golf outing with great weather at the Vesper Hills G.C. 57 golfers raised approx. $5k for C.D.C.-C.N.Y.-103. Thanks to Craig Cobb for all his hard work. August 16th was the Syracuse Mets Baseball outing attended by 35 Scottish Riters their Friends and Families. Fireworks followed the game. This was a special night as we recognized Craig and Susan Cobb on their 50th wedding anniversary. September 9, 2019 is the Valley Fall Kick Off and Brother Bring a Brother Night. Masters of Lodges and Brothers interested in Scottish Rite are guests of the Valley. I am happy to report that our Class Sponsor this year is the Ill:. Richard J. Powell, 33° Past C.I.C. On a more somber note, Brother Carlton Brothers and wife Mary lost their home and their dog to an early morning fire July 26th, 2019. I contacted Jim Swan that evening and he contacted the Ill:. Peter J. Samiec, 33°, Grand Lt. Commander and Grand Almoner of Supreme Council. By Saturday morning Peter and Jim met in Herkimer and Jim was given Relief in the form of gift cards which I was able to place in Brother Carlton's hands on Sunday morning. This is what it means “We will strive to be a fraternity that fulfills our Masonic obligation to care for our members. “ It truly humbled me that we could help a distressed Brother so soon. D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Greeting Brothers, I hope everyone had a great summer but where did it go? Congratulations to all the new officers and staff. I am looking forward to working with everyone for an exciting year! As for the degrees and programs that the Rose Croix is responsible for – I hope those dedicated Brothers who have participated in the past will do so again and that some new Brothers will volunteer to get involved. In the coming year it will be great to see all my Brothers again, renewing friendships and making new ones. Henry R. Havener, 32° DSA Most Wise Master Council Hello Sovereign Prices and welcome to another Scottish Rite year! Where has the summer gone? As I write this I am thinking about the upcoming year and the many activities we have coming up including The Council of Deliberation September 27 – 29. With the amount of activities planned we are always in need of help in all forms so if you can help in any way, please contact the office and let them know. There is no better way to get involved then to help in a degree, volunteer in the robing room or scene setups. It is a great way to build new relationships in Scottish Rite or strengthen ones you already have. Your Valley is well known for the excellent degree work we do – let’s keep the good work going. As always if anybody knows of a Brother in need, let the office or any officer know and we will help in any way we can. Personally, I am looking forward to a full, fun and memorable year in the Valley and as your Sovereign Prince. God Bless and please keep all of our service men and women in your prayers. James McNeal, 32º DSA Sovereign Prince Lodge Greetings Princes. Hoping all have had a wonderful summer full of family and friends enabling us to refresh our minds, body and souls, preparing us for a new season of Scottish Rite Masonry!! First, I want to thank everyone who have put their trust and confidence in allowing me to serve as your Thrice Potent Master and pay homage to all who have gone this way before me. As I reflect upon the moral lessons of our Degrees and the admirable character of those who have dedicated their lives to service and leadership in our Craft, and the Valley of Syracuse in particular, I am deeply humbled and dedicate my very best effort in serving the Craft and our Beloved Valley. My predecessor, Brother Ken Sterling has set the path for continued success in the Lodge of Perfection. We should all be thankful for his leadership and direction. He has truly been a mentor to me and a great friend. Princes, I hope you will all join me and the Officers of the Lodge of Perfection with new excitement and vigor for our upcoming season. The Valley leadership has worked hard to put together a full and eventful schedule I’m sure we will all enjoy. September 8th will begin the 2019 season with the annual Kickoff & New Members Recruiting Program. September 27th and 28th will be the Council of Deliberation. Following, the ensuing fall months are filled with work for the Lodge of Perfection. Beginning with an Awards and Recognition Evening, hosted by the LOP, on October 14th (Social Hour beginning at 6:00 PM; Dinner at 6:30PM; and Program starting at 7:30PM). October 28th we will have a rehearsal for the conferral of the 4th Degree. November 10 th we will have a rehearsal for the conferral of the 14th Degree followed by the conferral of these Iconic Degrees on November 18th (4th Degree) and November 25th (14th Degree) respectively. Again, I want to thank you for your support, confidence, and fellowship. Let us all work together to breathe