Blog Posts

June 2018 News

5/24/2018

Calendar
June 2018
Jun 04 Trustees Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

August 2018
Aug 03 Friday “TEDDY BEAR CLASSIC” Learning Center Golf Tournament
            Vesper Hills Golf Course
Aug 28 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

Consistory
Well here we are ready for summer and a year in the books. We had a great 1 st year and I am looking forward to the coming year. I would like to thank everyone who has come out to the events for all your support this past year.

There is not much going on over the summer, but I hope you all enjoy the nice weather that has finally arrived. I hope to see you when the new Scottish Rite year starts in September with the membership kick off on the 10th . Look for some good brothers to bring so they can see if the Scottish Rite is good for them.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
I was mistaken when I thought that my May article was my last. So, if you read that one, you will find nothing new in this one.
As the 2017-2018 Scottish Rite year comes to a close, and this is my last WORD article I again thank all those that have helped me throughout the year. Your help and support has made this a very successful year.

Have a great summer. Stay safe.

Please keep those who are serving in harms way in your thoughts and prayers

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings and Salutations Princes,

I hope this communication finds you all well and enjoying better weather than the winter that is (hopefully) passed. It is a time of renewal as we see signs of plant life starting to return, grass growing, and hopefully the various degrees we have offered this past year have become a source of renewal for you.

As I sit down to write this I am in a very reflective mood, as I had just returned from a funeral of a very good friend. He had been very active in the Boy Scout program, having been awarded many recognitions for his contributions in to the program, including the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Silver Buffalo, which are among the highest recognitions a Scouter can be awarded. He was known for wearing a wide variety of bow ties. He started a trend of people going to Regional meetings sporting their own bow ties. Yet, as Scouting Founder Baden-Powell said, “it is the spirit within, not the veneer without, that make the man.” My friend had lived that. It was his spirit, his personality and friendship which brought about people emulating him.

I think we, as Masons, know and relate to that very sentiment. We work on improving the person we are through applying the various principles we are taught in our Degrees, and it improves our spirit, our true self. There is a Native American saying, “On the day you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” That is something to strive for. It means you lived well, you lived and gave of yourself, and you made a difference.

At the end of Troop Meetings I would give a Scoutmaster’s Minute, a short talk which was meant to give the young men something to reflect on and think about. It could be about anything, and usually tied to some activity coming up, or the activities we had enjoyed in the meeting. One such minute was: It’s how you live the dash. On many tombstones we see a date, or a year, followed by a dash and another date or year. It is in that dash, the period of time between being born, the first date, and the day you are called home where you define who you were. We don’t know how long we will be here, though the days and years do go fast, so we should live each day to the fullest, so that when our dash is complete, people we have known will know we made a positive difference in their lives. Now, go, live your dash to your fullest.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
No News Received

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
Time has flown and Spring (Summer) has finally arrived in Central New York.

Who could believe that we are already planning for next year at the Center when it feels like this one just started- and what a year this has been. The weather was not our best friend this year and we lost many sessions to health issues, but everyone persevered and the end is in sight for our children and tutors.

Glenn and his tutor have made great strides (and for a child with the severity of Dyslexia that Glenn has, great strides can mean small but vital steps forward). He continues to come regularly and participate in multisensory activities to help his reading brain catch up to the rest of his abilities. It is an exhausting time after a full day of school and an hour plus ride to get tot
the Center but he gives it a valiant effort every time. His family continues to be extremely grateful for the opportunity you have given Glenn.

In the realm of being grateful, I am so excited that all of you get to read the talks given by our tutor and parent, Alyssa, and her son Joseph about their experiences at the Children’s Dyslexia Center Central New York and how appreciative they are for all of you. They are featured in a two-page article in the most recent Northern Light. You all have very much to be proud of in all the work you do to support our Center.

We are in hopes that we will see many of you at the Recognition Ceremony scheduled for 6:30 PM, Tuesday evening, June 12th in the Pavilion on the OES Campus in Oriskany. If possible, please let us know if you can join us for the Ceremony and a light lunch after.

As Alyssa and Joseph said, We Are Thankful for You!

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

Lodge Ambassadors
Greetings my Brothers,
I have been assigned the task of carrying out a 2018 directive from the Sovereign Grand Commander, Ill. David A. Glattly, 33º. This is the relaunch of the Lodge Ambassadors Program. I am looking for dedicated Scottish Rite members to serve as Ambassadors for their perspective Lodges. This requires you to commit to regular attendance at your assigned Lodges. If you belong to more than one Lodge, you may serve them also. I am currently contacting the members of the Valley of Syracuse to try to assign Lodge Ambassadors. If you have a desire to take part in this program you may contact me via e-mail or phone. Our goal is to make Scottish Rite available to our Lodges to present programs that will help promote our Masonic beliefs and possibly develop interest in The Scottish Rite

Fraternally,
Lodge Ambassador Initiative Chairman
D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk, 32º MSA
lwegnaczyk@verizon.net
(H) Ph. # 315-637- 4143
(C) Ph. # 315-632- 1043

Teddy Bear Golf Classic to Support Children’s Dyslexia Center, CNY
Friday, August 3rd
@ VESPER HILLS GOLF COURSE, 4291 Octagon Rd., Tully, NY 13159
Registration: 9:30 a.m. / Shotgun Start: 10:00 a.m.
Captain & Crew Format / Mixed foursomes welcome
$60.00 per person / $240.00 per team
Open to all-men and women
Food at the turn / Buffet to follow
Send reservations by: Friday-July 27,2018
Make checks payable to: CDC CNY-103

Send Reservations to or for more information Contact:
Craig E. Cobb
115 Haverhill Dr.
DeWitt, NY 13214
(315) 446-0625
cobb3@verizon.net

May 2018 News

5/3/2018

Calendar
May 2018
May 07 Grand Lodge- No meeting
May 14 Guard’s Club Meeting
             Dinner 6:15 p.m. / Meeting 6:30 p.m.
             Four Bodies Annual Meeting 7:30 p.m.
             Annual Reports; Officer’s Elections
May 21 Officer’s Public Installation
             Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.

