Calendar
November 2023
Nov 06 Trustees Zoom Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee Zoom Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Nov 13 Veterans Recognition Event
Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Nov 18 (Saturday) NYCOD Excelsior Program: “Maxwell Leadership Seminar” 8:30 a.m.
Nov 19 (Sunday) KOSA St. Andrew’s Day Brunch 11:00 a.m. @Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia
December 2023
Dec 04 Executive Committee Zoom Meeting 7:00 p.m
Dec 11 Holiday Celebration with the Ladies
Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Dec 27 (Wednesday) Holiday Luncheon 11:45 a.m. @Twin Trees III Restaurant
Consistory
Greetings Brethren! Membership is the lifeblood of any organization, especially a voluntary and fraternal organization such as ours. Since our kickoff in September we have conferred the 4th, 14th, 15th and 16th Degrees...some video and two Live. Though the Live casts have done an
outstanding job, as usual, we have been quite light on Candidates. I am asking all our Sovereign Princes to beat the bushes both for Candidates and for opportunities to present a Program on Scottish Rite or a Rite on the Road program in your respective Lodges. Though we have no degrees scheduled in November and December, we will be conferring degrees again starting in January and Candidates will have ample opportunity to finish the necessary degrees and become a 32° Scottish Rite Mason at our Festival on April 13th,2024 and attend the Reunion Banquet on April 22nd, 2024. Please get your petitions in as soon as possible.
I would like to extend a special “Thank You” to Dr. Tim Page, Venerable Master of our Knightsof St. Andrew group. The KOSA group has been re-energized. The recent Live Demonstration of Operative Masonry in Action presented by Chris Pellettieri was sponsored by KOSA and is just the beginning. The Knights of St. Andrew have taken on a key role in our Brother-to-Brother contacts which is a key element in the Valley of Excellence program. They are also reviving the Masonic play, December’s Rose, and will be leading a unique adaptation of the 19th Degree currently scheduled in February 2024.
November is a special time of year. Our thoughts turn to family as Thanksgiving approaches. Colder weather and earlier sunsets mean more time spent indoors. This is also a propitious season in which to pause and recognize our Veterans. At our Veterans Recognition Night on Nov. 13th we will be recognizing two Masonic Veterans. I hope you will come out and join us. Social time begins at 6:00 PM, Dinner at 6:30 PM with a program to follow in the lodge room at 7:30 PM. Veterans of every branch of military service have fought to secure the freedoms and blessings that most of us take for granted. This is an appropriate time of year to pause and recognize two of our Masonic veterans.
The Executive Committee, the Trustees and the Scottish Rite Office do much of the heavy lifting to plan and coordinate the various events which fill our Scottish Rite calendar. On November 6th the Trustees meet at 6:15 PM and the Executive Committee meets at 7:00 PM, both via Zoom. Any Scottish Riter is welcome to sit in on these meetings and take a peek behind the curtain to see what is involved to keep our Valley running smoothly. Please contact the Valley Office to get a Zoom link if you would like to sit in on any of the Trustee or Executive Committee meetings, generally the first Monday of each month, from now until we again start meeting in-person in April 2024.
December will be upon us before you know it. Please take a moment now and mark your calendars for our Holiday Celebration with our Ladies on December 11th and the Holiday Luncheon on Wednesday, December 27th at Twin Trees III Restaurant. More information concerning these events will follow from the Scottish Rite Office.
Fraternally,
Ill. William H. Toth II, 33° MSA
Commander in Chief
Chapter
Greetings, Princes: As I write this column we are preparing to rehearse, with the Council of Princes of Jerusalem, the 16th Degree that they will present live this month. Council and Rose Croix Chapter have many things in common, evident in other Scottish Rite jurisdictions. So I am encouraging these two Bodies to work closely together.
In the Southern Jurisdiction, as well as in Scottish Rite organizations of several foreign countries, the Degrees 15th to 18th are administered by the Chapter of Rose Croix, thence, the Council of Princes does not exist. The organization is different.
Degrees 19th to 30th are administered by the Council of Kadosh. Finally, and Degrees 31st and 32nd are administered by the Consistory. The Lodge of Perfection, however, with Degrees 4th to 14th, remains the same for both the Northern and the Southern Jurisdictions.