new life into our Masonic Brotherhood and honor the efforts of all who have worked so hard for the success of our Valley. Excited to serve you and our Valley... Terry A. Byard, 32° DSA Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY When you read this, we will have had another fun and exciting Teddy Bear Classic fundraiser and will be preparing to start another year of tutoring. We will kick it off with our Annual Walk-a-Thon on Saturday, October 5th . This year we hope to add a Corn-Hole Tournament to the Walk and Barbecue, and we hope you will plan to join us for a day of fun and ‘exercise”! We had 8 children continue their tutoring over the summer and we will have 9 children continuing this Academic year with hopes of enrolling 11 new children. We have three new initial scholars and will have 7 returning tutors. As always, the Center will be a very busy place. We have exciting plans for our Annual Gala Fundraiser, March 14, 2020. Mark your calendar and plan to join us for this very special event. You continued support and interest is appreciated and we invite you to visit us when we are open, M-Th afternoons (on the school schedule), from October through May. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have or to set up a visit. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 White Hat Recognition Dinner The Valley of Syracuse is hosting a White Hat Recognition Dinner honoring Garry L. Visconti Monday evening September 23, 2019 at the Masonic Memorial Center, 648 Centerville Place, North Syracuse, NY who was coroneted a 33° Scottish Rite Mason and Honorary Member of Supreme Council, A.A.S.R., N.M.J. on August 27, 2019 at the Supreme Council Session in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Festivities start with a reception at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and presentation of the White Hat to Garry at 7:30 p.m. Cost of the dinner is $13.00 per person. Reservations for dinner are required. Contact the Valley Office (315) 452-7976 no later than September 17, 2019 to make your dinner reservations. Annual Fall Kickoff Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R., Valley of Syracuse’s Fall 2018 Scottish Rite year commences with our Annual Fall Kickoff Program and Steak Bake September 9, 2019 at the Masonic Center. Central City Bodies invites all Scottish Rite Masons to join us this Fall and Winter for our regularly scheduled meetings and events. The Commander- In-Chief, Most Wise Master, Sovereign Prince, and Thrice Potent Master have planned an excellent schedule of meetings for the 2019-2020 year. Many members seem to say “I do not like to attend boring meetings where the same thing happens at every meeting”. Your Valley Officers have a variety of interesting meetings planned for this year so that the same thing does not happen at every meeting. Supreme Council has rewritten several of the Scottish Rite Degrees providing the opportunity to expand your Masonic knowledge. There are new lessons to be learned and new ritual to be witnessed. Read the WORD every month, check your mail for special meeting and events notices, and plan to attend. Your Valley is very active with many brothers attending every meeting with their wives joining them for our social events. Come out and join your fellow members of the Masonic Family and enjoy the fellowship. I know that every organization is constantly mentioning the need for new members. Scottish Rite Masons and Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse are no different. Statistically the Valley of Syracuse membership has decreased over the past seven years from 691 members in June 2011 to our current membership of 387 members in June 2019. Fellow members, we lost an average of 38 members per year due to death. A large reason for that loss is due to the advancing ages of our membership. The Valleys of Syracuse and Utica together, in a joint effort started in 2005, sponsor the Children’s Learning Center, Central New York on the New York Order of the Eastern Star Campus in Oriskany, NY for children with Dyslexia. You are invited to come to the learning Center to learn more about dyslexia and the negative impact that it has on a child. The Annual Walk-A-Thon and Chicken Barbecue fundraiser to support the Learning Center is October 5, 2019 at the Center. Join us and help us help our children. Information for this event has been sent to every member and questions regarding the day’s activities can be answered by contacting the Learning Center (315) 736-0574 or (315) 736-0576 or the valley of Syracuse office (315) 452-7976. Eight Children and Grandchildren of members of the Valley of Syracuse were among the fifty-two individuals who received financial assistance to continue their college studies for the 2019-2020 academic year; three from the Supreme Council Abbott Scholarship program and five from New York State Scottish