June 2018
Jun 04 Trustees Meeting 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

August 2018
Aug 03 Friday “TEDDY BEAR CLASSIC” Learning Center Golf Tournament
            Vesper Hills Golf Course
Aug 28 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

Consistory
One very successful year is now completed. May brings us to our annual meeting with election of Officers on May 14, 2018. The evening will start with the Guards Club dinner at 6:15 pm. The menu will be Pulled Pork and is a free dinner for all. Please come and enjoy the food and fellowship. At 7:30 pm we will open all 4 Bodies for the Annual Reports and election of Officers. I would love to see a full sideline for this meeting.
The second event is May 21, 2018 with the Public Installation of Officers. The evening will start with a social at 6:00 pm follow by a roast beef dinner at 6:30 pm with the installation following at 7:30 pm. Please come out and support your Officers at this event.
I have had fun the past year serving as your Commander-in- Chief and look forward to another exciting year. It has been a fun filled year with Lynn and I traveling to the Valleys of Rochester and Utica to support their programs and events, as well as attending and working at the Supreme Council Meeting in Rochester. I look forward to the coming year to work with these Valleys again. I hope everyone has a great summer.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
As I write this, there is still snow on the ground and the temps are still in the 20’s. Hopefully by the time you read this it has warmed up some.
As the 2017-2018 Scottish Rite year comes to a close, and this is my last WORD article. I again
thank all those that have helped me throughout the year. Your help and support has made this a
very successful year.
Have a great summer.. Stay safe. Please keep those who are serving in harm’s way in your
thoughts and prayers.

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings and Salutations Princes,
We seem to possibly be coming into our shortened Spring season, and with it we usually feel some rejuvenation in our own spirits as we see the buds on the trees and some flowers poking up from the ground, grass starts turning green again from it’s more dormant winter state. I hope this communication finds you all well, and eager to join us in the last events we hold before going dark for the summer.
I recently read about how you greet people and how that can elicit a positive or not so positive a reaction from those people. When you greet people with warmth and give a feeling of truly being glad to see them, they frequently respond in kind. This is leading by example. Greeting your brothers or friends or family in a warm manner sets the stage for the interactions which follow. Conversations trend toward positive outlooks and thoughts, and when parting leaves each of you looking forward to your next encounter.
I think of the various Brothers I hold in high esteem, and invariably, our greetings start out in a happy and friendly manner. A feeling of wellbeing, and brotherhood becomes the underlying current in conversation from that point on. This type of feeling can also come from communication such as e-mail. People can generally tell when you are writing in a terse manner, or a warm manner. Though intent and caring might not be as easy to convey in the written form, I know I typically get quicker responses, and more positive responses when I add a positive greeting and put as positive a spin on any communication as I can. When dealing with business, this isn’t always as easy to do, as there are protocols and models to follow. Yet, even in business, warmth and friendliness can come through in a simple phrase such as Good Morning/Afternoon, or a quick recollection of something from your last time together or enquiring of their well-being.
The more you practice making a conscience effort to convey positive feelings toward those you greet, the more it becomes a natural part of your interactions. It isn’t pretending to care, it is about showing you do care about your fellow traveler and have concern for them and their wellbeing.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
Welcome back brethren!
With Grand Lodge in session on 7 and 8 May, there really isn’t much to report for what the Lodge of Perfection will be doing this month.
I would, however, like to express my gratitude for all the support I have received over the past year as the Thrice Potent Master of the Lodge of Perfection. Without the support of my wife Rachel, and all the brethren and their ladies for allowing us to produce and put on the degrees that we have over the past year, we would not have been able to put on the degrees as well as we did. So please, all the brethren that have helped me over this past year with the degree work, give your Lady my thanks for allowing you to help and assist me. I would also like to specifically thank Brother Terry Byard and his Lady for all the hard work and extra hours he has put into the Lodge of Perfection. I could not have done it without him.
As my first year comes to a close, I look towards the future and my second year as Thrice Potent Master with a renewed zest and excitement for the degrees that we will be putting on throughout the year. We will be reaching out to the brethren for help with the degrees and taking part in them. If you haven’t ever had a part, please volunteer to take one. There are plenty of non-speaking parts and speaking parts. The speaking parts can range anywhere from 1 line to 90 lines. So there is plenty of content that you can chose from that will match your comfort level. And when you are an actual cast member in a degree, you get a totally different perspective and outlook on the degree. I look forward to seeing you all in lodge in the fall when the new class comes in for the beginning of their Scottish Rite Journey!
I’m looking forward to the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon!