We can learn more about the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, and about its four Bodies, and Orients (equivalent to our own State Councils of Deliberation), via the web page of AASR Valley of Alexandria, VA: https://www.alexandriascottishrite.org/about/scottish-rite degrees#:~:text=In%20the%20Southern%20Jurisdiction%20these,of%20Sovereign%20Grand% 20Inspector%20General or the AASR/SMJ page: https://scottishrite.org/
Visiting Southern Jurisdiction Valleys, and their events, is a very instructive experience. We have visited the AASR Washington DC Center, on 2800 16 th St., very close to the House of the Temple (HOT), on 1733 16th Street. HOT has the Main AASR Offices, the Library and the Museum, open to Masons and their families. The DC Center holds sessions every first, second third and fourth Tuesdays of the month, corresponding to the Lodge, Chapter, Council and Consistory bodies. There is an informal dinner before the sessions start.
Please, keep our military and our country in our prayers.
Keep safe. Fraternally,
Jorge L. Romeu, 32°
Most Wise Master.
Council
I thank everyone who supported the Council’s degree on October 23. Special thanks to our
masterfully skilled Director, Michael A Miller, 32°, for his excellent leadership.
We are moving towards the latter Fall months of November and December. The Council is
sponsoring our Holiday celebration on December 11 for spouses and partners. Please make
reservations in the Valley office. There will be entertainment for all this evening.
I am very excited about many ongoing efforts within the Valley of Syracuse, Scottish Rite in New York State, and nationally. More than ever, there are plenty of opportunities to expand our
knowledge within the Craft and ourselves. Many of these programs are brought virtually, reducing any barriers to participation. Our community keeps getting better and better.
We are always open to new and established Master Masons to join us. Many Masons are led to
believe that their Blue Lodge commitments will be compromised. As one of the busiest Valleys
in the country, I see many Brethren able to juggle work, family, and community life as they
participate in Degrees or attend meetings. Come join us! We are open, welcoming, and open to
new adventures.
See you in the Valley!
Jeffrey M. Cox, 32°
Sovereign Prince
Lodge
As I am writing this month’s article I have just returned on Sunday from Albany, NY. The Valley of Schenectady hosted the Homecoming for Sovereign Grand Commander, Ill.: Peter J. Samiec,33°, Active.
There were 170 in attendance at the Crowne Plaza Albany-The Desmond Hotel where the event took place. This event was Chaired by Br. Randall Meschutt, and his Lady Shari made sure Randy stayed on course. They setup a wonderful spread in the Hospitality room with assistance of the following, (due to limited space I will not include all the appropriate titles with your forgiveness), Nathan Tweedie, Tar Riedinger, Gerry Wright, Roger Pelham, Jordan Jaquay, Phil and Kim Shappy, and the Masonic War Vets Post #70 for presenting the Colors.
The Ill:. David E. Barnes,33° Active member of Supreme Council and active for the Valley of Syracuse was the Emcee for the evening, introducing the various presenters and speakers. The Ill:. and M:. W.: Richard J. Kessler Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York escorted the Ill.: Peter J. Samiec 33° Active upon his entrance through an Arch of Steel and several trips to the podium for presentations.
The Valley of Syracuse was represented by Jim and Sharon Swan, Rick and Marian Powell, Linda Egnaczyk and me. Rick presented Peter a plush Double Headed Scottish Rite Eagle with a 33° Crown which was made by the very talented, Marian Powell. You can ask Rick for the whole story.
Back to our trip to Louisville, I would be remiss if I did not recognize Garry and Lynn Visconti, Bob and Cindy Tyrrell, Terry and Dolly Byard, Jan Park and Elaine Brunet for their great job on the NYS Hospitality Room during the 2023 Supreme Council Session.
I will update you with the results of the Rite on The Road event held October 12,2023 for Konosioni # 950 F&AM.
