Greetings Brethren,

We’ve had a full and rewarding few weeks, and there’s even more on the horizon. Here’s what’s been going on and what we’re looking forward to as spring unfolds.

Remembrance & Renewal in Fortuna

After our lodge’s degree practice on March 17th, several of us traveled to Fortuna at the kind invitation of our Scottish Rite Brethren. We attended their annual Remembrance and Renewal Ceremony, a tradition that honors the memory of our recently departed Brothers. The ceremony not only pays tribute to their lives but also reminds us of our duty to carry the light of Masonry forward in the world with purpose and integrity.

Charity in Action: Scholarships

Tomorrow night, our scholarship committee will be meeting between 5:00 and 7:00 PM to review over twenty scholarship applications from local students. If you’re able, please stop by and lend a hand—even if you arrive late, your presence and input are welcome and appreciated. This is one of the key ways we support and give back to our community, and your participation truly matters.

Fellowship with Job’s Daughters

On March 31st, our fellowship extended to the youth of Job’s Daughters as we shared a lively potluck dinner followed by a friendly cornhole competition. There was no shortage of laughs—or surprises. A special word of warning for future games: don’t underestimate Betsy. She might lull you into a false sense of security with a couple of wild throws, only to follow up with a streak of perfect shots. A stealth champion!

Quiet Acts of Leadership

I also wanted to take a moment to recognize the quiet but powerful leadership shown by our Stewards. After many of us have gone home, they remain behind, rolling up their sleeves to clean and maintain the dining hall. It’s a humble, often unseen part of lodge life—but one that exemplifies the very heart of Masonic service. Thank you, Brothers, for your tireless work.

Looking Ahead: A Week Full of Fellowship and Celebration

We’ve got a special evening coming up on Thursday, April 24th, as we confer the First Degree of Masonry on Mr. Shamus Kistner, the nephew of Brother Doug Brown. It will be a particularly meaningful night, with Bro. Doug sitting in the East for the degree. We invite all local Masons to join us for dinner at 5:30 PM, with the ceremony to follow. Let’s give Shamus a warm and memorable welcome to the Craft.

The next evening, Friday, April 25th at 5:30 PM, we’ll descend upon the Elk’s Club for a casual “Cook Your Own Steak Night.” Bring your appetite and enjoy good food and fellowship in a relaxed setting—these are the moments where bonds are built and strengthened.

And finally, on Saturday, April 26th at 1:30 PM, we’ll gather to honor Worshipful Brother William Lambo as he celebrates an extraordinary milestone: 50 years in both the Shrine and Scottish Rite. It’s a rare and inspiring achievement, and we hope to see many of you there to share in the celebration.

As always, thank you for all that you do—seen and unseen—in upholding the principles and spirit of Masonry. See you at lodge.

Fraternally,

Davin Bowerman, WM

Humboldt Lodge No. 79

The first order of business since the untimely passing of our Worshipful Master, Dan Mc Clelland, was to install our new Master for the balance of the year. Bro Ted Lichti has taken on the responsibility, and was elected and installed in due and ancient form. Our Lodge has been busy this year beginning with the recognition of Bro. Richard Sweet for 50 years as a member of the Eastern Star. Congratulations Rich.
Also we have had another 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge, Bro. Phil Grunert, who joined the 50 year club on January 18th. Congratulations to you also Phil. Brother Johnny Johnson gave an excellent proficiency in the third degree, congratulations to you also on completeing your proficiencies. Several brothers traveled to Ferndale Lodge on the 13th of January to support and enjoy their brotherhood. One of the privileges of Masonry is to be able to visit any Masonic Lodge in the world and enjoy the friendship extended to you. The Trestleboard in again available on line as well as printed. Our inspector, Dan Sarver, conducted a school on instruction on the first degree, and had his official visit to our Lodge on the fifth of March. Our Lodge continues to be benevolent to our community by making a donation of $300.00 to San Demos Lodge to assist in feeding military heros, and a donation of $2,000 was approved as a scholerhsip to Bro. Johnny Johnson Jr, who will be receiveing his second degree next month.

Enough for now, come to Lodge.

Ted Lichti WM.

Dear Brethren,

As Masons, our Lodge has embodied the principles of Charity, Fellowship, and Masonic Development in meaningful and impactful ways, and we are proud to share some of our efforts with you.

Charity is the cornerstone of our Masonic work, and we continue to support our community. A testament to this is our humble donation to the sponsor the Senior Moments Softball Team, which will help ensure that the members of this local group can enjoy their game and foster camaraderie. We are spreading the light of charity, one pitch at a time.