Rite Charities Educational Assistance fund. Remember, we have many Family events with our ladies. A special notice for each of these events is sent from the Valley office to our members. Bring your lady out for a social evening. Contact the office (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions regarding our events and programs. A gentle reminder! The most important task of a Scottish Rite Valley is to create new Scottish Rite Masons; to provide advanced Masonic education and fellowship to Master Masons and to make our Scottish Rite members better men and Masons. Sponsor a Master Mason to join the Ill∴ Richard J. Powell, 33° Class and become a Scottish Rite member and receive two complimentary tickets to the 158 th Annual Reunion Banquet April 20, 2020. Join us for a steak dinner, September 9, 2019 when we kick off our Fall 2019 Scottish Rite year in the Valley of Syracuse. Cost for this special evening is $13.00 per Valley member. Invite a Master Mason who is not a Scottish Rite member to attend this event as a guest of the Valley. You received a special notice for this event in your recent mail. From the Valley Office Happy Independence Day America! Take a few minutes today and read the Declaration of Independence https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript  The Syracuse Knights of St. Andrew held its first Bannockburn Banquet on Saturday, June 15th, 2019 at the historic Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia, NY. The Bannockburn Banquet commemorated the Battle of Bannockburn of June 1314. It was a Scottish victory by King of Scots Robert the Bruce against the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. Legend has it that a band of Knights Templar assisted the Bruce in achieving this victory. Rev. Steve Maddox recited some items of note with regard to the Battle. Venerable Master, Ryan Hanlon did a fine job setting up the event at the Brae Loch, even arranging for a Scotch tasting! Rick Powell hosted the event despite sporting a back brace due to a recent injury. Special thanks to Mark Stinson who provided the bagpiping for the evening. A great time was had by all. See you next year! The Children's Dyslexia Center - CNY held its Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, June 11th in the Pavilion at the OES Campus...  Officers for the Central City Bodies were installed on Monday, June 3rd, 2019  Presiding Officers D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 32° MSA Terry A. Byard, 32° DSA Henry R. Havener, 32° DSA James McNeal, 32° DSA
Commander-In-Chief Thrice Potent Master Most Wise Master Sovereign Prince Calendar
June 2019 June 03 Officers Public Installation Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Install 7:30 p.m. June 10 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Jun 15 (Saturday) Knights of St. Andrew’s Bannockburn Banquet @Brae Loch Inn, Cazenovia Social 5:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:00 p.m. July 2019 Jul 20 (Saturday) Family Life Outing Picnic @Cicero American Legion 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Food served 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. August 2019 Aug 2 (Friday) “Teddy Bear Golf Classic” Fund Raiser for Children’s Dyslexia Center, CNY Registration 9:30 a.m. / Shot Gun Start 10: 00 a.m. Aug 16 (Friday) Syracuse Mets Baseball Game Event First pitch 6:05 p.m. Food & Beverages; Fireworks after the game Consistory Well as we move into June we find the end of our Masonic year and the end of my term as Commander in Chief. It has gone by quickly and I have had a lot of fun and accomplished quite a bit during my time the past 2 years. One of the biggest accomplishments is the restart of Masonic Family picnic which will be July 20th . Lynn and I have made many new friends and even caught up with some old ones in our travel. I look forward to seeing everyone there to have fun and enjoy fellowship. I would like to thank the membership for their support over the past 2 years. I especially would like to thank members of the office, Sharon Fox, Sharon Swain and Ill. James Swain 33° for all the hard work and support during this time. They have been great in being sure things get done, keeping me in line and keeping the Valley running smoothly. My main support and who keeps me in line is my wife Lynn. She has been by my side during this time in everything I have done over the past couple years and has been my rock. She has always been there to support me in all my Masonic adventures. I pledge my support to the incoming Commander in Chief, DB Lawrence Egnaczyk 32° MSA and all the incoming Valley Officers. I will be there to help out whenever needed. I am looking forward to the Valley continuing to grow in membership, fellowship, and activities. I hope to see you in Lodge D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, As June and the warmth of summer is upon us, I wish to warmly express what an honor it was to serve the Valley of Syracuse and thank all in our greater Masonic community for welcoming me. It was a wonderful time, reminded me of how small the world is and continues to provide comfort in knowing that the Scottish Rite stands as a lighthouse shining sanctuary and refuge to the weary and wayward traveler. By honoring our A.’