October 2022

History has been made for Washington Lodge No. 20. After three long years, we raised two Brothers to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason last month.

Congratulations to Brothers Ramey Packer and Brandon Jenkins. Your raising marks the beginning of renewed growth in our Lodge and Brotherhood. Special thanks to Beth and Jenny (their spouses) and their kids for allowing us to have the time with our Brothers on their Masonic journey.

The officers and Past Masters of Washington Lodge No. 20 came together and worked hard to perform these rituals. Over the last few weeks, these gentlemen spent countless hours and a few late evenings practicing. Thank you, my Brothers, for your dedication to the Craft.

One of the most beautiful sights to behold was the attendance and participation of our Brothers from Union-Tehama Lodge No. 3, Sacramento Lodge No. 40, and General Douglas MacArthur Lodge No. 853, who lent helping hands when we needed them. This was every lodge from the 414th Masonic District of Free and Accepted Masons coming together and it was amazing!

A special shout-out goes to Worshipful Scott Morrison Jr., PM, Inspector of the 404th Masonic District, who was also in attendance. Worshipful Morrison has always had a unique connection with our Lodge.

We will not be slowing down this month. October will also be a very active month.

Our Stated Meeting, of course, is on Thursday, October 6.

On Thursday, October 13, we will be raising Brother Kevin Hall to the sublime degree of Master Mason (yes, that's three Master Masons raised in a month). We will open the lodge at 5:30 PM (Lodge Room 1) the head to the Banquet Room for dinner. This will be the final degree of the year.

Officer School of Instruction (OSI) is on Wednesday, October 19 at 7:00 PM in Lodge Room 3.

On October 21 through October 23, the Grand Lodge of California will be hosting the 173rd Annual Communication in San Francisco, California. This is a great opportunity for Masons from around the state and country to come together, celebrate, and vote on the future of the Fraternity.

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, October 23, when the new line of Grand Lodge Officers will be installed, including our very own Worshipful Joseph Dongo, PM, as Grand Standard Bearer.

On October 27, we have a Table Lodge (yes… I said table lodge) in celebration of a good year and Worshipful Dongo's installation as a Grand Lodge Officer.

There is a quote from the show Lucifer (yes, a fictional comedy about "that guy"), that reminded me of what happened last month.

In the show, Lucifer's brother, Amenadiel, says,

"The things you do in this world may seem small, but every act matters."

In this great expanse that we call the universe, we are all one very small part of it, and the things we do may seem so small as if they make no impact. People believe this because we tend to think that any act that "matters" should be world-changing. This type of thinking diminishes the impact we have on others.

Watching our Officers and Past Masters practice the Third Degree ritual to create a great experience for our newly raised Brothers is one of the things that triggered me to think this. Just showing up to practice (whether it was private with Worshipful Francisco Marques, PM, or during the weekly group sessions), reminded me that these "small" acts matter.

Then, when I witnessed the attendance of our fellow Lodges to our Degree, I was reminded again. They just showed up! They did not have to, but their small act of Brotherly Love and affection left a lasting impact on me.

So no matter what you do - no matter how insignificant you think it is - if what you do can affect even one person, it matters.

September was a great month. Congratulations to Brothers Ramey Packer and Brandon Jenkins on being raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. Both of their degree ceremonies were wonderful and Washington Lodge No. 20 is very pleased to welcome you as Master Masons. In October we are looking forward to another Third Degree, which should keep our great momentum going.

Looking back in history, however, there is another interesting Masonic Connection to October. Back in 1792, construction began on a new President’s House, which we know today as the White House. On October 13, 1792, a group of Freemasons marched from Georgetown and laid the cornerstone for the new edifice.

The presiding officer was Worshipful Brother Peter Casanave, Master of Lodge No. 9 of Maryland. After completing the solemn ceremony, they then proceeded to avail themselves of refreshment at The Fountain Inn, which still exists to this day.

Some of the sources I read mentioned an elegant dinner with many series of toasts. The building was. of course. later completed, and its first occupant was none other than President John Adams.