Fellowship is the bond that unites us, and our Lodge has been a place of great joy and celebration. This month, we surprised two of our own with heartwarming gatherings: one to celebrate the wedding anniversary of Bill & Sandy Lambo, and another for Brother Barry’s birthday. These surprise parties were not only a moment of fun and laughter but a reminder that fellowship is about more than just meetings—it’s about the relationships we build and the memories we create together.

Masonic Development is an essential part of our journey, and we are pleased to welcome Brother Vance, who was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on March 7th. His initiation marks the continuation of our shared Masonic journey.

These actions speak volumes about who we are as a Lodge. Through charity, fellowship, and development, we strive to embody the very best of Freemasonry. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our shared work.
Fraternally,
Davin Bowerman, WM
Humboldt Lodge No 79

Sisters and Brothers,

With many thanks for the coordination by the Lodges of the 201st and 203rd Masonic Districts, we are
pleased to announce that the monthly Trestleboard is back, following Brother Alan Smyth’s retirement
and move to Visalia last year. We appreciate your patience and are looking forward to both providing
monthly news and updates about Arcata Chapter, as well as staying current with the goings-on in the
other local bodies. Monthly distribution of the Trestleboard will be primarily handled via email, resulting
in a much reduced cost. 

Arcata Chapter is enjoying a strong year, with meetings that are well-attended by our own members, as
well as many visitors from the other three chapters of our district. We are grateful to be part of such an
enthusiastic and supportive group! 

At our March Stated Meeting, we exemplified Proving of the Chapter, Examination of a Visitor, and
Balloting, in anticipation of the Official Visit of our District Grand Deputy, Helene Nicholson, scheduled
for our May 1 Stated Meeting. I could not have been prouder of the work our officers did! In particular,
the dedication of our first-time conductresses, was evident.  Sisters Lynnie Horrigan and Jean Thomsen
beautifully demonstrated the floorwork they diligently learned at January’s Conductress Workshop. Big
thanks to the members of other chapters who filled-in at the various stations. 

April will find us having a relatively low-key meeting, as we look ahead to the May 1 Official Visit of our
District Grand Deputy and the June 5 Official Visit of our Worthy Grand Matron, Alice Raymond. 
With our annual Official Visits behind us, we have several fun social events to look forward to this
summer, including a District 1 Paint and Sip event, as well as the Annual Lee Astorino Memorial Tea,
which will again benefit the Grand Chapter Member Assistance Fund. Look for more details during the
months to come.

As you are aware, the Chapter is awaiting Grand Chapter approval of our updated Bylaws, which will
allow us to move our Stated Meeting start time to 7:00. It is our hope that one of the benefits of an earlier
start time is the ability for more members to join us each month. In the meantime, please know that even
if you are unable to stay for the monthly Stated Meeting, we would love to have you join us for the dinner
we enjoy each month, prior to the start of the meeting.  Please don’t hesitate to contact one of us, if you
need a ride or have any questions.

With Star Love,
Lisa McCombs, Worthy Matron
Gary Quintrell, Worthy Patron

Dates to Remember
April 3: Stated Meeting – 6:30 Dinner/7:30 Meeting. Business Casual.
May 1: Stated Meeting – Official Visit of the District Grand Deputy. Business Casual.
June 5: Stated Meeting – Official Visit of the Worthy Grand Matron/Memorial. Formal.

Hello sisters and brothers, here we are launching our first newsletter in a super long time. On March 8th some members traveled to Crescent City to present our sister Jean Galatioto her 50-year pin. The travel is about 100 miles up the coast and she was most appreciative that we came to their Masonic Center to present. She is a member that consolidated with Ferndale chapter from Del Norte. Her daughters were there to present the pin and award the certificate. I was unable to attend but was told it was a beautiful afternoon. We don’t see those members as often as we would like but totally understand.

The 12th of March brought our stated meeting where we honored the Ruths of our district and our DGD Helene Nicholson. Who just happens to be our Ruth. Every month our WM and WP are honoring a star point. We didn’t have much business to attend to, we discussed our WGM and WGP official visit next month. We are very much looking forward to it. Next month we will also be honoring Esther and the flowers Daisy and sweet peas. Dress is business professional. Refreshments at 6:45,
meeting at 7:30

Until Next Time,
Always be Humble and Kind!

Patti Cady PM
Elizabeth Carte-Lorig WM
Larry Nicholson WP

Bretheren, it is with heavy heart that I address you with this month. With the passing of brother Dan
McClelland, one of our most active Masons, and presently our Worshipful Master. We have many
adjustments to make to fill the several positions he filled so effectively. Needless to say, the Lodge
badly needs officers to fill some stations. If you have any desire to further your Masonic career by a
more active participation in our privileges you would be welcomed with opened arms. I have found in
the past that setting aside an evening each week for your participation in Masonry has been one of the
most rewarding things a person can do.

