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A Year in Review

As I write this, my last article as Grand Master, it is late June. I am acutely aware that this is my one public opportunity to say thank you to the many people who have contributed to this year’s program. This is also my best opportunity to welcome all the new Master Masons who were raised this year, whether in their Lodges or in the Grand Master’s Class. Last but by no means least, this is my opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the many contributions and personal sacrifices made by your Lodge Officers and your Grand Lodge Officers as they labor in the quarries of Freemasonry. The 300th Anniversary Celebrations held across the state are now history. They began in each district with a Grand Master’s Class in March or April, continued with the class candidates returning to Lodge, and finally concluded with the official observance on June 24, 2017. Over 1400 men became Master Masons in the Grand Master’s Classes. Congratulations to all. I also thank the district leaders for planning the June programs. We had formal and casual dinners, breakfasts, luncheons, picnics, and who knows what else as masons and their families came together to remember and acknowledge the gift of our early English Brethren. Facebook was full of pictures from across the state. As part of the anniversary, the Grand Lodge received resolutions of congratulations from the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate. Many of the Grand Lodge Officers traveled with me to Columbus to join with our Prince Hall Brethren when these resolutions were presented at the statehouse. I know we also had a number of local city proclamations and resolutions made as part of the district anniversary events. This show of support and recognition by our fellow citizens and government leaders was certainly gratifying. If you had told me thirty years ago when I became a Mason that I would one day address the Ohio House and Senate, I would never have believed it. Yet, I had that honor. I want to acknowledge the generosity of my Brethren, their lodges, and districts for their support of our two charitable projects: the Grand Lodge Museum & Library and the Ohio Masonic Home Stained Glass Windows project. Diana and I spent our lives working in libraries, and we wanted to establish a dedicated fund within the Grand Lodge Charitable Foundation to support acquisitions and preservation of library and museum materials. That fund is now a reality, and hopefully, we will continue to grow it over the coming years. During the receptions, we also received a number of wonderful gifts, such as clocks, canes, carvings, stained glass, metalwork, and even a custommade doll for Diana. But the greatest gift, and what I really want to acknowledge is the hospitality and friendship we received wherever we traveled in Ohio. You cannot buy a Mason’s friendship, and yet it is the best thing you can receive. When freely given, it is the very cement and support that unites us into one sacred band or society of friends and brothers. It has been an honor to serve the Grand Lodge. If we had a good year, it is because of the people we met during our journey. Diana and I look forward to continuing and nurturing these relationships for many years to come. Thank you. IN THIS ISSUE: Keep an eye out for photo highlights of Grand Master Kaylor's year in office.

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