What is interesting is that the cornerstone was never located, and remains a mystery to this day.

In 1949 President Truman had the building nearly gutted, and nobody has been able to locate the cornerstone then, before, or since.

Of course, speculation abounds as to what happened with the cornerstone, but my favorite theory is all the refreshment and revelry just made them forget.

I like the idea that their conviviality, fellowship, and Brotherly Love simply overwhelmed their memories, and they collectively just forgot where they left it. Seems like something even the best of us could see ourselves doing at times.

Have a wonderful October, and enjoy the well-deserved break from the long hot summer, and enjoy all the great events Washington 20 has for this month. If you happen to lose any cornerstones, I hope you have a great story behind it.

Hello, Brethren.

October is traditionally the month when we actually start looking forward to the colder months of fall toward winter. This month brings the ever-popular Halloween, along with other items or dates of note. We all remember the days, which for some of us could even be no farther back than last year when we donned costumes and went trick-or-treating. But there is more.

With the autumnal equinox in late September, foliage season has officially begun across much of the United States. Why do leaves change colors? Did you know that fall’s vivid colors are actually hidden underneath summer’s green? The main reason for the color change is not autumn’s chilly weather, but light - or rather, the lack of it. The green color of leaves disappears when photosynthesis (from sunlight) slows down and the chlorophyll breaks down. Trees with a lot of direct sunlight will produce red leaves, while other trees may turn yellow, orange, or brown

The Month of October

This month’s name stems from Latin octo, “eight,” because this was the eighth month of the early Roman calendar. When the Romans converted to a 12-month calendar, the name October stuck despite the fact that it’s now the 10th month!

The early Roman calendar, thought to have been introduced by Rome’s first king, Romulus (around 753 b.c) was a lunar calendar. This ancient timekeeping system contained these 10 months: Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Iunius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October (the eighth month), November, and December. Martius, Maius, Quintilis, and October contained 31 days, while the other months had 30, for a total of 304 days. In winter, the days were not counted for two lunar cycles.

It wasn’t until about 713 b.c. that a calendar reform, attributed to the second Roman king, Numa Pompilius, added the months Ianuarius and Februarius. Some historians think that both months were placed at the end of the year, while others believe that Ianuarius became the first month and Februarius the last. Later reforms organized the months as they are arranged today in the Gregorian calendar, whereby October became the 10th month in spite of its name.

The last two to three weeks in October (and, occasionally, the first week of November) are normally the only time of the year during which all of the "Big Four" major professional sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada schedule games; the National Basketball Association begins its preseason and about two weeks later starts the regular season, the National Hockey League is about one month into its regular season, the National Football League is about halfway through its regular season, and Major League Baseball is in its postseason with the League Championship Series and World Series. Do we call this heaven on earth or what?

Celebrations

In October, we celebrate quite a number of different holidays, from World Vegetarian Day and National Custodian Day at the beginning of the month, culminating with National Breadstick Day and Halloween at the end of the month.

There are a couple of celebrations in between worth noting. Of course, the one we all have been waiting for falls on October 5 this year and it is National Kale Day. Yay! Yummy!

National Kale Day – October 5, 2022

The first Wednesday in October gives us the opportunity to celebrate National Kale Day each year, falling on October 5 this year. The celebration sheds light on the versatility and amazing health benefits of kale. The observance plays a crucial role in increasing awareness and encouraging the eating and growing of kale. It is a staple food in any healthy diet plan.

Originating in Asia Minor and the eastern Mediterranean, kale was cultivated for consumption as early as 2000 B.C. Cabbage variants with curly leaves were in supply in 400 B.C. Greece, alongside the flat-leaved ones. These early variants are said to be the predecessors of what we now call kale. The Romans called it Sabellian kale.

The first mention of cabbages in western Europe emerged in the 1200s and was concerned with hard-headed cabbage. Records from the 1300s highlight the differences between loose-leafed kale and hard-headed cabbage.

