To whom it may concern,
We are planning on having our Installation of Officers for the ensuing Masonic year on Saturday, December 7th, 2024 at Eel River Empire Lodge #147, at 2 pm. It will be an open event and all are welcome. Refreshers will be served after the installation. Could you please put this on your Masonic calendar.
Thank you,
Mike Flockhart, WM
Thank you to everyone who attended our September 4th meeting. We had 9 officers present and several guests! It was so nice to see so many people. It was also wonderful to see all the school supplies donated for Alice Birney School. There were items in the East and in the West, plus I received three more bags of donations down at the cars, and more donations the following night. Thank you to everyone who participated in this project! You are all so much appreciated!
Along with the school supply drive, refreshments of school lunch type foods were provided prior to the meeting. The “Thank You for Coming!” gifts went to Sisters Lisa McCombs and JoAnna Matlock!
To back up just a little bit, August 31 was a beautiful reception honoring Grand Electa, Sister Deanna Bay. The decorations were beautiful, with hand-made gorgeous large paper roses all around the room. Watching Deanna and her special escort (a gaggle of grandchildren) walking up to the East was adorable!
The following day, September 1, was a brunch reception for our Deputy Grand Matron, Sister Lisa McCombs, and was a lovely event, followed by a LOT of wonderful food for brunch. Anyone who walked away hungry had only themselves to blame!
Coming up, Rohnerville-Redwood Chapter will host a Revelation Night party on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7:30. Revelation Night is the evening that the 2025 Grand Officers and Deputy Grand Matrons will be revealed. R-R have a big screen in their dining room to stream live the announcements. There will be a Dessert Potluck, so if you have a favorite dessert you would like to share, please bring it. I plan to attend, so if you need a ride, let me know. It will be a lot of fun!
Camellia Star’s next meeting will be on October 2 and have a “Teddy Bear Picnic” theme. Please bring with you to our picnic your stuffed best friend, whether it be a teddy bear, an elephant, a rasta banana, a bat, or whatever is your favorite plushy! Refreshments will be at 7:00 and the meeting at 7:30. Attire will be business casual. The meeting will be long-form for the Camellia Star officers.
The October meeting is also elections, so be sure to have your signed paper on the dais before the meeting starts stating what office you aspire to, if you are running for an elected office. You do not have to be present to run, but I do need a paper you signed, along with two other members of our Chapter who nominate you for the office.
I mentioned at our September meeting that Brother Lee had been tickled by the fact that there is a “Marooned Without a Compass Day” in November and had wanted that theme for the November 6 meeting; however, he did not tell me what he had in mind for that meeting. So if you have any ideas as to what to do for the “Marooned Without a Compass” theme, please let me know! Thank you!
Best wishes to one and all –
Joni Hewston, Worthy Matron
Camellia Star Chapter No. 63
PHOTO: Worthy Matron Joni with some of the many donations for the school supplies drive at Camellia Star’s September meeting
All,
We will be conferring a 3rd degree upon brother Johnny Johnson Sr. on Wednesday, September 25th at Eel River Empire Lodge #147. We plan to open at 7 and beginning the degree at 7:30. All Master Masons are welcome.
Fraternally,
Mike Flockhart, WM
Our new term started off with installation on June 9 with a fairyland theme. Betsy was installed as Honored Queen for her third term. Logan was installed as Junior Princess. The other officers installed for this term are Carla as Chaplain, Emily as Recorder, Alice as Treasurer, Lily as Librarian, and Aubrey as Inner Guard.
On June 15, our Bethel participated in the Flag Ceremony at the Elks Lodge. New Junior Princess Logan did an outstanding job paying tribute to the American Flag.
Our meeting on June 17 was a business meeting at which we started planning the new term. One thing that we are looking forward to this summer is fitting in a camping trip!
We left for Grand Bethel in Visalia on June 19. Three of our members had entered competitions, and received some awards! Good work, ladies! Grand Bethel is always more fun the more involved you are. Our Bethel was selected to be the Representative of Kentucky, so we will be communicating with the Bethels there to see what sort of activities they like to do. Our Honored Queen Betsy got to carry the Kentucky flag. Our Bethel also took part in the necrology ceremony. After Grand Bethel, we visited Discovery Kingdom on our way home. Lots of fun – and exhaustion – ensued!