.A.’.S.’.R.’. tradition, staying present, and being mindful of the future our craft continues to harmonize quality and quantity and the Rite as practiced is sure to evolve and prosper. It shall prosper for it is here where our distinguished intergenerational chain continue in pursuit of the Kadosh. For any Mason not a member of the Scottish Rite, know it is a rewarding place for Masonic work; it is where we can increasingly “Try” to refine and apply our blue lodge lessons. It is where we continue chipping away at the old block, practicing balance, tolerance, humility, prudence, and equanimity in search of further light. It is where we learn to adapt gracefully and of the arts of independence, interdependence, community and of our personal responsibility to work T.’.T.’.G.’.O.’.T.’.G.’.A.’.O.’.T.’.U.’. “This hill though high I covent ascend; The difficulty will not me offend; For I perceive the way of life lies here. Come, pluck up, heart; let’s neither faint nor fear.” -John Bunyan Until we meet again may peace be with you and I wish you all a blessed, safe, and profitable summer. Good luck to all new body heads. See ya soon. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, When I saw the heartbreaking pictures of Notre Dame on fire, the terrible destruction of the roof and spire, I recalled when I had the opportunity to see it in person while my wife and I were on our honeymoon. During that trip we saw numerous churches and cathedrals. Each with their own unique personalities yet sharing many similar characteristics. Some of my thoughts were about those who built the cathedral, those who had laid the foundation in conformity to the vision of the master builder, yet, with the scope and size of such works, those who laid the first levels of this grand center of worship would never see it completed. Through many decades work has been done, additions, changes, yet the main vision remains. I have visited Saint John the Devine Cathedral in Manhattan and was fortunate to have a tour behind the main walls, up into the higher areas of this Cathedral. Seeing it from this new viewpoint brought in new and greater appreciation for those who worked on constructing it. Yet, even with the use of more modern means of building, the work takes decades, generations, to bring it to where it is today, and more work is still planned. Our craft is blessed to be associated with those who labored throughout the world to build inspiring places where people go to worship and to feel peace, renewing their faith surrounded by a place that was built on the faith of those who started the work who would never see the last stone put in place. Faith of their foundation being added to and expanded upon by future generations of the craft. Our work within the Bodies of Scottish Rite, and our craft Lodges and all the other Masonic organizations are no different in that aspect. The labors various leaders and brethren do help form what is to come from those who follow after us. We have hope and some faith that the works we have done in the craft will keep it strong, will bring support to future generations. Notre Dame suffered terrible damage, yet so far, the main structures remain, it can be repaired. It is testament to the earlier generations who built the cathedral having done their work well. Our craft continues to bring light and to help shape men to be better men. It is a blessing we have had so many past masters of the craft who laid a strong foundation so that our current and our future generations can keep refining and building upon these temples made not with hands, and can have confidence that those who follow after us, even if they know us not, will see the effects of what we have built upon. I thank you all for the support and help you have given me through the three years I’ve been blessed to be Sovereign Prince. I look forward to the future generations of those who take up this role, and build it ever higher, and ever better. I am grateful to you that gave me the opportunity to have done my small part. