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A Focus on Preservation

With only half of the District Receptions behind us at the time of this writing, Linda and I are in awe of your support and want to thank the many Districts, Lodges, Widows Sons Chapters and individuals who have donated to the Grand Lodge Charitable Foundation in support of our Veteran’s projects. In the near future, I will announce the dates for dedicating the four Veteran Memorial Monuments via the Grand Lodge Communicator. The ceremonies will be public at the Browning and Western Reserve Masonic Communities as well as the National Cemeteries in Dayton and Rittman. It is my hope that many will come in support of the dedications. The donated funds will also help sponsor veterans on Honor Flights to Washington D.C. This is a wonderful program and deserving of our support.

I continue to be concerned about our declining membership numbers. Each year our number of members is dropping at an alarming rate. In an attempt to turn this trend around, I have implemented the Replace Yourself Program which is aimed at attracting new members. This program is being embraced by most Lodges and I am hearing of positive results across the state. I requested the Grand Secretary's office send an Amnesty letter to men who have been suspended for nonpayment of dues over the past five years offering them reinstatement into our Fraternity. As of this writing, we have reinstated 295 members and my hope is that there are many more that will be coming. I encourage every Lodge to form a committee that is committed to preventing the loss of current members. There are software programs available, at a very small cost, that can assist in finding individuals. I am not particularly talented in technology, so I turn to our younger men to help. If your Lodge has a committee to contact members or if you form such a committee, I recommend that you have a member who is familiar with technology and can assist with finding those members who are lost to your Lodge. We can not afford to lose even one member. I would like to see us have an email address on every member who uses email so that we have an easy method of staying in contact with all of our members. I ask every Secretary to make that a priority. There again, find a member of your Lodge and make them an Assistant Secretary whose main task is to find lost members and update your database on every member. There are also hundreds of men on our rolls that have received their Entered Apprentice or Fellowcraft degree but have never gotten their Master Mason degree. I encourage every Lodge to contact these men and encourage them to finish their journey. If you receive an “I’m not interested” from them then contact the Grand Secretary's office to see how to purge them from your database. I would hope that most of these men are interested in completing their Master Mason degree and continuing. Be sure to let them know that there is an alternative proficiency available to them if they prefer.

Linda and I want to thank everyone for the warm reception we receive everywhere we go. It’s such an honor for us to represent Ohio Masonry throughout our great state as well as other jurisdictions we visit. I know that everyone is working to make Masonry strong in Ohio and I appreciate all you are doing to accomplish that goal.

Embrace Our Heritage . . .
Preserve Our Traditions.


Fraternally,
Eric “Rick” Schau
Grand Master

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