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- [email protected]
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
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- [email protected]
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