Fraternally,
Ken Sterling, 32°
Thrice Potent Master

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
It has been a long, long difficult Winter for all at the Center with weather closings and health absences by both children and tutors. My apologies to our Child Sponsors for not getting a mid-year letter out ; scheduling the mid-year assessments seemed to be an exercise in futility. A full report will arrive at the end of the year.
We were fortunate to have a wonderful weekend for the Barnes and Noble Book Fair in Dewitt. We met some very nice people and answered a lot of questions as well as entertained many children with activities and stories (Gineal was out favored reader!) We had several tutors, family members and a Board Member come to help us out and we are very appreciative of them. The
results are not in on monies raised as the coupon was good for several days after the event, but we do know that we did nicely at the store. Out thanks for all the support.
It is hard to believe that we are beginning to plan for next year and scheduling the End of Year Assessments when it was ‘just yesterday” that we embarked on another year. The challenge is greater every year to bring in new scholars to take ‘what works’ out to the schools and communities but, we are pursuing a new class of Initial Level Scholars as we speak and have a new class of Advanced Scholars in the works. If you know someone with a Bachelors Degree (in any subject) that might be a good fit and interested in helping children learn to read, please, have them contact us.
I want to tell you more about how our young man, Glenn, is doing. His mother came to help at the Book Fair and shared that his father and a brother are interested in the Masonic Order because of what you are doing. It makes me very proud to be a good example for your good works. Glenn’s tutor is so excited about the new strides (no matter how small they may be) that Glenn is making each session. She feels that she is learning as much form Glenn as she is teaching him! We are so looking forward to what next year will bring for him.
It is that time of year when we remind you of the Recognition Ceremony scheduled for 6:30PM, Tuesday evening, June 12th in the Pavilion on the OES Campus in Oriskany. Please let us know if you can join us for the Ceremony and a light lunch after.
As Always,
We Are Thankful for You!

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

Officer’s Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee charged with selecting Valley Officers for 2018- 2019 is meeting and in the process of filling the officers position in the Valley Bodies for 2018-2019.
Please contact the Valley office (315) 452-7976 or ny017@twcny.rr.com or our Deputy’s Representative and Nominating Committee Chairman (315) 391-8095 to make us aware of your interest.
Annual Meeting is May 14, 2018
Installation of Officers is May 21, 2018

Four Bodies Annual Meetings
When you read this article, you will already have received the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R., Valley of Syracuse Summoned Meeting notice sent to its members to attend the 2018 Annual meeting for the four Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Monday evening May 14, 2018. The Valley Secretary will, on behalf of The Commander-In- Chief, Most Wise Master, Sovereign Prince, and Thrice Potent Master read the Annual report for the Body’s meetings for 2017-2018.
A complimentary dinner followed by the Annual Guard’s Club Meeting will be served at 6:15 p.m. for all attending the meetings that evening. NO CHARGE!! Contact the office 315-452- 7976 to make your reservations for the dinner.

Installation of Officers
Public Installation of 2018-2019 Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. is Monday evening May 21, 2018 at the Masonic Memorial Center. Social time is 6:00 p.m. with a Roast Beef Dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the officer’s installation ceremony following dinner in the Ill Walter F. Cummings, 33⁰ Lodge Room.
Cost of the Dinner is $13.00 and reservations for dinner are required by May 15, 2018. This is an open to the public event. Bring your family and enjoy an evening of Scottish Rite hospitality and ceremony and assist the Valley when they launch the 2018-2019 Valley officers into their new positions.
Please contact the Valley office (315) 452-7976 or ny017@twcny.rr.com make your dinner reservations

An Invitation to New Members
The evening of Monday, May 7, has been reserved as a night devoted to bringing together all those who have become members of the Scottish Rite within the past few years to welcome them to the Valley of Syracuse, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. The event will be a discussion of some topics which may be of interest to new members. Topics will include information concerning the Scottish Rite Degrees, the Organization of the Valley of Syracuse, highlights of special events occurring during the year, a description of our principal charity “The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Central New York”, and an opportunity for those attending to learn about participating in the conferral of degrees and possibly serving as an officer in one of the four Scottish Rite bodies.
It is anticipated that newer members, as well as veteran members, will find the information quite helpful to them as they become more involved in Scottish Rite Masonry. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Scottish Rite building and will conclude with refreshments. It would be helpful if you would contact me if you plan to attend so that we can have a count for the amount of refreshments needed. A jacket and tie would be appropriate attire for the evening.
Should you have any questions, or would like to have something included in the discussions, please feel free to contact me at etuttle1@twcny.rr.com

Earl Tuttle

April 2018 NEWS

4/12/2018

Calendar
April 2018
Apr 02 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Apr 09 32⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Apr 14 4°(v), 12°(v), 19°(v), 26°(v) & 32° Conferral @ Utica
            Register 9:00 am
            Open 10:00 am
            4°(v), 12°(v), 19°(v)
            Lunch 11:30 am
            26°(v) & 32°
Apr 23 156th Annual Reunion
            Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Apr 30 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

May 2018
May 07 Grand Lodge- No meeting
May 14 Guard’s Club Meeting
             Dinner 6:15 p.m. / Meeting 6:30 p.m.
             Four Bodies Annual Meeting 7:30 p.m.
             Annual Reports; Officer’s Elections
May 21 Officer’s Public Installation
             Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.

