Meeting Calendar 2008

      Sep                 Oct                Nov                    Dec

  4 - OES#8    2 - OES#8    6 - OES#8       4 - OES#8

13 - WM#3    11 - WM#3    8 - WM#3        13 - WM#3

Bikes for Books

Looking for Bike sponsors. If you would like to donate to the purchase of a bike, contact Paul Dore'. We are purchasing 8 bicycles for the Globe/Miami schools this year.

50 Years Ago

White Mountain Lodge September 1958

MW Grand Master R. C. Nicholson attended the lodge for his official visit.

Doric Lodge September 1957

Motion and approved to request all Masonic organizations that use the building to share in the monthly expense.

Something to Think About

My Brothers,

I'm going to use this space to discuss the by-laws change mentioned above. The Trustees have been tasked to look at the by-laws for possible changes keeping in mind the future of the lodge. As a first step, they recommended the dues change just to keep us from going a little less in the red next year. Yes, we have been running a deficit like the Federal Government but unlike the Federal Government, we can't print more money. Our membership is being reduced by deaths every year and unless we have a great influx of new members, it will continue to decline. Even after this dues increase, the Grand Lodge per-capita ($16) is almost half the size of our dues. Other lodges in this state maintain their dues between $50-$100, even the lodges with sizable treasuries, because they are looking to the future and want to be self-sufficient for more decades to come. White Mountain #3 needs to be self sufficient if it wishes to be part of the Globe-Miami community for years to come. We have a proud heritage in our community, and in the last number of years, we have tried to place ourselves back in the community. I think we have made a good start and we need to carry forward this pursuit. Our school programs have help our schools and I would like to thank each member who has donated money to defray the cost of the bicycles for the past several years.

Brothers, frankly we need money to continue to improve our impact in the community. Every member present last meeting understands the situation that our older members are in financially and do not want to burden them further so ideas have been thrown around about how to do that. Frankly we have been short changing ourselves for years. How much is Freemasonry worth to a person? Our forefathers believed that it was worth a lot, even a month's pay. Are we selling ourselves too cheap? Over half of our membership is either perpetual or life members so the dues increase will not go very far in helping the budget. I encourage each perpetual/life member to give if they are able. I'm a perpetual member myself. I donate all the paper and ink for this trestleboard every month to help defray costs. Because of the continual increases in the Grand Lodge per-capita, the returns from the perpetual fund barely pays for the per-capita fees for those that are not life members. Perpetual membership is a great way to help the lodge long after one demits to the Supreme Grand Lodge but frankly it doesn't do much while one is still a member <smile>.

If you have thoughts on this subject and are not able to come to lodge, please call our Master or Secretary with your comments.

Bill Greenen - Editor and Past Master of WM #3

"None of us are responsible for our birth. Our responsibility is the use we make of life."
Joshua Henry Jones

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or at eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young but becomes constantly more valuable, regardless of physical capacity." Brother Henry Ford

"Every calling is great when greatly pursued." Oliver Wendell Holmes

"By the time a man learns how to get the most out of life; most of his life is gone."
Henry Riley

"Money can help you get medicines, but not health; money can help you get soft pillows, but not sound sleep; money can help you get material comforts, but not eternal bliss; money can help you get ornaments, but not beauty; money will help you get an earphone, but not natural hearing. Attain the supreme wealth: Wisdom; and you will have everything." M.W. Brother Benjamin Franklin