Effective as of the February stated meeting I have the honor of being asked to fill the officer of Master of Eel Valley Empire Lodge for the balance of the year, and until otherwise notified I will also act as
the Officers Coach.

Please consider attending Lodge, we meet each Wecnesday at 7 :00 for practice, and at 6:00 for dinner
prior to our stated meeting at 7:30 on the first Wednesday of each month.
Fraternally

Ted Lichti W.M.

Greetings Brethren,

In February, we welcomed our Inspector, Robert Pollard to the lodge for a school of instruction on the 1st degree. Then on February 11th Mr. John Miller became Brother Miller in due and ancient form. We are happy to have him, and he’s excited to continue his masonic journey.

Lastly, the members and their sweethearts enjoyed a nice meal at the Blue Lake Hotel and Casino on the 22nd.

Looking forward to March, we have our stated meeting on the 4th with a meal prepared by Heidi Quintrell. Officer practices are every Tuesday, starting at 6:30pm.

Take care and see you at lodge.

Dan Sarver

Master

Six Rivers Lodge No. 106

Brethren, 

Masonic Development, Fellowship, & Charity. It’s what we do.

Our stated meeting on Feb 6th was quite busy. Masonic Development is going well, as we balloted favorably on Mr John Vance & on Mr Travis McBroom. Their initiations are scheduled for March. We know fellowship is strong when we see our brothers choose to spend Super Bowl Sunday together. We were delighted to spend time dining with our ladies at the Sweethearts Night at the Sea Grill. At February’s stated meeting we heard from our Inspector representing Most Worshipful Salazar who invites us to celebrate our commitment to charity by participating in a statewide day of service March 17th followed by a Grand Lodge Festive Board on the 19th. Housekeeping – check.

Have you ever wondered what ‘Our Ancient Landmarks you are carefully to preserve’ means? I did a bit of poking around, and as with our craft there is a literal (operative) and a metaphorical (speculative) meaning. Reference to ‘landmarks’ goes back to Old Testament bible and refers to what today we would call surveyors’ markings.  In a modern context, the landmarks can be interpreted as a warning against disregarding the boundaries set by previous generations. In 1856, Bro. Albert Mackey wrote what he believed were 25 Ancient Landmarks. My favorite is 22, restated thus:  

The  Equality  of  all  Masons  is  another  Land-mark of  the  Order.  This  equality  has  no  reference to  any  subversion  of  those  gradations  of  rank which  have  been  instituted  by  the  usages  of  society. The  monarch,  the  nobleman  or  the  gentleman  is  entitled  to  all  the  influence,  and  receives  all  the respect  which  rightly  belong  to  his  exalted  position. But  the  doctrine  of  Masonic  equality  implies  that, as  children  of  one  great  Father,  we  meet in  the Lodge  upon  the  level — that  on  that  level  we  are  all traveling  to  one  predestined  goal — that  in  the  Lodge genuine  merit  shall  receive  more  respect  than boundless  wealth,  and  that  virtue  and  knowledge alone  should  be  the  basis  of  all  Masonic  honors,  and be  rewarded  with  preferment. When  the  labors of  the  Lodge  are  over,  and  the  brethren  have  retired from  their  peaceful  retreat,  to  mingle  once  more with  the  world,  each  will  then  again  resume  that social  position,  and  exercise  the  privileges  of  that rank,  to  which  the  customs  of  society  entitle  him.

In the last century, several American Grand Lodges attempted to enumerate the landmarks, ranging from West Virginia (7) and New Jersey (10) to Nevada (39) and Kentucky (54). While brothers may disagree on the speculative meaning of Landmarks I contend, nevertheless, that reading them and contemplating them ourselves is a worthwhile reflection. For those reading this on the website, here is a link to Mackey’s Landmarks.

Davin Bowerman, 

2025 Worshipful Master, Humboldt 79

March is here and Spring is just around the corner!

To begin the year off, the Bethel installed five Daughters pictured below (from left to right: Lily, Carla, Betsy, Logan, and Emily) with a winter wonderland themed installation. We donated our carrying pieces to United Through Reading – an organisation connecting books and deployed military families together. Later in January we took a trip up to Crescent City. We explored the different sights and participated in the installation of officers of Crescent Lodge.

After our business meeting in February, we made Valentine’s Day cards for our adopted grandmothers and for our lodge widows, spreading some Jobie love.  We also had a fun day of watching movies, making crafts, and gearing up for our cornhole game against Humboldt Lodge!

Coming up on March 15th, Job’s Daughters is holding a fundraiser breakfast. We are making an Ulster Fry from 9-11 AM at the Humboldt Masonic center 512 G Street, Eureka.  This breakfast is a traditional meal served at any time of the day in the Ulster region of Northern Ireland.  Tickets are available in advance and at the door.  $10/Adults & $6/kids.  You may also RSVP the Bethel Guardian (Leia Pollard) at 707-845-0992 to help ensure there is enough eggs, sausage, bacon, potato farls, and soda farls to go around.