Consistory
Well I think spring is right around the corner and I am looking forward to some good, warm, sunny weather. We are looking forward to a degree day on April 14th. There will be videos of the 4th, 12th, 19th and 26th Degrees, then we will do the 32nd Degree live. This should be a fun day and any Mason who would like to be a Scottish Rite Mason can come and join on this day. Let’s get out there and aggressively recruit some new Brethren to join us.
April 23rd will be our 156th Annual Reunion. Social at 6:00 pm, Dinner at 6:30 pm and program at 7:30 pm. This is our time to welcome and honor our Onondaga District Scottish Rite Class. Our guest speaker will be RW William Toth, District Deputy Grand Master of the Onondaga District. Please come out and welcome these new Scottish Rite Masons into our Valley.
I am still working on a family picnic for this summer. I believe that we need to start this back up. This is an excellent way to show our appreciation our families for letting us to get out and share times with our Brethren. It is just as important to spend some good quality time with our families also.
I hope that you all enjoy the great weather coming and I look forward to seeing you in Lodge.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
Hopefully, by the time you are reading this there are some positive signs of Spring. March was a busy month for the Chapter of Rose Croix. Thank you to all those who took an active part in either the 18º, or the Feast of the Paschal Lamb. A special “THANK YOU” goes out to Larry Egnaczyk for casting and directing both of these events.
Please mark your calendars for April 14th and plan to travel to Utica to attend the conferral of the 4º, 12º,19º in the morning. Lunch will be served followed by the conferral of the 26º and the 32º in the afternoon. On April 23rd we will have our 156th Annual Reunion. Social will start at 6:00 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm.
Stay safe. Please keep those that are serving in hams way in your thoughts and prayers..

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings and Salutations Princes,
We are now seeing more hope of Spring and more temperate weather. I hope this communication finds you all well and inspired to continue in your quest for more light in Masonry.
A friend of mine gave me a T-Shirt which has a picture of a tent at night, and the words “If you think you are too small to make a difference, spend the night with a mosquito.” While we may have “small” roles to play in the running of our lodges or in Scottish Rite, each job or role we take on can have a big impact on being able to put on meaningful degrees, running enjoyable programs, and getting things done. “There are no small parts, only small actors”, usually credited to theater director Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) of the Moscow Art Theatre, makes a great point that it is not the role we are given to take, as all roles, large and small, contribute to the whole, it is our attitude toward doing those roles to the best of our ability which is what matters.
We are always looking to engage new people in our various Bodies. We present many degrees through the year, and have a number of parts to play, some large roles with many lines, some smaller roles with no lines, and all need to be filled in order to present the best possible presentation. We also have leadership roles within each Body, which is a progressive line meant to give you experience in the Body and lead you toward becoming a Body Head. We can use each and every one of you in some part, and I believe you will find personal growth and fulfillment as well as more enlightenment, as you take an active part in Scottish Rite.
If you have a desire to join one of the lines, or take part in the degrees, see any of the Body Heads or any of the actors in our degrees, they will be able to help put you in touch with the right person to get you involved. Even if you are busy, as most of us are, taking time to be a part of a degree presentation is rewarding, and I have found that I get far more out of each degree I am personally a part of.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
Welcome back brethren!
As we begin to finish up the “degree season” for the spring, I
want to thank every brother that assisted the Lodge of Perfection with degree work and
dinner planning and clean up. If it wasn’t for your dedication and support, we wouldn’t
have been able to put on as many programs and degrees successfully. From the
depths of my heat, I say THANK YOU ALL!

Just a reminder, the Lodge of Perfection will be conferring the 4°and 12° on Saturday
April 14 th in Utica as part of that all day degree program. The degrees will be done via
video. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend due to having to work that weekend with
my job. I’m looking forward to the continued support and all the challenges and
fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon!

Fraternally,
Ken Sterling, 32°
Thrice Potent Master

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY

Who Has More Fun and Does More Good than the Masonic Orders?-
I am not sure that there are many organizations that could top you for doing wonderful things and having a great time doing them than any of the organizations in the Masonic Fraternity.

By the time you read this many of you will have joined us at the Annual GALA Fundraiser at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro. Over 100 happy people got together for a wonderful meal, great fellowship, entertainment by area (Utica and Syracuse) musicians (Annie Parks and Zachary Knight and Emma Lane) and Brother John Sallustio who emceed and provided music
throughout venue. Many attendees went home with one or more of the 30 baskets from the Raffle sponsored by the families at the Center and with Door Prizes donated by community businesses. We’re sure no one went home hungry after the wonderful meal and everyone went home having met and made new friends. The Centerpieces, made by our own tutor, Alyssa, were a great hit and 20 happy people went home with one to enjoy. It was truly a wonderful way to enjoy each other as well as raise funds and awareness for the Dyslexia Center.

If we didn’t get to see you at the GALA, hopefully we got to see you at the Book Fair at the Dewitt Barnes and Noble bookstore. Like the Experience Dyslexia®, the book fair is another opportunity to let the public know about the wonderful things the Masonic Order does to support children and the community.

I want to let you know how our young man, Glenn, is doing. You will remember that he came to us knowing very few letters and sounds. He comes regularly to sessions and works very hard. He has more than doubles the letters and sounds that he now knows by sight and truly enjoys the time he spends working with his tutor. We get to enjoy the wonder of learning to recognize words on his own. His parents are so appreciative of what is happening for Glenn at the Center after so many years of little progress in the school setting. As always, this happens only because of what you have all done to make this Center happen and to keep it going!

We Are Thankful for You!