Sincerely & Fraternally,
Ill. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 33° MSA
Thrice Potent Master
Hospitaler
No News Received…
Ill. Garry Visconti, 33° MSA
[email protected]
(315) 529-1936
Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
It has been a month to get settled in as we continue transitioning to this new role of Co-Directors and all the minute components of the role. Right at the start there were some schedule changes as some of our students that were going to come into the Center to be tutored this fall changed course, so we moved on down, on our list of waitlisted students and pulled in a few that were on that list. This made some families very happy. Since then, things have gone more smoothly. All practitioners are working with their students and establishing rapport. Our children have begun to get accustomed to the routine, the lesson, and their tutors, while second year students continue to work on progressing their foundational skills that were established last year. Our Practitioners are now viewing the changes that are taking place in the students they work with. It is referred to as the lightbulb moment. The moment where the child begins to view words in a new way, as well as growing in their own feelings of self-esteem and empowerment. This is truly one of the best moments of the year! We look forward to growing with everyone this year and watching the growth of students and Practitioners as well.
We attended the Reading League Conference in Syracuse, NY for two days. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to continue our education in the most current research in the field of reading. Linda continued her education at the International Dyslexia Association Conference as well.
A child will be chosen to follow throughout the year, and we will update you on the child’s progress each month. This child will be selected and introduced by next month. We look forward to sharing this with you all.
Training continues for Practitioner I and Practitioner 2, on Saturdays and they are well underway with their classroom training and are applying their knowledge in the Practicum with our students. Their next training session will be in March of 2024.
Well, this wraps up another month, as we transition to the weather changes. We are grateful and thankful for all we have, our supporters, the children we service, our Practitioners, Tutors, the Board, Linda and her continued mentoring, and the quality time we will spend with our family over the Thanksgiving break. Thank you for your unending generosity and support and we wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
With Gratitude,
Marianne Jones & Alyssa Mittiga- Co-Directors
Email: [email protected] & [email protected]
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
PO Box 638
Oriskany, NY 13424
Maxwell Leadership Seminar for All Masons
There will be a Maxwell Leadership Seminar held at the Memorial Masonic Center in North Syracuse on Saturday, November 18th. It will begin at 8:00 AM with registration, coffee & donuts and conclude by 12:30 PM.
This seminar is a joint effort between the New York Council of Deliberation’s Excelsior Initiative and the Leadership and Education Committee of the Grand Lodge of New York. This is for ALL MASONS reading this, not just the Scottish Rite. There is no cost and dress for the day is polo & dress pants.
World-renowned leadership expert John C. Maxwell says if you want to succeed, you must learn how to connect with people. While it may seem like some folks are just born with it, the fact is anyone can learn how to make every communication an opportunity for a powerful connection.
In “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect” live learning session, our Team Maxwell Coaches will share Maxwell’s Five Principles and Five Practices to develop the crucial skill of connecting, including:
• Finding Common Ground
• Keeping Your Communication Simple
• Capturing People’s Interest
• Inspiring People
• Staying Authentic in all Your Relationships
The ability to connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your full potential. It’s no secret! Connecting is a skill you can learn and apply in your personal, professional, and family relationships- and you can start now by taking this course!
Again, this seminar is for all New York Masons willing to come. You MUST register with Eventbrite at the following url - https://tinyurl.com/yzy7knr7
Happy Thanksgiving
Family Celebrations are important to all of us. Thanksgiving is a festive time for Families to gather together to give thanks and blessings for the bounty we all enjoy. Many college students are home for their first break from studies. Parents and Grandparents gather around the “Harvest Table” with their families for the traditional Thanksgiving Feast.
The Valley Office Staff ; Mrs. Sharon Fox, Mrs. Sharon Swan, and Jim Swan, Valley Secretary, on behalf of all Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Officers and Members in the Valley of Syracuse wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. May peace and goodwill be the toast of this special Day.
Please take care when you travel to be with your families and have a safe Holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
2024 Annual Membership Dues
Thank you to those who have paid their 2024 Member’s Dues. If your Member’s Dues for 2023 and earlier years are not paid by January 31, 2024 your membership in the Valley of Syracuse could be suspended for non- payment of your Annual Member’s Dues by Supreme Council, 33° A.A.S.R., NMJ, USA.
Prior to August 2021 the Valley of Syracuse mailed out next year’s Member’s Dues invoices in late November each year. Your Dues year was January 1 to December 31 the following year. Many of our members traditionally paid their annual dues in the third quarter of each year.
Supreme Council changed the Member’s Dues payments dates in August 2021 to a “NEW STANDARDIZED DUES PAYMENT SCHEDULE” with invoices distributed by Supreme Council starting in August each year and with a new “required to be paid by date of January 31 the next year.”
