Upon my exit, I want to express my special thanks to:

• Bobbie Enloe for providing such a good example in 2008.

• Jerry Schrankler for being our Counselor this past year and especially for holding my hand all year to see that this ignorant WM performed at least passably.

• Scott Kreis for putting on so many good, educational programs.
• Phil Kifer for feeding us so well, the grub was superb!

• LeRoy Kifer for the unbelievable amount of time you dedicate to the Lodge year-in and year-out.
• Jeff Keller for your ability to anything and everything, the Cabinets are fantastic!
• Rich Petak for your dedicated work around the lodge; the locks, the AED, the keyboard, sound system, and so much more!
• Burt, Gordon, Jeff, Jerry, Rich and the rest of the Sheephead Gang for the card lessons and for shamelessly taking my money all year.

• Gib and George and the rest for your ever presence, both physically and spiritually.
• All the rest of my FdL Lodge 26 Brothers, for whom I have too little room here to mention individually, I can feel your kind thoughts and prayers every time I enter Lodge.

• And finally, Scott Bond for your Masonic passion and drive. It’s been an honor keeping that Eastern Seat warm for you. Next year is going to be an ‘Excellent Adventure’.

FdL Lodge #26 has been active in the first quarter of 2009.

On January 19th, we traveled to Beaver Dam to capture the long lost Traveling Gavel.

We were treated to a fine catered meal of Chicken & Beef Tips. The hospitality of the Lodge was commendable. We then were further entertained by their annual Installation of Officer Program. A picture and an article was printed in the Masonic Journal, disclosing the amusing story of how the District 10 Gavel was lost for a year and the activity surrounding it’s recovery. Check out the February Journal for that. Or. If you have Internet access, the Journal is viewable online at: http://www.wisc-freemasonry.org/wmj/WMJ_Feb_2009.PDF

On February 3rd, we delivered the Gavel to the Sheboygan Lodge #11. The hospitality of our fellow lodges was again displayed, as Sheboygan Lodge enjoyed a very fine meal after their meeting. The FdL Brothers there that night were also given a tour of the lodge building. If you have never been through the Sheboygan Lodge building, you ought to make a point of seeing it. It is a landmark and is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishing. It marvelous combination of luxury & comfort.

Prior to my being Master of the lodge here, I didn’t visit other lodges much. Man, I have missed a lot. The hospitality of our fellow brothers; the fraternity; the eye-opening opportunity to learn how other lodges perform the rituals, and even the trip there and back in a car full of brothers is enjoyable.

Please keep an ear open and your eye on our lodge’s website: http://lodge26.com for the latest news on what we have planned.

On March 19th, Pat Storrs came and oversaw our “School-of-Instruction”. 11 FdL Lodge brothers were in attendance that night, as we went through the 2nd section of the Master Mason Degree. It was a fun evening and our district lecturer had fine comments about our lodge. Some of the comments in his report on the evening are:

“Fond du Lac #26’s 2009 officer corps does a near flawless opening. They know the work well enough to be now concentrating on unison movements and voice inflections. In their Master Mason Drama… The ruffians are excellent. A candidate here would easily comprehend the story being told and receive a meaningful and memorable degree.”

On top of all this, we have been enjoying Brother Kreis’ brief talking points at each meeting on topics such as Masonic History, and Symbolism.

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on April 2nd. Especially if you have not been to a meeting in a while, please come. Meetings are entertaining and there is excellent social time afterward.

On April 3rd – Several of us are pooling to the District 10 Meeting in Port Washington
They have a Fish Dinner from 5-7, followed by the meeting. Wives are invited.
If interested in going, call me at 924-0886

April 11th @ N.EW. Masonic Center in Green Bay is a Masonic Education Seminar, Sponsored by Grand Lodge. There are a few of us going to that as well. If interested, please call me at 924-0886. Registration Deadline is Wed., April 1

May 7th, FdL Lodge is planning on having our regular stated meeting outdoors, at a secret location. I am reluctant to publish it here. If interested, please call me at 924-0886.
Everyone is strongly encouraged to come. Our plan is to have a barbecue afterward.
This is shaking out to be an excellent time. The rain date will be May 21.

Fraternally Yours,
Jay Worth
Worshipful Master
Fond du Lac Lodge #26

My name is Jay Worth and I live in Fond du lac. I have been a Master Mason for 4 years. I was a Mason for about a year before becoming Junior Deacon of the lodge. Following that, I was Junior Warden, then Senior Warden and am now, honored to be Master of Fond du lac Lodge #26 for 2009.

This will be an exciting year. We already have in place a new computer system which will enable us to provide still pictures for degree work; video with sound for educational and entertaining demonstrations as well as music for lodge ceremonies.

In addition, the Lodge will be internet enabled, allowing us to access information at will, anytime needed.

We are planning an outdoor meeting for April or May. A site for the meeting is already being discussed. Brother Rich knows of a deep, wooded lot in town. It’s close enough to be readily accessible, yet secluded enough to allow some privacy. I’m looking forward to that. I’ve never attended an outdoor meeting.

We going to track down the gavel and will be soliciting volunteers to travel to the lodge, currently in possession. Perhaps we can stop some place afterward, time permitting, for some fellowship.

Do you like to golf? I do, but don’t seem to get to go as often as I’d like. Anyone interested in a Lodge Golf outing this summer, let me know. I’d like to get a few foursomes together for that this summer. If you have a golfing buddy who is not a Mason, bring him along. We can make a “Friend’s Day” of it.