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

Valley of Syracuse Celebrates 156th Anniversary
Monday evening April 23, 2018 Central City Bodies, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite celebrates its’ 156 th Annual Reunion at the 2018 banquet at the Masonic Memorial Center, 648 Centerville Pl., North Syracuse, NY 13212. The “Reunion Banquet” for Scottish Rite members is a time to honor our newest Scottish Rite members, gather and meet with old friends, and an opportunity to meet and greet new Masonic Brothers and friends for the first time.

It seems that in these busy, hustle, bustle, times we do not take the time or opportunity to meet and greet and socialize with our friends. How many of us remember what year we became a Scottish Rite Mason; remember who our Class Sponsor was, have lost contact with our Scottish Rite classmates?

Join us Monday evening April 23, 2018 for this year’s “Reunion Banquet”. Social time is 6:00 p.m.; dinner at 6:30 p.m. and our reunion program is at 7:30 p.m. in the Lodge Room. Cost of the dinner is $13.00 per person. Members of the 2018 Class are guests of the Valley.

Widows of Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Members are invited guests to attend our banquet this year.

Contact the Valley of Syracuse office (315) 452-7976 or ny017@twcny.rr.com or adminny017@twcny.rr.com if you have any questions or wish to make reservations for this event.

Dinner reservations are a must for this event. Plan ahead and join us this evening.

March 2018 News

2/25/2018

Calendar
March 2018
Mar 04 Sunday 18⁰ Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.
Mar 05 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Mar 10 Saturday at Valley of Syracuse Degree Festival
            Register & Coffee 9:00 a.m.
            Open Syracuse & Norwood 10:00 a.m.
            Confer 16⁰ 10:30 a.m.
            Lunch 11:30 a.m.
            Confer 18⁰ 1:00 p.m.
Mar 10 Saturday Children’s Dyslexia Center Annual Gala FundRaiser 6:00 p.m.
            Hart’s Hill Inn
            Whitesboro, NY
Mar 11 Sunday Feast Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.
Mar 17 Saturday Feast of the Paschal Lamb Ceremony 2:30 p.m.
            Buffet 4:00 p.m. after Ceremony
Mar 19 9⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Mar 26 9⁰ Conferral (L) 7:30 p.m.

April 2018
Apr 02 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Apr 09 32⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Apr 14 4°(v), 12°(v), 19°(v), 26°(v) & 32° Conferral @ Utica
            Register 9:00 am
            Open 10:00 am
            4°(v), 12°(v), 19°(v)
            Lunch 11:30 am
            26°(v) & 32°
Apr 23 156th Annual Reunion
            Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Apr 30 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.

Consistory
I was watching a clip of Red Skelton on Facebook today and he was talking about how cold it was. He stated that he was a 33rd Degree Mason and it was so cold that he lost 4 Degrees.
March brings us closer to spring and hopefully better weather. We have some exciting programs coming up in the month of March.
March 10th is the 16th and 18th Degrees starting at 9 am with registration. After the afternoon of Brotherhood fellowship, we head towards Utica for the Learning Center Gala with our ladies. If you have never been to this event you are missing out on a great time.
March 17th we have the Feast of the Paschal Lamb which is a memorial service for the Brothers we have lost over the past year. Come out to honor these great men that we have lost.
March 26th we will confer the 9th Degree live. This is one of the Degrees that we do see every year. Come out and and enjoy the fellowship.
We still have a lot of great programs to finish out the year so watch your Trestle Board for the programs coming up. I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
March will be a busy month in the Valley of Syracuse. On Saturday, March 10th, at 10am the Council Princes of Jerusalem will present the 16th degree. There will be a lunch breakout noon and at 1 pm the Chapter of Rose Croix will present the 18th degree.
On Saturday, March 17th the Chapter of Rose Croix will present the Feast of the Pascal Lamb at 2:30 pm, when we will honor those Brothers that have gone on to that house not made with hands. A buffet lunch will follow.
On March 26th, the Lodge of Perfection will confer the 9th degree at 7:30 pm. Refreshments will follow.
Stay safe and please keep those that are serving in harm’s way in your thoughts and prayers.

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings Princes,
I hope this communication finds you all well with some hopes of Spring starting to grow. On March 10th we will be doing the 16th Degree and the 18th Degree. We hope you will be joining us in gaining light and sharing fellowship.
A new member to the Council Princes of Jerusalem is John Hubbard, 32°. John has been married to his wife, Sarah (Sally) for forty-nine years, and has two children, Chad and Carrie. He owned and operated Hubbard Heating and Plumbing, Inc. in Interlaken, NY for forty-seven years, and turned over the business to his son Chad two years ago. John was raised in 2004 and is a member of Farmerville-Union Lodge #183, in Interlaken, NY, where he served as Master of Farmerville-Union from 2009 through 2013, and is currently Master of Farmerville-Union #183 once again. John was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of the Ontario-Seneca- Yates District from 2014-2016. He is a Director of the O.S.Y. Charities Corporation, and is President of the O.S.Y. Masters and Wardens Association. He is also a member of the O.S.Y Communications Committee. He became a member of the Valley of Syracuse in November of 2016. I hope you give John a warm welcome to the leadership of this Valley. Here is a man…
I recently read a series of books by Jeff Archer. This particular series involved following a family through many trying times, through WWII and up through the present day. At the end of the book, one of the main characters which involved this man and his family, his Brother In Law, and friend, gave a eulogy for him. One passage of that stuck with me and influenced me. With all this character faced, with all his actions and involvement throughout his life, he remained consistent in his principles. The sentence which stuck with me, and remains with me as a guide to life, is simply “Here was a man.”
I saw a movie last night, the movie’s name is the King’s Choice, it was a Norwegian film, and it dealt with the difficult times during WWII when Germany looked to take over Norway, and how the King of Norway had to deal with a Cabinet and other leaders, including Quisling (who staged a coup détat of the Norwegian government). King Haakon had to face a choice of turning over Norway to Nazi Germany. He made the choice to remain true to his own principles. Here was a man.
I am currently reading a book about one of the most successful saboteurs in France during this same period. It is about a French aristocrat who saw his country and many country men be taken over by Germany and he desired to stand against this. He escaped through southern France into Spain, and eventually ended up in London. He received training from the British and returned to France to do his part in the war against an enemy that stood against his principles. Here was a man.
In our time on this planet we are given our life to live. We can do it with honor, giving of ourselves to our fellow traveler, and gaining insight to moral and high ground. We can live with principles, our cornerstones to how to live our life. And when it comes time to lay down our working tools, we can only hope that we did enough for others to be able to say, “Here was a man, here was a Mason.”