This change in collection schedule resulted in an increase in the number Valley of Syracuse members not paying their Annual Dues timely to the new schedule. As of August 1, 2023; the “new Supreme Council Member’s Dues collection date” the members of the Valley of Syracuse owed in excess of $ 6,000.00 in unpaid 2023 and earlier years member’s dues.
When you receive your 2024 Member’s Dues invoice; If you have any questions regarding the status of the payment of your 2023 and/or earlier Member’s Dues and/or your 2024 Member’s Dues please contact the Valley office. (315) 452- 7976 or e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected] at your earliest convenience.
A new Scottish Rite Member’s Card was included with your invoice for your 2024 Member’s dues. If you have misplaced it or did not receive the new 2024 Annual Member’s card included with your 2024 Member’s Dues invoice please notify the office and a replacement card will be requested for you.
Fraternally,
Ill∴ James D. Swan, Jr. 33°
Valley Secretary
Blue Envelope Appeal
You recently received the annual “Blue Envelope Appeal” letter from Supreme Council requesting your annual contribution. I urge you to support this request. Any contribution you may make is significant. The number of members from a valley that contribute to the “Blue Envelope Appeal” directly impacts the Abbott Scholarship dollar amounts allocated to the Valleys within each state for distribution to our scholars. The percentage of members from each Valley that contribute is key to distribution of the Abbott Scholarship Funds and to the Valley’s rankings in the Supreme Council “Valley of Excellence” ratings.
Abbott Scholarships funded by Supreme Council, NMJ or a New York State Educational Financial Assistance Grant funded by the New York State Scottish Rite Charities Corporation are assisting the children and grandchildren of our current and deceased members.
The Valley of Syracuse submitted financial aid requests in April 2023 for six students seeking financial aid to assist them pay for their education during the 2023 - 2024 academic year.
All six of the students related to our Valley’s members that requested financial assistance are currently receiving Scottish Rite funded financial aid for the 2023 - 2024 academic year. These young people are our future.
We thank you for your support.
Jim Swan
Valley Secretary
November 2023
Nov 06 Trustees Zoom Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee Zoom Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Nov 13 Veterans Recognition Event
Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Nov 18 (Saturday) NYCOD Excelsior Program: “Maxwell Leadership Seminar” 8:30 a.m.
Nov 19 (Sunday) KOSA St. Andrew’s Day Brunch 11:00 a.m. @Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia
December 2023
Dec 04 Executive Committee Zoom Meeting 7:00 p.m
Dec 11 Holiday Celebration with the Ladies
Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Dec 27 (Wednesday) Holiday Luncheon 11:45 a.m. @Twin Trees III Restaurant
Consistory
Greetings Brethren! Membership is the lifeblood of any organization, especially a voluntary and fraternal organization such as ours. Since our kickoff in September we have conferred the 4th, 14th, 15th and 16th Degrees...some video and two Live. Though the Live casts have done an
outstanding job, as usual, we have been quite light on Candidates. I am asking all our Sovereign Princes to beat the bushes both for Candidates and for opportunities to present a Program on Scottish Rite or a Rite on the Road program in your respective Lodges. Though we have no degrees scheduled in November and December, we will be conferring degrees again starting in January and Candidates will have ample opportunity to finish the necessary degrees and become a 32° Scottish Rite Mason at our Festival on April 13th,2024 and attend the Reunion Banquet on April 22nd, 2024. Please get your petitions in as soon as possible.
I would like to extend a special “Thank You” to Dr. Tim Page, Venerable Master of our Knightsof St. Andrew group. The KOSA group has been re-energized. The recent Live Demonstration of Operative Masonry in Action presented by Chris Pellettieri was sponsored by KOSA and is just the beginning. The Knights of St. Andrew have taken on a key role in our Brother-to-Brother contacts which is a key element in the Valley of Excellence program. They are also reviving the Masonic play, December’s Rose, and will be leading a unique adaptation of the 19th Degree currently scheduled in February 2024.