On the 4th of July our Bethel had a booth selling Krispie Kreme donuts in Old Town Eureka. Thank you to all who stopped by to purchase donuts! It is our main fundraiser for the year and helps pay our way to Leadership Camp in October.
Junior Princess Logan took a brief break from the donut booth to be a part of the parade in Ferndale on the 4th of July!
On July 14, we helped the 4 Chapters of Eastern Star with their Afternoon Tea benefiting Paws for Purple Hearts.
Next up, we look forward to attending the Masonic Picnic and traveling to Oakland for Librarian’s Day North at the Chabot Space and Science Center where we will spend time with our Grand Guardian and Daughters from all around the north end of the state!
Because our first meeting after summer always lands on Labor Day, we have requested a special dispensation to move the meeting (as we usually do). Our next meeting will be Monday, August 19, at 7:00 p.m. (which will be our Deputy’s instructional meeting), and then the next meeting will be September 16, on the usual third Monday of the month. We will not be meeting on Labor Day.
We would again like to thank everyone who supports our Bethel. We have received several donations from the Masonic family organizations, and we greatly appreciate them all! We also appreciate seeing the Masons, Eastern Star, etc., when they visit our meetings or events or purchase something from us when we have a fundraiser. We could not do all the things we do without the support.
Thanks again, and Happy Summer, everyone!
Bethel No. 86 Eureka
Hello, again, everyone!
This has certainly been a busy summer!
We had a very nice gathering on June 15 to present Sister Peggy Mecham-Carlotti with her 50-year certificate and a pin that is special to her – her mother/Sister Flora’s 50-year pin! Worthy Matron Joni and Worthy Patron Lee started things off, and then Sister Karen Parlato read a special poem Sister Peggy had found before she presented Sister Peggy the pin and certificate. A lunch and fellowship followed. Thank you to all who came to help celebrate this special day. As Sister Peggy says, “Friends are the flowers in the garden of life!”
Sister Joni and Brother Lee were in process of putting together prizes for the Humboldt County Library’s Summer Reading Program to present to the Library, along with a monetary donation toward more books and supplies for the Library. They did have a date to go shopping for prizes; however, that got derailed when Brother Lee ended up in the hospital with a nasty infection. And then went back into the hospital later, and is still there as of the writing of this article (July 21). He is in the ICU. Lee’s advice is never to do your gardening without your gloves. This whole mess started with a spider bite while he was gardening bare-handed.
Our Friendship Night was on July 3 with a theme of “Hats Off to American Heroes!” Thank you to everyone who came and made it such a special night. Thank you to Sisters Alice and Peggy for the refreshments before the meeting – they were delicious! For those who did not make it to the meeting due to back issues, ill, health, etc., we missed you and hope you are feeling better by now!
July 14, 2024, was the District-wide fundraiser Afternoon Tea to benefit Paws for Purple Hearts at the Humboldt Masonic Lodge in Eureka. Sister Terri Ewing, Past Grand Matron, was our special guest and speaker. There was also a silent auction, and Sister Christie Smith made adorable purple paws available for a donation of $10+. The afternoon went very well, and we raised over $1,300 plus we received a generous donation of an additional $1,000! Thank you to all who attended and all who helped! Also thank you to the Job’s Daughters for assisting, keeping hot water on the tables, etc.
It was sad and unfortunate that Brother Lee could not attend the tea as he had gone into the hospital for the second time the Thursday before. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers, and perhaps send him a card letting him know you are thinking about him. This hospital stay has not been fun for all the usual reasons, but in Lee’s case, he is a “social animal” cut off from so many of his friends.
Coming up on the calendar:
The plan for our August meeting is a potluck at 6:30 p.m. Sister Liz will provide hot dogs and buns, and the rest of us should bring condiments and side dishes to complement the hot dogs. After supper will be an ante room meeting and a board game night. Please bring simple easy-to-learn board games so we can all have a lovely time together! While the August evening is mostly about the fun, we do still need a quorum to be able to conduct business, so it is important for all members who can to be at that meeting!