Fraternally,
James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
No News Received
Ken Sterling, 32°
Thrice Potent Master

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
We have just completed our Mid-Year Assessments and will have met with all the children and parents soon. We are still fighting the mid-winter flus and weather closings but, on the whole, everyone seems to be doing quite well. Many of the parents have been telling us about the progress their children have been making in school and the children themselves are showing positive attitudes about their experiences at the Center making it all worthwhile.
March is going to be a busy month for us with the GALA planned for March 10th at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro. Please contact if you need further information about attending or being a Sponsor in anyway. It is always a good time and we have some young people from Syracuse and Boonville areas who will come to entertain us. We will also have our usual (or unusual) array of Baskets from Parents, etc. that will be available to win.
Another great event and fundraiser will our Book Fair at Barnes & Noble in Dewitt on Saturday March 24. I know it is a busy day for many but the In Store Vouchers are good for our event from Saturday March 24th through Friday, March 30th and the Online Voucher (putting in the Voucher number) will be good from Saturday March 24th through Thursday, March 29th .
We hope you will consider shopping for Easter, Graduation, and other special occasion gifts at this time to help us with our Fundraiser. You may be interested to know that the funds raised at this event are used to purchase Gift Certificates to be given to the children at the Center at our Recognition Ceremony which will take place on June 12th .
Representatives for the Center will be on premises at Barnes & Noble on March 24 th from 10 AM to 3 PM – feel free to come join us or call to volunteer to help at our table.
We Are Thankful for You!
We hope to see you at the GALA and/or the Book Fair!

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

2018 – 2019 Scholarship Applications Available
Applications to apply for 2018 - 2019 Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information online. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation”
To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 2, 2018. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 2, 2018. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 2, 2018 will not be considered.
New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2018- 2019. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year.
The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply.
Six applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2017-2018 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them.
Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information.

Children's Dyslexia Center CNY Gala

2/25/2018

February 2018 News

1/31/2018

Calendar
February 2018
Feb 05 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Feb 12 Sweetheart Program at MMC with the Ladies
Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Feb 19 16⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Feb 26 Confer 6⁰ (V) 7:30 p.m.

March 2018
Mar 04 Sunday 18⁰ Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.
Mar 05 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Mar 10 Saturday at Valley of Syracuse Degree Festival
            Register & Coffee 9:00 a.m.
            Open Syracuse & Norwood 10:00 a.m.
            Confer 16⁰ 10:30 a.m.
            Lunch 11:30 a.m.
            Confer 18⁰ 1:00 p.m.
Mar 10 Saturday Children’s Dyslexia Center Annual Gala FundRaiser 6:00 p.m.
            Hart’s Hill Inn
            Whitesboro, NY
Mar 11 Sunday Feast Rehearsal 6:00 p.m.
Mar 17 Saturday Feast of the Paschal Lamb Ceremony 2:30 p.m.
            Buffet 4:00 p.m. after Ceremony
Mar 19 9⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Mar 26 9⁰ Conferral (L) 7:30 p.m.

Consistory
As I write this I am in hopes that the weather is going to straighten out soon. With only 4 more months left in my first year as Commander In Chief I find the time flying. There has been a lot going on in the Valley with starting to upgrade our costumes to bringing in new members. That is just the start as we have much more coming ahead.
In February we have the following programs scheduled: February 5th -Trustee Meeting at 6:15 pm and Executive Committee at 7:00 pm. February 12th is our Sweetheart Dinner Social at 6:00 pm, Dinner at 6:30 pm and Program at 7:30 pm. We will be giving out our Care Giver awards during the program. This is with our Ladies so come out for some great social time. February 26th, we will have our 6th Degree Conferral. This degree has not been done in the Valley in many years, so it will be a good time to have some Fellowship and get a stamp in your passport.
If there are any other programs that you would like to see in the coming months, would like to participate in Degrees or join an Officer line please let us know. We are always looking for new and exciting programs to do.
I look forward to seeing you in Lodge and hope you have a great month.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
I hope when you are reading this article it is a lot sunnier and warmer than it is when I’m writing this.
If you have not already done so, please make your reservation to attend our Sweetheart Program on Feb 12. Social Hour will be at 6pm with dinner at 6:30. A very informative program will follow dinner.
On Feb 26 the Lodge of Perfection will confer the 6th degree at 7:30pm with refreshments to follow.
Now that winter is here, please take extra care while driving or trying to clear snow.