November is a special time of year. Our thoughts turn to family as Thanksgiving approaches. Colder weather and earlier sunsets mean more time spent indoors. This is also a propitious season in which to pause and recognize our Veterans. At our Veterans Recognition Night on Nov. 13th we will be recognizing two Masonic Veterans. I hope you will come out and join us. Social time begins at 6:00 PM, Dinner at 6:30 PM with a program to follow in the lodge room at 7:30 PM. Veterans of every branch of military service have fought to secure the freedoms and blessings that most of us take for granted. This is an appropriate time of year to pause and recognize two of our Masonic veterans.
The Executive Committee, the Trustees and the Scottish Rite Office do much of the heavy lifting to plan and coordinate the various events which fill our Scottish Rite calendar. On November 6th the Trustees meet at 6:15 PM and the Executive Committee meets at 7:00 PM, both via Zoom. Any Scottish Riter is welcome to sit in on these meetings and take a peek behind the curtain to see what is involved to keep our Valley running smoothly. Please contact the Valley Office to get a Zoom link if you would like to sit in on any of the Trustee or Executive Committee meetings, generally the first Monday of each month, from now until we again start meeting in-person in April 2024.
December will be upon us before you know it. Please take a moment now and mark your calendars for our Holiday Celebration with our Ladies on December 11th and the Holiday Luncheon on Wednesday, December 27th at Twin Trees III Restaurant. More information concerning these events will follow from the Scottish Rite Office.
Fraternally,
Ill. William H. Toth II, 33° MSA
Commander in Chief
Chapter
Greetings, Princes: As I write this column we are preparing to rehearse, with the Council of Princes of Jerusalem, the 16th Degree that they will present live this month. Council and Rose Croix Chapter have many things in common, evident in other Scottish Rite jurisdictions. So I am encouraging these two Bodies to work closely together.
In the Southern Jurisdiction, as well as in Scottish Rite organizations of several foreign countries, the Degrees 15th to 18th are administered by the Chapter of Rose Croix, thence, the Council of Princes does not exist. The organization is different.
Degrees 19th to 30th are administered by the Council of Kadosh. Finally, and Degrees 31st and 32nd are administered by the Consistory. The Lodge of Perfection, however, with Degrees 4th to 14th, remains the same for both the Northern and the Southern Jurisdictions.
We can learn more about the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, and about its four Bodies, and Orients (equivalent to our own State Councils of Deliberation), via the web page of AASR Valley of Alexandria, VA: https://www.alexandriascottishrite.org/about/scottish-rite degrees#:~:text=In%20the%20Southern%20Jurisdiction%20these,of%20Sovereign%20Grand% 20Inspector%20General or the AASR/SMJ page: https://scottishrite.org/
Visiting Southern Jurisdiction Valleys, and their events, is a very instructive experience. We have visited the AASR Washington DC Center, on 2800 16 th St., very close to the House of the Temple (HOT), on 1733 16th Street. HOT has the Main AASR Offices, the Library and the Museum, open to Masons and their families. The DC Center holds sessions every first, second third and fourth Tuesdays of the month, corresponding to the Lodge, Chapter, Council and Consistory bodies. There is an informal dinner before the sessions start.
Please, keep our military and our country in our prayers.
Keep safe. Fraternally,
Jorge L. Romeu, 32°
Most Wise Master.
Council
I thank everyone who supported the Council’s degree on October 23. Special thanks to our
masterfully skilled Director, Michael A Miller, 32°, for his excellent leadership.
We are moving towards the latter Fall months of November and December. The Council is
sponsoring our Holiday celebration on December 11 for spouses and partners. Please make
reservations in the Valley office. There will be entertainment for all this evening.
I am very excited about many ongoing efforts within the Valley of Syracuse, Scottish Rite in New York State, and nationally. More than ever, there are plenty of opportunities to expand our
knowledge within the Craft and ourselves. Many of these programs are brought virtually, reducing any barriers to participation. Our community keeps getting better and better.
We are always open to new and established Master Masons to join us. Many Masons are led to
believe that their Blue Lodge commitments will be compromised. As one of the busiest Valleys
in the country, I see many Brethren able to juggle work, family, and community life as they
participate in Degrees or attend meetings. Come join us! We are open, welcoming, and open to
new adventures.
See you in the Valley!