And finally, on March 31st, we are going to have some friendly competition between Bethel 86 & Humboldt Lodge 79 with a night of cornhole.

Stay tuned for more information about our continuing adventures!

Warm Spring wishes to one and all!
Bethel No. 86 Eureka Job’s Daughters International

Greetings, Sisters, Brothers, and Friends –

I am sorry for not getting information in to the Trestleboard sooner.  I was sick for most of a good deal of November and December, missing our stated meeting on December 5, which had a “Holidays Around the World” theme.  Thank you to Sister Laird for moving to the East to preside.  Thank you to Sister Peggy for helping with the meeting and for sharing some holiday traditions from around the globe. I am so glad we had a quorum.  Thank you, everyone!

January 1, of course, we did not have a stated meeting since our by-laws specify we do not meet on New Year’s Day.  I hope everyone had a lovely day with their family and friends. Happy New Year to one and all!

To back up just a bit, we had a very nice installation on November 17, with a theme of “Kindness costs nothing, yet it is a most precious gift” (Katrina Mayer).  Thank you to everyone who helped with this installation from those who agreed to be installing officers to the Chapter officers who agreed to take stations this year to the guests who came and supported us from the sidelines.  You are all so wonderful and helpful! 

We also had a food drive, and I took quite a carload of food donations to Food for People shortly after.  Thank you to everyone who donated.  Most of the donations were not brought upstairs but rather left in the cars so the boxes and bags would not have to be lugged up and back down again!

Some fun District-wide events either have happened or are being contemplated for this year.  One that has already happened, rather spontaneously, was attending the play “Cinderella” in Ferndale in December.

In other news, our Chapter had been having a hard time connecting with Sister Susan Bonnett to deliver to her a 25-year pin and certificate.  It turns out she is in the Santa Rosa area for medical treatment.  Sister Helene was able to visit with her and pass along the pin and certificate for us.  Helene let us know that Susan is doing well despite her illness, and she sends her love and wishes everyone a happy new year.  If you would like to send a card to Susan, please send it in care of her sister: Kristin Bonnett, 2653 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa, CA  95407.

Our February 5 stated meeting went well.  THANK YOU to everyone who came and helped with the meeting!  Our theme of the night was “For the Birds” in honor of Feed the Birds Day.  A theme-appropriate We’re So Glad You Came gift was won by Sister Salena, just back from a Conductress Weekend where she got to learn quite a bit!

Next meeting (March 5) will be “Napping Under the Apple Tree with Johnny Appleseed” in honor of Johnny Appleseed Day on March 11.  Attire will be business casual.  We will do long-form opening.

For your information, “Business Casual” means ladies wear dress, skirt/slacks outfit, jacket optional, and gentlemen wear slacks and nice shirt or polo shirt (no t-shirts).

Also for your information, our Worthy Grand Matron’s visit will be at our June 4 stated meeting, and we will do long form opening at each meeting before then to keep in practice with our Ritual work.

Just a reminder, in case you have not paid yet, dues are $85.21 general, or $75.21 for life sponsors. Dues should be sent to Secretary Peggy Mecham-Carlotti at P.O. Box 117, Bayside, CA  95524.  Thank you.

Looking ahead, our April 2 meeting theme will be “It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time!” because April 2 is Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. 

May 7 will be our Deputy’s official visit, so we will need to have brushed up on proving the Chapter, the Associate Conductress’ initiation work, balloting, etc., by then.  We will discuss this more as May approaches. 

June 4 is our Worthy Grand Matron’s Official Visit.  She wants to visit a regular stated meeting with our Chapter – not one of the all-District meetings, this one is just us and our usual visitors/helpers.  It is also Memorial, so we will be doing the Memorial Ceremony.  The Chaplain and Conductresses need to wear white for the occasion.  Also it just happens that World Bicycle Day is June 2, so we will use that as the theme for the evening, since the Worthy Grand Matron is into bicycles with baskets filled with flowers.    

Again, thank you to everyone who comes to our meetings.  We have a great group in this Chapter and in this District, and I appreciate you all very much.  For example, Sister Alice (Martha) has volunteered to do both Martha and Electa at our meetings, since she knows both parts.  Thank you for that, Sister Alice!  You are a gem!
 

Best wishes to everyone, and until we meet again,

Star love,

Joni Hewston
Worthy Matron

Camellia Star Chapter

Photos

First, Installation of the 2025 officers

Second, 2024 Food Drive

Third, most of the Worthy Matrons and Worthy Patrons of 2025

Fourth, some Brothers having a good time