In the 1800s, Russian traders brought kale into Canada and subsequently the United States. David Fairchild, a USDA botanist, gets the credit for introducing kale to America. He brought it from Croatia despite disliking cabbages, kale included. The easy nature of cultivation and its affordability were responsible for its popularity in Croatia. Desalination of soil was another great benefit.

During the Second World War, the Dig for Victory campaign promoted kale cultivation in Britain. At the time, the vegetable was the perfect candidate for cultivation because it provided crucial nutrients lacking from meals due to rationing. Kale was used typically for decoration in the U.S. It gained recognition as an edible food during the 1990s because of its rich nutritional value.

The 2010s saw kale gain popularity, becoming a diet favorite despite other vegetables being just as rich in nutrients. National Kale Day was founded by Chef Jennifer Iserloh and Dr. Drew Ramsey to celebrate the health benefits of kale and its many culinary applications. This author for one will be forever grateful… NOT!!

If you add coconut oil to your kale... it makes it easier to scrape it into the trash. 😊

National Vodka Day – October 4

The holiday in full competition to National Kale Day is National Vodka Day on October 4 (now that is a little more like it, right?). While October 4th seems well documented as National Vodka Day, we have not found the origins of why, but it works for us. No harm in celebrating responsibly on other days as well.

Hard to believe that vodka was often called flavorless and that the biggest debate was “Shaken vs. Stirred”.

Vodka fusion, the art of fusing your own flavors into regular vodka, used to be the best way (and a fun way) to get flavored vodka. It’s still a fun way, but you would be hard-pressed to come up with an original flavor any more….

Care for a little vodka with that flavor? With dozens to choose from thanks to increasing demand, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a wide assortment of flavored vodkas these days. Given that the spirit is virtually flavorless and odorless, it makes sense that distillers would want to inject some yum factor into this top-selling libation.

Milestones

Avery Happy Birthday to the 11 brothers who celebrate their birthday in October, and also a very Happy Masonic Birthday to the 11 brothers who were raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in October.

Of note, our very own Worshipful Master Russell Tomas, who on October 3 will need to add one more candle to his birthday cake. Happy Birthday, one and all.

Just for Smiles

Why didn’t the skeleton go to school?

"His heart wasn’t in it."

SMILE!! 😊

BIRTHDAYS

OCTOBER 2022

BIRTHDAYS

03 Russell Tomas (Worshipful Master)
03 Martin Zimmerman (Master Mason)
09 Jonathan Bray (Entered Apprentice)
13 John Otten (Master Mason)
15 Christopher Boothe (Master Mason)
15 Thomas Goodwin (Master Mason)
21 Logan Taxdal (Entered Apprentice)
26 Jack Cornelius Jr. (Entered Apprentice)
28 Douglas Arrington (Master Mason)
28 J. Scott Goode (Past Master)
28 Emad Sweidan (Master Mason)

MASTER MASON ANNIVERSARIES

08 James Lenau (24 Years)
08 Peter Petersen (41 Years)
10 Norman Helsel (20 Years)
18 James Lash (66 Years)
19 Marvin Freedman (21 Years)
19 Rodrigo Bitar (5 Years)
21 Dwight Bradish (23 Years)
21 David Kelley (51 Years)
23 Robert Cameron (19 Years)
24 Paul Evans (54 Years)
24 Robroy Gerolamy (61 Years)
25 David Minke (10 Years)
25 Leonard Schweitzer (49 Years)
28 Richard Entrican (46 Years)
28 Richard Redmond (29 Years)
29 Donte Cuellar (7 Years)
30 Russell James (66 Years)

Washington Lodge No. 20

Mission Statement

To practice and promote a way of life that binds like-minded men in a worldwide
brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social and educational differences.

Through Masonic principles and tradition, and by the outward expression of these
through its fellowship and compassion, Washington Lodge No.20 Free & Accepted Masons provides ways in which to serve God, family, country, neighbors, and self in an environment that contributes to the enrichment and betterment of its members, mankind, and its communities.

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