Greetings Brethren,

February is the month of love. This is the month we celebrate the ones closest to us on Valentines Day.

In doing some prep for this article, I found references to 4 types of love in the Holy Writings. I would like to share them with you now. The Greek words are Eros, Storge, Philia and Agape.

Eros love is pronounced: AIR-ohs and is the word used for sensual or romantic love. The term originated from the mythical Greek god of love, sexual desire, attraction and physical love. Eros whose Roman counterpart was Cupid.

Storge love is pronounced: STOR-jay and is the word used to describe family love. This is the natural affectionate love that develops between parents and children or brothers and sisters. This could even be applied to the love of a pet.

Philia love is pronounced: FILL-ee-uh and is the type of love used to describe Brotherly love or powerful bonds of friendship. It is an emotional bond seen in deep friendships. As Masons we are very familiar with this kind of love for one another. We speak of it in our ritual and practice it in our daily lives.

Agape love is pronounced Uh-GAH-pay and is the most powerful of all four types. It refers to the love of God. Unmeasurable and incomparable love of human kind. It is the divine love that comes from God. Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial and pure.

No matter what kind of Love you feel, practice it with your whole heart and you can’t go wrong.

The Lodge calendar is full again this month:

Feb 5 th , Stated meeting and the Official visit of the District Inspector

Feb 7 th , District school of Instruction at Humboldt 79 2 nd degree

Feb 8 th , Superbowl party with some great BBQ

Feb 12 th , 3 rd Degree

Feb14th, Spend the day with your Valentine

Feb 19 th , First degree rehearsal

Feb 21 st , Sweethearts dinner Sea Grill, place your reservation with the lodge

Feb 26 th , First degree

“Together we ARE making a difference”

Bill McBroome, Master

Greetings and Happy New Year!

In the beginning of January we went south to Bethel No. 106 Ukiah’s installation of officers where I had the pleasure of being the Installing Marshal – it was my first time as an installing officer and I had a great time learning the roll and leading people around.  Congratulations to Gracie on becoming Honored Queen and the other Bethel Daughters in their new stations! It was an amazing opportunity to strengthen our bonds of friendship  with our sister bethel. We in Bethel No. 86 look forward to future events together!

May 2nd – mark your calendars as we are hosting our Grand Bethel 2nd Messenger’s reception for Betsy. It will be at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Formal attire is requested.

The last Sunday of January there were two Honored Queens at Ridgewood Lodge No. 146’s officer installation, and we both got to walk the flag of the United States in. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be with another Honored Queen and have the two of us in full regalia.

Our first meeting in February is on Feb 2nd at the Humboldt Masonic Center in Eureka.  Come early and help us make Valentine’s Day cards for our elders in the Masonic homes.  We will have the supplies.  You bring the creativity!  The fun starts at 6:30 and you can stay for the meeting at 7.

Fundraising in February includes ticket sales for the Ulster Fry breakfast.  The breakfast is homemade breads served with eggs and meat.  It will be served on March 14th between 9 & 11.  Please see a member of the Bethel to reserve a spot.  There will be NO sales at the door to insure everyone gets their full meal.

If you have any questions or want to know more information about our group, please call the bethel guardian, Mrs. Pollard or feel free to email the Bethel at Bethel86@cajdi.org.

Jobie Love,

Logan P. Honored Queen Bethel No. 86, Eureka

Our dual installation with Ferndale Lodge was a first for me. Our thanks to Master Larry Nicholson for suggesting that we install both lodges at the same time. The installation went off without a hitch with Gary Cotrell acting as installing officer and Buster Garrison acting as Master of Ceremonies. How could it not have been done well.

Another petition was received, we are getting active with degrees lately. Bro. Chris Gieser is scheduled for his third degree on the 18th of February.

We would like to welcome Bro. Ken Polter who affiliated with our Lodge recently. Ken has been active in Ferndale Lodge and now has dual membership.