Please keep in mind we will have a school supplies drive at our September meeting. Please collect school supplies to bring in September. Everything collected will be donated to one of the local schools. Thank you!
Our October meeting will have the theme of a Teddy Bear Picnic. Please bring your favorite stuffed animal(s) – they do not have to be bears – to share at our Teddy Bear Picnic! Picnic before the meeting at 7:00; meeting starts at 7:30. This meeting is also elections, so if you aspire to any of the elected offices, be sure your written and endorsed aspiration is on the dais prior to the start of the meeting. Thank you.
As you probably know, we are trying to update our list of addresses and emails for all of our Camellia Star members. If you have not (or know of a member who has not) recently received a letter in the mail from Sister Joni or have not received an email from her in the past six months, please let her know so she can update the list. You can contact Sister Joni at joni@reninet.com, (707) 499-9478, or P.O. Box 370, Eureka, CA 95502, to update her with current contact information.
Thank you to all of our members and friends just for being you. We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Warm summer wishes to one and all –
Joni Hewston, Worthy Matron
PHOTOS:
1-Karen Parlato making the presentation of 50-Year Pin and Certificate to Sister Peggy Mecham-Carlotti
2-Peggy Mecham-Carlotti listening to Sister Karen making the presentation of her 50-Year Certificate
3-More than 250 years of membership in District 1 represented on June 15, 2024
4-Terri Ewing, PGM, speaking at the Afternoon Tea benefiting Paws for Purple Hearts on July 14
5-Some of those in attendance at the Afternoon Tea
6-Some of the delicious food donated by the members of our District for the Afternoon Tea
Who are these young guys? These are the members of the senior softball team, Senior Moments, the team that Humboldt lodge has sponsored for the past seven seasons. The members are 60 plus years in age. They want to thank the lodge for their support and hope that the lodge will support them in the years to come.
My Brothers and Friends,
Greetings on this beautiful 4th 0f July Holiday. We will have a busy and hopefully fun and productive month here at “ye olde lodge”. Our big event is our Outdoor Third Degree for Brother Charlie Johnson on Saturday, July 13th starting at 11 AM. We will be holding the degree at Wor. Steve Jacobs Estate out in Fieldbrook. A BBQ lunch will be provided at Noon with massive amounts of fellowship permeating the air. These outdoor degrees are few and far between and are an exciting Masonic Event; so, come on out and support our soon to be newest Master Mason. Maps will be provided upon request.
Continuing in this vein, we will be initiating our new candidate, Mr. James M. Reid (Mitch) on August 27th at 7 PM at Six Rivers Lodge. Come and help welcome our newest Mason.
This month’s family and friends’ event will be our journey to the Crabs Game on July 16th, starting at 6:30 PM. We have reserved the picnic area on the left field side of the stadium at the Arcata Ball Park. We will be providing grilled Tri-Tip steak and assorted sides at no charge. So sign up your family and come out and join us. A good idea to bring a jacket and some comfy lawn chairs; picnic tables are provided.
Important business meetings occur on July 23rd at 7 PM, the Hall Association Meeting and on July 30th at 7 PM, School of Instruction (All #106 Officers must attend). As time permits, we will be honing our skills on Mexican Train Dominoes as well.
Looking ahead, August 11th is our District Wide Picnic in Fortuna and on September 11th our First Responders Dinner. Let’s not forget our Grand Lodge Corner Stone Event in Eureka and Blue Lake on September 28th.
Fraternally,
George Durfee, WM
Greetings, brothers. It is July and that means it’s time to break out the grill! Our lodge had an enjoyable day at the Crabs baseball game and barbecue with over 60 guests in attendance. It is an event that I look forward to every year and this time, I had the pleasure of manning the grill. Excellent weather and good company made for a great day. And the Crabs came from behind and won in the 11th inning. What a game! I hope you all are enjoying the summer.
