Lost Widows Pin

Sometime In August I received a phone call from Wor. Jim Bell who informed me that one of the widows of Caribou lodge had lost her pin and was hoping to get a replacement.  So on September 21st I met Jim and we went to the home of Harry and Louise Kearney where I had the great pleasure to sit down with a wonderful lady for a nice conversation.

Mrs. Kearney is moving to the Portland area to be closer to her children and is going through the difficult process of packing up her and Harry's home and lives.

She was very interested in the activities of the lodge and Eastern Star and was pleased to hear about our activities with the CHIPS program and some of the older members that she fondly remembered.

When I presented her with a replacement pin she was moved by emotion and was most grateful to the lodge for the gesture. 

I wanted to share this with you because there are lots of people who dedicated many years to our organization that are still in  our community but we don't often think of them.  We have a Ladies night or a Widows night but that is often where it ends.  I can tell you that the experience I had in giving Mrs. Kearney that pin was without a doubt the best feeling that my brief time in Masonry has provided me.

I hope that you are someday afforded a similar experience.

Congratulations Maine's Teacher of the Year!!

The Margeson Family

Brethren,  I hope you take a moment to congratulate Alana Margeson on becoming Teacher of the year.  If you are not aware Alana is the wife of Caribou Lodge member Br. Erich Margeson. 

She is a 12 year educator at Caribou High School and mother of four wonderful boys.  I know Alana from community, church and the fact that our children attend school together.

In my opinion the recognition given this award is wonderful but only partially speaks to the character and ability of this wonderful lady.


According to the Bangor Daily News, "Alana will go to Texas in January to meet the other teachers of the year and to Washington, D.C., in May to meet President Barack Obama. She also will attend Space Camp in Alabama in July, and will make a video two months later to document why she loves teaching so much. She then will go on to compete in the selection process for the 2012 National Teacher of the Year. The winner of that honor will be announced in April 2012 at the White House."

Here is a link to the full story:  http://bangordailynews.com/2011/09/15/news/aroostook/caribou-educator-named-maine%E2%80%99s-2012-teacher-of-the-year/

Again, I hope you take a moment to congratulate the Margesons and be proud that Maine's Teacher of the Year supports her Mason.

An interesting week in Masonry

Brethren, I thought that I would share with you some of my travels this past week or so.

I started by on September 1^st with Caribou lodges Stated meeting.  

 

  We were pleased to recognize some of our brothers for their years of service, Oscar Erickson with his 55 year service Star, Wor. Dale Dee and Br. Gary Richards with their 50 year veterans medal, and pictured Peter Doebener II with his 25 year service pin.  The highlight of the evening was that Wor. Peter Doebener was able to present his son Peter Doebener II with that award.

  

 On September 7^th I found myself in Washington County for work and was able to attend Washington Lodge No. 37 in Lubec Maine.  I was pleased that the master asked if I would sit in the West for them and happily agreed.  Then just before we opened he threw me the curve ball by informing me we were going to do it in EA.  Something I was not completely prepared for but we did manage. J   Another point of interest from that meeting was the reading of an application submitted by one of the local Catholic Priests.  I think that this is great and reinforces that an active lodge attracts good men.  But if raised will they call him “Father Brother”, or “Brother Father?” just a bit of attempted humor.

Finally on September 10th  I attended International night hosted by Trinity lodge in Presque Isle.  International night brings the lodges of District one in Maine and District four in New Brunswick together for a meeting.  Once again I was asked to sit in the West as a replacement and was again very pleased to do so.  Maybe more so when we stayed in the more familiar MM opening.  As part of the program District 1 members put on a Rusty Nail Degree which was very good the brothers did a wonderful job.  They were followed by a degree team from New Brunswick who raised a candidate for the Masonic Lodge in Grand Falls.  That was for me the highlight of the evening.  They were both skilled in their work and flawless in their execution.  I was truly impressed.

They say you get out of Masonry what you put into it, and this week I think the returns were far more than the investment.  

David Spooner, WM