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge It is with a bit of a heavy heart that I write this article, as this will be the last article I write as the Thrice Potent Master for the Lodge of Perfection. First and foremost I would like to thank my wife Rachel for always allowing me to attend the various meetings and social gatherings that I have over these past two years. Without her love and support, I wouldn’t be able to do as much as I have with in the Valley of Syracuse. So thank you Rachel for always supporting me and attending events with me. Secondly, I want to thank my Deputy Master, Brother Terry Byard, for all of the hard work and dedication that he has given me and the valley. He has helped keep me on track and has coordinated many degrees and rehearsals over my term and I couldn’t have been as successful if he wasn’t in my corner. So thank you Terry. I couldn’t think of better hands to pass the lodge off to than you. You’ve been a true friend and inspiration and I have enjoyed working side by side with you. Third, I would like to thank the members of the Valley office, Jim and Sharon Swan and Sharon Fox. I have received countless emails and phone calls asking for information and reminding me of the work that needs to be done. They are the glue that holds the valley together and help the valley thrive as it has over the years. And lastly, I want to thank every brother in the valley. Thank you call for coming out to the meetings and social events to show your support for the valley. Thank you all for the help, guidance, and mentorship that you have provided to help me with my journey as the Thrice Potent Master. It has definitely been a memorable experience and I look forward to continuing my journey throughout the future. In June, we only have a few days of gathering. We have the Installation of Officers on the 3 rd of June. We also have a Trustees and Executive Committee meeting on the 10 th of June. And finally we have the Knights of St. Andrew: Bannockburn Banquet. Please come out and enjoy that time with the valley. I’ve heard we will have a great meal and even better company. Thank you for all of the support and mentorship that I have received during my tenure. I am truly grateful for all of the assistance that I have received from the valley. I hope to see you all again soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY It always seems nearly impossible that another year has ‘flown’ by when we reach this time of year. The Center is bustling with end-of-year activities such as recruiting tutor-scholar’s for next year, Post Assessments, Game Days (as children turn in the Game Day Certificates they received in their plastic Easter Eggs), organizing our Summer Schedule and Recognition Ceremony and paper work. Lots and lots of paperwork. At the end of each year I conduct a post-assessment with each child in areas relating to reading. The same assessment was administered when the children entered the program. The results are computed and entered into the database system located in Lexington. (The results from all Centers are compiled and used when we are involved in national and international studies and to track our successes and validity within our program.) After the post-assessments I meet with each family, child and tutor to discuss the overall and annual achievements made by the child. At this time plans for the coming year and/or suggestions for the children as the complete our program are discussed. This is also the time that trainers (Karen and Alyssa have Initial Level Scholars and I have Advanced Scholars) are finishing up training, grading papers and administering final exams. All the tutors are responsible for end of year reports on each of the children they tutor and Gineal processes and files these reports and the Center and with Lexington. Gineal and I will continue to work on end-of-year paperwork which will be sent to Lexington before the end of August. As you can see- there is no grass growing under our feet at this time of year. I am still processing new child applications (we are rapidly reaching our limit as we have more than two years’ worth of children on the waitlist and have fewer people coming in for the tutor-training. The challenges never end. We ask for your continued thoughts and ideas- do tell your friends and neighbors who might be interested in becoming a Certified Tutor. Again, we hope to see some of you at our Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, June 11th in the Pavilion at the OES Campus at 6:30. We plan to have the pleasure of having one of our former children speak at this event. We would love to have you come- just let us know. Please remember our upcoming Teddy Bear Classic golf tourney on August 2nd. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 Scottish Rite Night with the Mets The Valley of Syracuse has reserved Friday, August 16, 2019 for a night at the Ballgame event. We will be at the 1st Base Terrace venue. This location will accommodate up to 35 guests. The menu and pricing will be forthcoming. The Syracuse Mets will be playing the Norfolk Tides at 7:05 pm. The Buffet is served for 90 minutes. There will also be fireworks that evening. If the event is a success, we can expand the event on a future date. See you at the Game, Larry Egnaczyk |
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