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings Princes,
We are now into our Spring class of Scottish Rite brethren. On Saturday, March 10th , the Council Princes of Jerusalem will be presenting the 16th Degree. This is one of the “historical” degrees, which deal with the closing period of the Babylonian captivity of Israel, the return of the exiles to Jerusalem, and the rebuilding of the Temple. In the 15th and 16th degrees we are taught the important lessons of loyalty to conviction, fidelity to duty and devotion to truth. We hope to see many of our Brothers come out to join us, so we can all continue our education in Masonry
– together.
I hope everyone has had a great start to this still young year, despite one of the coldest starts to the New Year in over 100 years. I hope your hearths and homes, as well as our fraternal gatherings, have helped keep your hearts and minds warm.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
Welcome back brethren!
This month we have the 6th degree scheduled for February 26th , 2018 at 7:30 p.m. Originally this was going to be a live presentation of the degree, however, looking into the degree further and what’s required as far as effects, we have decided that this will be a video degree instead. This will ensure that the greatest experience of this degree will be received by all of those in attendance.
I look forward to seeing you all at the lodge for fellowship and further education in Masonry!

Ken Sterling, 32°
Thrice Potent Master

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY

Here we are in the New Year- still battling weather and illness but progressing none-the- less. Not much has happened since you heard from us last except that we are, however, getting ready for another fun GALA celebration and fundraiser on March 10th at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro, NY. Please see the attached flyer for further information!
(One exciting thing- Glenn added a new word to his repertoire- all on his own, using the skills he has been taught at the Center. His tutor tried not to jump out of her chair with excitement when Glenn calmly read the word with no prompting on her part.)
We Are Thankful for You! We hope to see you at the GALA!

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

2018 Knights of St. Andrew's Burns Supper

1/31/2018

The Knights of St. Andrew held their 2018 Burns Supper at Coleman's Irish Pub in Syracuse on Saturday, January 27th. The sold out event was hosted by Ill. Richard Powell and featured gifts created by his wife, Marian. Everyone had a great time, enjoyed fine food, haggis, bagpipes, poems and great company.

Updated Allegiance

1/17/2018

The Bodies of the Scottish Rite, sitting in the Valley of Syracuse, State of New York acknowledge and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of
America, whose Grand East is in Lexington, Massachusetts and whose officers are:

Ill.·. David Alan Glattly, 33°
Sovereign Grand Commander

Ill.·. Peter J. Samiec, 33°
Grand Lieutenant Commander

Ill.·. Robert F. Ogg, Jr., 33°
Grand Minister of State

Ill.·. David P. Spencer, 33°
Deputy for New York State

ACTIVE MEMBERS FOR NEW YORK
Ill.·. Peter J. Samiec, 33°
Grand Lt. Commander
Grand Almoner
Past Deputy for New York

Ill.·. Stephen R. Whittaker, 33°
Grand Master General of Ceremonies

Ill.·. G. Michael Morris, 33°

Ill∴ Steven C. Stefanakos, 33°

ACTIVE EMERITUS MEMBERS FOR NEW YORK
Ill.·. James F. Niehoff, 33°
Ill.·. Richard H. Welkley, 33°
Ill.·. Gary A. Henningsen, 33°
Ill.·. Fredrick D. Greene, 33°
Ill.·. Edward R. Trosin, 33°
Ill.·. Harold L. Aldrich, 33°
Past Grand Minister of State
Past Deputy for New York
Ill.·. P. Michael Nielsen, 33°

DEPUTY’S REPRESENTATIVE
Ill.·. Carl F. Fahrenkrug, 33°

January 2018 News

1/10/2018

Calendar
January 2018
Jan 08 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Jan 21 (Sunday) 4⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Jan 22 Spring Membership Night
           Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Jan 27 (Saturday) Knights of St. Andrew: Burns Supper @Coleman’s Restaurant 5:00 p.m.
            Paid Reservations Only
Jan 29 Confer 4⁰ (L) 7:30 p.m.

February 2018
Feb 05 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m.
Feb 12 Sweetheart Program at MMC with the Ladies
           Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m.
Feb 19 16⁰ Rehearsal 7:00 p.m.
Feb 26 Confer 6⁰ (V) 7:30 p.m.

Consistory
Happy New Year. I hope that it finds you happy and well.
January starts the spring Degrees and we will start with the Spring Membership night with our ladies on January 22nd. Let’s get some Brothers in that will make good Scottish Rite Masons to see what have to offer.
Our spring Degrees will begin with the 4th Degree on January 29th and will finish in Utica in April. Everyone has done a great job on the Degrees which the Brothers have enjoyed.

D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA
Commander in Chief

Chapter
Greetings Brethren,
Happy New Year. Now that the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season is over, it’s time to put all that stuff away for another year.
On January 22nd , we will have our Spring Membership Night with dinner and a program to follow. Seek out that Lodge Brother that you feel would benefit from being a Scottish Riter and invite him and his wife to be our guest that evening. On January 29th , the Lodge of Perfection will confer the 4° with refreshments to follow.
Now that winter is here, please take extra care while driving or trying to clear snow.