Quote of the month:
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill
July events:
July 4th – Thursday – Humboldt lodge is dark for the July 4th Holiday
July 11th – Thursday – Stated Meeting @ 7pm
July 18th – Thursday – 3rd degree rehearsal @ 6pm
July 20th – Saturday – Masonic Race Day Barbecue at the Samoa Drag Strip @ 11am. We will need volunteers to help with set-up, packing and cleanup.
July 25th – Thursday – 3rd degree for Brother Tom Lazio @ 6:30pm
July 27 – Saturday – Coffee with the Master @ 9am
And now, I would like to introduce you to Brother Jesse Hindbaugh.
Jesse was born in Illinois and grew up in the Midwest. He spent time in the Sierra Nevada’s and then moved to Humboldt County.
He worked for a time as a microbiologist but now likes to try new things that interest him. One thing he mentioned was that he has his own ammunition company, which lead me to think that he is a hunter. And I was right. Jesse loves hunting season and the great outdoors. He also likes hiking, which is understandable since. Humboldt County has some of the finest trails to be found on the west coast.
Jesse is also the adventurous type that likes to ride motorcycles, 4 wheelers, and jet skis. When pushing the limits of his vehicles, he sometimes went a little too fast which led him to break a few bones. About 76 of them! Hey Jesse, are you moonlighting as a Hollywood stuntman?
Golfing is another favorite pastime and while he admits that he will never be the greatest golfer, his goal is to be the best dressed golfer.
When I asked Jesse what he most enjoys about masonry, he said it is the strong friendships he has made over the years; how his brothers are always there to lend a helping hand if needed and how everyone gets along. “I wouldn’t trade masons for anything. I just really like this group.”
Jesse lives in McKinleyville with his wife Erica, and three teen daughters.
Respectfully,
Daniel Sarver
Master
Humboldt Lodge No. 79
NO MEETING THIS MONTH – We will not have a meeting in July, but there are a lot of Masonic activities. Here is a list of some of the events.
JULY –
3 – Camellia-Star Friendship Night – 7:30 (Humboldt Lodge)
4 – Ferndale 4th of July parade – NOON (if you would like to ride on the Masonic float, meet at Ferndale Lodge no later than 11a.m.
10 – Ferndale Chapter Meeting – 7:30
14 – District Tea (See below for more information)
13-21 – Fortuna Rodeo Week (check out the events)
26-28 – Fortuna Auto Expo (Show & Shine on the 27th)
(Randy Cady’s 2022 entry. Check out his 2024 entry.)
A Sunday afternoon tea will be held on July 14 at 2 p.m. in the Humboldt Lodge in Eureka. The tea is a distirct fund raiser for Paws for Purple Hearts. The cost is $20 per person and the deadline for reservation is July 7th. Terri Ewing, PGM will be the guest speaker. For reservation contact Joni at 707 499-9478 or joni@reninet.com. It should be a fun and informative afternoon.
AUGUST –
8 – Regular Stated Meeting – 7:30 (Theme – The 50’s) 50-year members will be honored.
11 – Masonic Picnic – Noon (Rohner Park)
21 – Sept 2. – Humboldt County Fair
31 – Grand Elect Deanna Bay’s Reception – 7 p.m. (Loleta) See below for more information.
Our regular stated meeting will be August 8, at 7:30. The theme for the evening is the 1950’s, and the Chapter will honor 50-year members.
Sunday the 11th (at noon) will be the annual Masonic Picnic at Rohner Park. The Masons cook a wonderful deep pit BBQ, and make great baked beans. All you need to bring is a side dish/dessert, plates and eating utensils. A donation to help cover the expense of the meat and the rental of the park facilities is always appreciated.
Grand Electa, Deanna Bay’s Reception will be Saturday, August 31, in the Loleta Pavilion at 7 p.m. RSVP to Janessa Woolley by August 21st, 202janessawoolley@gmail.com| 707.617.0259
PAWS FOR PURPLE HEARTS helps Veterans and Active Duty Service Members by providing trained service dogs. Community support allows this organization to continue fulfilling their mission. We invite members of our entire Masonic Family to attend this July 14th Afternoon Tea to learn more and help us spread the word. Feel free to invite friends and family as well. We do ask that you please let us know you’ll be attending (see flyer for contact information). Thank you.