I have tried to convey to each and every brother of FDL Lodge #26, that this should be a good year. Meetings will be concise and interesting. Each meeting will be followed by opportunity to fraternize. I loved when PGM Holland used that term. That’s important. Brothers within a fraternity, should fraternize. I’d like to get to know more of Lodge #26’s members.

If you have not come to lodge in a while, please try to make it to a meeting in the near future. You will not be disappointed.

WM Jay Worth

First, let’s thank Bethel #3 Jobs Daughters for a very fine Thanksgiving Dinner on the 16th of November. If you did not come to this event that they have been having for many years, you are missing out on what the Masonic Fraternity is all about.

On Dec 4th, we will have an FC Degree for Br. Joe Thomas. Please try and attend this degree.

Dec 6th, Ring Bells for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal at Shopko’s west door. We still have some slots that are open and need your help. Sign up sheets at the lodge, or call the WM
Bob Enloe at 920-795-4583.

Dec. 11th we will have our board meeting.

Dec. 18th will be the Installation of Officers for 2009. Jay Worth- WM Elect.

Dec. 31st, BINGO If you can help please call Burt Mayborne or LeRoy Kifer

If you know someone who is under the weather, please contact the lodge or an officer so we can remember them in our prayers.

REMEMBER, we are Masons, Talk up your lodge.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

On November 6th we will have a new candidate for the lodge, Mr. Joe Thomas. Lets fill our sidelines and welcome Joe to the Masonic brotherhood.

November 13th will be our board meeting at 6:00 p.m.

November 20th will be elections of officers for 2009.

Also on November 16th , Bethel #3 Jobs Daughters will hold their Thanksgiving Dinner at 5:00 p.m. Lets support our Jobies by a good turnout of the Brethren and ladies.

Mark your calendars for Saturday December 6th to Ring Bells for the Salvation Army Christmas appeal at Shopko’s west door. We will start at 8:00 a.m. with two hour shifts until 8:00 p.m. If you are a Shriner wear your Fez. If not try to wear something with the Masonic emblem. We also welcome the Jobies, Eastern Star and Amaranth members to join us in this endeavor.Time slots are as follows: 8:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m., 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.,2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.8:00 p.m. There will be a sign up sheet at lodge. Please call Bob Enloe at 920-795-4583 to get the best times.

Keep a look out for a picture of a check being presented to the Salvation Army for $250.00 by a couple of our members. The Masons are always supporting their community.

On October 25th we had a chili cook-off with brothers Jeff Keller and George Weigel making respective pots of chili. Unfortunately the turnout was poor for this event. Both recipes were tasty, we will try again next year. Remember we are Masons, TALK UP YOUR LODGE.

If you know someone who is under the weather, please contact the Lodge or an Officer so we can remember them in our prayers.

If you missed our Past Masters Dinner, you missed a lot. The dinner was excellent and the soloist (Jennifer Bell) entertained us with Jazz and Blues. Our speaker, Most Worshipful Deputy Grand Master Brother Craig Campbell, talked about the history of Masonry & the building of our country.

Fraternally

Bobbie Enloe- WM

We are turning the lights on again and putting the craftsmen back to work at the Lodge. September is the start of the Fall session for new work on our calendar. Last June, the Grand Lodge had its meeting in Madison. I would like to thank the brothers and ladies who attended the meetings and other activities.

Several Brothers from the lodge welcomed the Masonic All Star Soccer Teams to Fond du Lac at Marion University. We also fed them hamburgers and chicken breast with pasta salad for supper.
Then the following day we manned the booth and sold food and drinks. A big thank you to all of the members who helped make this first years attempt of this event for Fond du Lac Lodge #26 a success: Scott Bond, Burt Mayborne, LeRoy Kifer, George Weigel, Jay Worth, Dave Olson and his wife Sherry, Kevin Sherman, Ben Parkhurst, Jeff Keller, Rich Petak and Jamison Kifer and everyone else who helped. Without all of you none of this would have happened.

And none of this could have happen without the help from Tana Laudolff at the Fond du Lac area convention center and Nancy Storrs, chairperson of the Masonic All Star Soccer Games.

I personally would like to thank everyone for stepping in and making sure everything flowed well while I was sick.

Fraternally,
WM Bobbie Enloe

On May 1^st, we had to cancel our Master Mason degree for Br. Ben Parkhurst and reschedule to confer the Master Mason degree on June 19^th. Please make every effort to attend and fill the sidelines to welcome our newly raised Master Mason.

Our June 5^th meeting is CANCELED because of members attending Grand Lodge Communication.

The month of June will be busy for the lodge with the following events, please attend if you can:

• June 12^th- Annual Strawberry Festival with an Open House. Come one, come all.
• June 19^th- MM Degree for Br. Ben Parkhurst.
• June 23^rd- Shrine Club meeting @ 6:30 p.m. with the wives. More information to follow.
• June 26^th- Annual Youth Appreciation Night Dinner where the lodge honors the scholarship recipients. Let’s have a good turn out to show support.

In July, the lodge has been asked to help cook for the Wisconsin High School All Star Soccer game which will be held right here in Fond du Lac. This will be a great chance to show the community what Fond du Lac Lodge #26 is all about. More information will be in the Masonic Journal.

REMEMBER, this is your Lodge, if it is to grow we must spread the word and obtain new petitions from men that would like to become Masons. Just a note, a new petition has been read and accepted for Joe Thomas. His EA degree will be some time in the near future. We will keep you informed.

Fraternally,

WM Bobbie Enloe