Jeffrey M. Cox, 32°
Sovereign Prince
Lodge
As I am writing this month’s article I have just returned on Sunday from Albany, NY. The Valley of Schenectady hosted the Homecoming for Sovereign Grand Commander, Ill.: Peter J. Samiec,33°, Active.
There were 170 in attendance at the Crowne Plaza Albany-The Desmond Hotel where the event took place. This event was Chaired by Br. Randall Meschutt, and his Lady Shari made sure Randy stayed on course. They setup a wonderful spread in the Hospitality room with assistance of the following, (due to limited space I will not include all the appropriate titles with your forgiveness), Nathan Tweedie, Tar Riedinger, Gerry Wright, Roger Pelham, Jordan Jaquay, Phil and Kim Shappy, and the Masonic War Vets Post #70 for presenting the Colors.
The Ill:. David E. Barnes,33° Active member of Supreme Council and active for the Valley of Syracuse was the Emcee for the evening, introducing the various presenters and speakers. The Ill:. and M:. W.: Richard J. Kessler Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York escorted the Ill.: Peter J. Samiec 33° Active upon his entrance through an Arch of Steel and several trips to the podium for presentations.
The Valley of Syracuse was represented by Jim and Sharon Swan, Rick and Marian Powell, Linda Egnaczyk and me. Rick presented Peter a plush Double Headed Scottish Rite Eagle with a 33° Crown which was made by the very talented, Marian Powell. You can ask Rick for the whole story.
Back to our trip to Louisville, I would be remiss if I did not recognize Garry and Lynn Visconti, Bob and Cindy Tyrrell, Terry and Dolly Byard, Jan Park and Elaine Brunet for their great job on the NYS Hospitality Room during the 2023 Supreme Council Session.
I will update you with the results of the Rite on The Road event held October 12,2023 for Konosioni # 950 F&AM.
Sincerely & Fraternally,
Ill. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 33° MSA
Thrice Potent Master
Hospitaler
No News Received…
Ill. Garry Visconti, 33° MSA
[email protected]
(315) 529-1936
Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
It has been a month to get settled in as we continue transitioning to this new role of Co-Directors and all the minute components of the role. Right at the start there were some schedule changes as some of our students that were going to come into the Center to be tutored this fall changed course, so we moved on down, on our list of waitlisted students and pulled in a few that were on that list. This made some families very happy. Since then, things have gone more smoothly. All practitioners are working with their students and establishing rapport. Our children have begun to get accustomed to the routine, the lesson, and their tutors, while second year students continue to work on progressing their foundational skills that were established last year. Our Practitioners are now viewing the changes that are taking place in the students they work with. It is referred to as the lightbulb moment. The moment where the child begins to view words in a new way, as well as growing in their own feelings of self-esteem and empowerment. This is truly one of the best moments of the year! We look forward to growing with everyone this year and watching the growth of students and Practitioners as well.
We attended the Reading League Conference in Syracuse, NY for two days. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to continue our education in the most current research in the field of reading. Linda continued her education at the International Dyslexia Association Conference as well.
A child will be chosen to follow throughout the year, and we will update you on the child’s progress each month. This child will be selected and introduced by next month. We look forward to sharing this with you all.
Training continues for Practitioner I and Practitioner 2, on Saturdays and they are well underway with their classroom training and are applying their knowledge in the Practicum with our students. Their next training session will be in March of 2024.
Well, this wraps up another month, as we transition to the weather changes. We are grateful and thankful for all we have, our supporters, the children we service, our Practitioners, Tutors, the Board, Linda and her continued mentoring, and the quality time we will spend with our family over the Thanksgiving break. Thank you for your unending generosity and support and we wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
With Gratitude,
Marianne Jones & Alyssa Mittiga- Co-Directors
Email: [email protected] & [email protected]
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
PO Box 638
Oriskany, NY 13424
Maxwell Leadership Seminar for All Masons
There will be a Maxwell Leadership Seminar held at the Memorial Masonic Center in North Syracuse on Saturday, November 18th. It will begin at 8:00 AM with registration, coffee & donuts and conclude by 12:30 PM.
This seminar is a joint effort between the New York Council of Deliberation’s Excelsior Initiative and the Leadership and Education Committee of the Grand Lodge of New York. This is for ALL MASONS reading this, not just the Scottish Rite. There is no cost and dress for the day is polo & dress pants.