Ken is a 33 degree Mason and has filled our need for a Senior Warden. Thanks to Ken for filling in for us.
It’s nice to see the Lodge active with degrees, Masonry is alive and well in Fortuna

Come to Lodges
Theodore Lichti WM

We have built some more bridges within the Masonic Family. I attended the double Masonic Installation of Eel River and Ferndale Lodges in Ferndale an early Sunday in January. I haven’t met many of the Eel River Lodge members so it was good. I also reconnected with the Inspector Dan Sarver. In January attended the Ferndale Chapter and an Initiation for Rohnerville Redwoods Chapter. So now that our skills are all brushed up Camellia should be ready to initiate or affiliate a member or so. Many Masons don’t realize the advantages of belonging to Eastern Star creating a tighter connection with their wives and understanding the broader scope of Free Masonry. The more we link together the more we do for our Sisters and Brothers and the community. There are projects which would be more successful with more hands and different perspectives. Learning is enlightenment.

I have attended two Rainbow Girl Meetings and Advisory Board Meetings which are energizing and enlightening. They have a lot of fun activities including Bake Sales we can support. The youth are the future of our organizations and our communities. They need and benefit from our interest and support.

Our February Camellia Star Meeting is February 4th with refreshments before the meeting, so 7ish. The Meeting starts at 7:30pm. The Theme is “Love Makes the World Go Round” which I changed out from our Installation Program, because right now it seems like our nation could benefit from more understanding and compassion. So, wear some red. Let’s do semi-formal and have a date with Eastern Star that night. we appreciate people sharing their time with Camellia Star, filling in a station and letting us know what you are doing. Feel free to call Laird or Michael B.

From the East,
Welcome to 2026. I’m hoping this message finds you well and ready for the new year. The new
officer corps has been installed and is ready to get started. We have a few new officers in the
line this year and we are grateful to have them onboard. This month our schedual is full. We
begin with the stated meeting on the 8 th , then we will be rehearsing the first degree to get
ready to welcome an entered apprentice mason into the lodge on the 29 th . We will begin with
dinner at 5:30 and confer the degree at 7pm. I hope you can join us in welcoming our newest
member.
At the installation of officers I began the year with a poem id like to share with you. It was
written by Robert Lee Sharpe and its title is “A bag of tools”.
“Isn’t it strange
That Princes and Kings
And clowns that caper
In sawdust rings
And regular folks
Like you and me
Are builders of eternity?
Each is given a bag of tools
A shapeless mass
And a book of rules
And each must build
Before life has flown
A stumbling block
Or a stepping stone.”
We are well on our way to building a pathway of stepping stones. See you at Lodge
Bill McBroome
Master Humboldt 79

In “Building Bridges to the Masonic Family” let’s see from our Masonic Tool kit what we have to work with.  As with all plans, ours are flexible and right now I personally have some catching up to do.  December started well and attended the Job’s Installation on the 14^th and multiple first meeting practices. We went to the Masonic Christmas party which had lots of kids and adults.  Talked to a few new Masons ladies which was fun.  Many don’t realize that Eastern Star exists for the ladies.    The Worthy Patron, Michael Biesen, attended the Humboldt Lodge Installation, being installed as Tyler. Camellia Star  is going to be expanding and planning out new and existing activities as the year progresses.  I personally wasn’t able to attend the Installation for Humboldt 79, but will catch up.   Several of our members serve on the Rainbow Advisory Board and there is a big Sleep Over for the Rainbow Girls Dec. 31. Movies, games and food are inorder. Our bridges exist throughout the Eastern Star Chapters, and I do try to attend their meetings and help-out.  In January I will assist Rhonerville-.Redwoods #76 with an installation and servicing as a Star-Point.

Our January Camellia Star Meeting is January 7^th with refreshments before the meeting, so 7ish.  The Meeting starts at 7:30pm.  The Theme is Legoman Day to celebrate on of the Worthy Patrons Emblems with a Construction theme.  Bring your Glam work vest and hard hat or what is project attire or Business Casual. Mostly, we appreciate people starting out their new year with Camellia Star and letting us know what you are doing.  Feel free to call Laird or Michael B. 

Hello everyone! Our bethel would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year!

December was filled with many spirited and festive activities. Many big Jobie thank YOUs to all who purchased fresh lasagnas and personalized coasters and helped make these two fundraisers successful. The funds raised help us Daughters go to Grand Bethel and Leadership camp as well as many other fun service activities throughout the year. So, thank you for supporting our growth! You will want to mark your calendars and be on the lookout for our Ulster Fry breakfast fundraiser already on the books for March 14th!

It was such fun for our members to wrap gifts and then help Santa hand them out at Humboldt Lodge’s Christmas party this month. We had a great time as elves helping Santa find the perfect gift for all the children that came!  We are glad we could help.

