Brethren –
it is a very EXCITING YEAR !
CANDIDATES:
Already in 2010 we have NINE candidates in various stages of membership. To accommodate this influx of membership, we will be holding degrees at
Please support your lodge and our new brethren by filling in the sidelines at these exciting events!
BUILDING:
We are excited to announce that there is a large community interest in the use of our banquet facility and to aid in this interest, the Board of Trustees has enacted a phased approach to transform the
The beginning phases of this transformation have been completed and include:
- Re-keying of the building to include a rental key level.
- A Building use analysis which includes better and more efficient use of the storage rooms, the planned relocation of the Jobie room and a planned warming kitchen/lunch room to seat a minimum of 24 in the fraternal end of the building (utilizing the current Jobie room, part of the lobby and a storage room).
All information regarding building use and/or rental (including possible dates available and procedures to reserve dates) will be posted in real time on the Lodge website: lodge26.com and monthly in the Lodge ante room… (the website calendar currently reflects all events occurring at the building EXCEPT for bingos. Bingos WILL be a part of the calendar by mid-February).
To request a building reservation for an event, please email (this this the fastest method) SW Rich Petak (richard.petak@lodge26.com) or WM Scott Bond (scott.bond@lodge26.com) or call the Lodge (920-922-5800) and leave a message. Please note that the building – banquet facility, lodge room, etc – will not be considered reserved for ANY event other than normal state communications until a representative of the building committee has submitted to you a written contract for your event.
NEW KEYS:
The new keys are much more secure than the previous keys in five major ways:
- The keys themselves are not able to be copied.
- The building has been keyed on a four level security approach – meaning that the lowest level security key (banquet rental key) will not open fraternal secure areas and so on.
- Keys are signed out only on a yearly basis - based on the office held and not by individual, and are 100% accounted for and kept track of. (For example the key that I now hold is reserved for the Worshipful Master and next year I will turn that key over to the Key Controller who will reassign that key to the new Master of the Lodge.)
- The Board of Trustees key policy has also designated that each appended group can designate up to two representatives to receive keys for the term up through their next installation. (It is my wish that appended bodies not view keys as an entitlement to those in high office, but as an aid to the appended bodies and assigned to those people most likely to utilize the keys most effectively to open/close the building, etc.)
- Those who do not have a key, but who have Masonic affiliation and are preauthorized to use a portion or all of the facility will be issued a temporary key to be returned at the close of their event.
This new key policy is not intended to make things tougher or to exclude anyone. As I previously stated, Blue Lodge keys are assigned based on office or appended body, NOT by individual… there are no favorites with this new key policy. We have a great building and take its security very seriously and the new key policy reflects the responsibility and accountability that those entrusted with keys for their term carry.
DOORBELLS:
Please note that due to security, the Lodge building doors may be locked during lodge meetings. If this is the case and you find yourself locked out, there is a doorbell installed to the right of the outside doors under the carport and to the right of the inside lodge room doors in the main lobby. So if you find the doors locked, just ring the bell and the tiler will be right there to let you in!
Please email me (scott.bond@lodge26.com) with any questions, comments, or concerns and I'll be happy to get back to you.
Fraternally,
Scott Bond - WM