Ill. Gary H. Kall, 33°
Most Wise Master

Council
Greetings Princes,
I hope that your Holidays were pleasant ones, and that the New Year brings you all joy and blessings.
The weeks leading up to my own Holiday celebrations had me painting a few rooms, it is always welcome to put on a fresh coat (or two) of paint, change some colors and looks to the rooms. We do similar when we purchase a new suit, it gives our outward appearance a change. While in the midst of doing the painting, I found various cracks and holes in the walls, as well as some electrical outlets that needed repairs.
New Years usually bring with them resolutions we make, and far too frequently break within a short time. The resolutions are meant to give us something to improve, with our health habits, with our talent development, with our character. Too often the changes we resolve to make are lofty goals, and once we find those changes daunting, we slide back into our old ways. It ends up being like putting on that new suit, or putting a coat of paint on the walls, minus making the repairs or changes that would make a difference in our lives, and in the lives of others. Fortunately, as Masons, we do works and educate ourselves so we can effect changes that are meaningful and positive. Scottish Rite offers plenty of lessons through the year, taught through allegories, that help illustrate life lessons, seeing character being used in a positive way and how other people can have their lives affected.
Ben Franklin and George Washington endeavored to live their lives with continual improvement. Ben Franklin, from around the age of 21, came up with various virtues that he would work on, one at a time, for short durations. This decision came from a belief he held at a younger age that God made everything perfect, that we truly weren’t with free will, and therefore any actions we did could be justified through putting it on God. He was one to continually think things through, and re-evaluate his original thoughts. He saw that morality, that character of the person which governs our actions and interactions with others were indeed a part of our free will, and the flaws we displayed were not through the perfection of God’s creation, but our asserting our free will to do counter to God’s desire for us.
We hope you will join us in the Spring Kickoff for Scottish Rite coming mid-January. The St. Andrews Brothers will again be performing some music, and probably reviving our comedy act. If you know a Brother Mason who would benefit from the lessons we teach, as well as enjoy the fellowship and getting to know Brothers from various lodges, invite them to join us. A good time is guaranteed for all.
Sincerely and Fraternally,

James A. Nelson, 32º
Sovereign Prince

Lodge
Welcome back brethren! So this month isn’t a crazy busy month for the LOP. We only have one degree to do and that’s the 4th degree. Rehearsal is scheduled for Sunday, January 21, 2018 beginning at 6:00 pm. The conferral is scheduled for January 29, 2018 beginning at 7:30 p.m. when I open the Lodge of Perfection and will be followed by some light refreshments and fellowship. I look forward to seeing you all at the lodge for fellowship and further education in Masonry!

Ken Sterling, 32°
Thrice Potent Master

Welcome to My World
Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY
Happy New Year! It is truly a time of moving forward at the Center.
How exciting it is for everyone here to be moving into the second part of our Academic Year. Tutors and children are very comfortable with each other and progress is being made on almost every front.
The GALA committee is busy preparing for our event this year. We will again be at Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro on March 10 th to “Nurture Budding Readers” where we will have a floral spring theme with entertainment, basket raffles and “Experience Dyslexia” stations to enhance a wonderful meal and fellowship. Call the Center for information regarding reservations or sponsorship.
Since we have moved into a new year, it is time to bring you news about one of our new children. Glenn came to us this year as a very shy, anxious young man. He is in 3rd grade in a school district close to Syracuse. The first day that Glenn was here for his pre-assessment, he barely said two words. His application testing shows that he is a very bright young man with poor reading skills. He is indeed a very bright young man who is now attending and talking about many areas in which he shows great knowledge.
Saying that Glenn has poor reading skills is an understatement. This young boy sits in school every day (½ day in Resource Room and ½ day in his classroom) with knowledge of only four letters in the alphabet. That’s right, this bright young boy only knows four letters in the alphabet and is only clear on the sounds of three of them. We are working slowly and methodically to teach Glenn the alphabet while reading to him and helping him read basic words containing “his” letters. We add new letters and sounds as he is ready for them and work to find innovative ways to keep his active mind engaged. Glenn’s parents say they have asked the school why they are not teaching him the alphabet- no clear answer other than that he is working on the days of the week and clock/time in Resource – (hard to do when you can’t read).
His family says he enjoys coming to the Center (it’s a long drive) and we are happy to see his willingness to work while he is here. Thank you for giving Glenn the opportunity to have a more level playing field with his peers. Without you, he may never have had this chance.
We Are Thankful for You! We hope to see you in the New Year!.

Linda L. Martin, Director
Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org
Phone- (315) 736-0574
Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY
         PO Box 638
         Oriskany, NY 13424

2018 – 2019 Scholarship Applications Available
Applications to apply for 2018 - 2019 Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or on line. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation”
To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 2, 2018. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 2, 2018. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 2, 2018 will not be considered.
New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2018- 2019. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year.
The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply.
Six applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2017-2018 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them.
Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information.

RIP Ill. Richard W. Bellows, 33°

12/24/2017

Ill. Richard W. Bellows, 33°, passed away on November 20, 2017 in Geneva General Hospital. Brother Bellows has been one of the Valley of Syracuse most distinguished members and his presence will be missed. Funeral arrangements have recently be released:

Calling hours, Masonic Services, and 33⁰ Salt and Rose Ceremony
Date: Friday January 5, 2018
Time: Calling Hours: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Military Recognition: 6:00 p.m.
Masonic Services: 8:00 p.m.
33⁰ Salt & Rose Ceremony to follow
Coe Genung Funeral Home
46 W. Main St.
Waterloo, NY 13165

Funeral
Memorial Service
Date: Saturday January 6, 2018
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Trinity Episcopal Church
27 Fall St.
Seneca Falls, NY 13148

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