World-renowned leadership expert John C. Maxwell says if you want to succeed, you must learn how to connect with people. While it may seem like some folks are just born with it, the fact is anyone can learn how to make every communication an opportunity for a powerful connection.
In “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect” live learning session, our Team Maxwell Coaches will share Maxwell’s Five Principles and Five Practices to develop the crucial skill of connecting, including:
• Finding Common Ground
• Keeping Your Communication Simple
• Capturing People’s Interest
• Inspiring People
• Staying Authentic in all Your Relationships
The ability to connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your full potential. It’s no secret! Connecting is a skill you can learn and apply in your personal, professional, and family relationships- and you can start now by taking this course!
Again, this seminar is for all New York Masons willing to come. You MUST register with Eventbrite at the following url - https://tinyurl.com/yzy7knr7
Happy Thanksgiving
Family Celebrations are important to all of us. Thanksgiving is a festive time for Families to gather together to give thanks and blessings for the bounty we all enjoy. Many college students are home for their first break from studies. Parents and Grandparents gather around the “Harvest Table” with their families for the traditional Thanksgiving Feast.
The Valley Office Staff ; Mrs. Sharon Fox, Mrs. Sharon Swan, and Jim Swan, Valley Secretary, on behalf of all Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Officers and Members in the Valley of Syracuse wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. May peace and goodwill be the toast of this special Day.
Please take care when you travel to be with your families and have a safe Holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
2024 Annual Membership Dues
Thank you to those who have paid their 2024 Member’s Dues. If your Member’s Dues for 2023 and earlier years are not paid by January 31, 2024 your membership in the Valley of Syracuse could be suspended for non- payment of your Annual Member’s Dues by Supreme Council, 33° A.A.S.R., NMJ, USA.
Prior to August 2021 the Valley of Syracuse mailed out next year’s Member’s Dues invoices in late November each year. Your Dues year was January 1 to December 31 the following year. Many of our members traditionally paid their annual dues in the third quarter of each year.
Supreme Council changed the Member’s Dues payments dates in August 2021 to a “NEW STANDARDIZED DUES PAYMENT SCHEDULE” with invoices distributed by Supreme Council starting in August each year and with a new “required to be paid by date of January 31 the next year.”
This change in collection schedule resulted in an increase in the number Valley of Syracuse members not paying their Annual Dues timely to the new schedule. As of August 1, 2023; the “new Supreme Council Member’s Dues collection date” the members of the Valley of Syracuse owed in excess of $ 6,000.00 in unpaid 2023 and earlier years member’s dues.
When you receive your 2024 Member’s Dues invoice; If you have any questions regarding the status of the payment of your 2023 and/or earlier Member’s Dues and/or your 2024 Member’s Dues please contact the Valley office. (315) 452- 7976 or e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected] at your earliest convenience.
A new Scottish Rite Member’s Card was included with your invoice for your 2024 Member’s dues. If you have misplaced it or did not receive the new 2024 Annual Member’s card included with your 2024 Member’s Dues invoice please notify the office and a replacement card will be requested for you.
Fraternally,
Ill∴ James D. Swan, Jr. 33°
Valley Secretary
Blue Envelope Appeal
You recently received the annual “Blue Envelope Appeal” letter from Supreme Council requesting your annual contribution. I urge you to support this request. Any contribution you may make is significant. The number of members from a valley that contribute to the “Blue Envelope Appeal” directly impacts the Abbott Scholarship dollar amounts allocated to the Valleys within each state for distribution to our scholars. The percentage of members from each Valley that contribute is key to distribution of the Abbott Scholarship Funds and to the Valley’s rankings in the Supreme Council “Valley of Excellence” ratings.
Abbott Scholarships funded by Supreme Council, NMJ or a New York State Educational Financial Assistance Grant funded by the New York State Scottish Rite Charities Corporation are assisting the children and grandchildren of our current and deceased members.
The Valley of Syracuse submitted financial aid requests in April 2023 for six students seeking financial aid to assist them pay for their education during the 2023 - 2024 academic year.
All six of the students related to our Valley’s members that requested financial assistance are currently receiving Scottish Rite funded financial aid for the 2023 - 2024 academic year. These young people are our future.
We thank you for your support.
Jim Swan
Valley Secretary