Bethel 86 teamed up with Sequoia Park’s Ivy League and brought members of Humboldt lodge 79 and Six Rivers lodge 106 to spend the morning pulling ivy away from the trees of Sequoia Park & Zoo! We love our tall Sequoia redwood trees and want to help keep the ivy away! More big Jobie thank YOUs to those that joined to support our efforts and pull ivy! Many of us felt so good we are thinking about doing it again soon!

The following day our Bethel had its 192nd installation of bethel officers. It was a sweet Alice in Wonderland themed tea party! It was such a fun afternoon surrounded by Masonic friends and family! Huge Jobie thank yous to everyone who came to witness the installation!  This terms officers include: Logan P. Honored Queen, Lilith G. Treasurer, & Carla R. 2nd Messenger!

This new term, we are looking forward to having fun, learning new skills, and making new friends! We are looking forward to getting out and giving back to our community this term. Bethel No. 86 meets in Eureka at the Humboldt Masonic Hall on the 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month.  Our first meeting of the new year will be Jan 5th at 7PM.  If you have a daughter, a niece, or a neighbor that might be interested, email the bethel at Bethel86@cajdi.org and bring her to a meeting.  Hope to see you at our meetings and out in the community with us!

Logan P., Aubrey A., Lilith G., and Mrs. Glass wrap presents for Santa at Humboldt Lodge’s Christmas party.

Members and friends from Bethel 86, Humboldt lodge 79, and Six Rivers lodge 106 get ready to pull the invasive ivy away from the trees of Sequoia Park!

Lilith G., Carla R., Mrs. Pollard, Mrs. Hansen, along with a friend pull out and bag Ivy at Sequoia Park. 

Bethel No. 86’s 192nd installation of bethel officers!

Jobie Love,
Logan Pollard
Honored Queen
Bethel No. 86

Brethren,

Happy New Year to you all.

As your newly debunked Junior Past Master (turns out the gavel doesn’t come with a cape), I want to thank you for a year filled with fellowship, ritual, charity, and brotherhood. It’s been an honor serving alongside each of you—even if I still can’t remember when to stand or sit in the East.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t shine a spotlight on Brother William Lambo, despite his best efforts to avoid it. Brother Lambo continues his many years of dedicated service as our Secretary, keeping our charter in good standing while remaining nearly invisible. Your stealth skills are impressive, Brother Lambo, but we see you, and we deeply appreciate your ongoing commitment to our lodge.

On a less exciting note: if you are a signer on the lodge account, anticipate a call from the bank. Please make arrangements to sign your authorization cards as soon as possible. I promise it’s less painful than a proficiency exam.

Fraternally yours,

Davin Bowerman, Junior Past Master (Emeritus of Confusion)

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, and a happy new year. We are going to have a dual installation with Ferndale lodge in Ferndale, on January 11th at 2:00. This is an open installation, so the public is invited.  Ted Lichti will be installed as master of Eel River, and Larry Nicholson will be installed as master of Ferndale.    

Ted Lichti w.m.

On to the First Meeting Practices with our new District Grand Deputy, Janessa Bacon where we
focus on floor work and do our first meeting practice. This is particularly valuable for members
in new offices. We have been asked by Grand Chapter to have the Conductress and Associate
Conductress check dues cards at the door. Sometimes people fail to do that, so we will probably
do the first part of proving the chapter for the first few meetings. Be prepared!
Camellia Star will be having its first meeting practice and meeting on December 3 rd with
practice starting at 6pm under the direction of our new District Grand Deputy, Janessa Bacon.
The Deputy focuses and the floor work is our liaison with Grand Chapter. She will be sharing
upcoming events we might enjoy. The theme is Winter Starlight, and can be darkish and sparkly
business dress. Guys a snazzy tie. Refreshments will be cookies and cocoa to warm us up.
Since it is December, members please bring a toy which we will donate to Toys for Tots. Also,
we will be joining Humboldt Lodge #79 for their Christmas Party but I haven’t seen the date, and
in December Humboldt Lodge will have their Installation of officers on December 27.
The little guy up top is Legoman, the Worthy Grand Patron’s Emblem. He is a construction
worker. For more information about Camellia Stae#63, contact WM Laird or
WP Michael. Please join us the first Wednesday of the month for meetings.