Our District meeting was held Monday night October 29th at the Jefferson Lodge.

It was well attended by our members. Janesville Lodge had been requested to put on a presentation of our new LEA tracking progress system. 

For those of you who are not aware of the LEA process, please allow to me explain it. The Lodge Excellence Award is given by the Grand Lodge for Lodges meeting certain requirements. These requirements if completed will ensure each Lodge will have a successful year. Items are well defined and it is up to each Lodge to develop it's own goals and set up a plan to implement their activities. 

Early in our Masonic year, myself as Master, Mike Perry as Senior Warden and Chad Snyder as Junior Warden developed our goals that we thought were obtainable.
Plans were put in place and I am proud to tell you that we are proceeding quite nicely. The results are on the website. The reason I bring up the LEA is that I worked extensively with Excel spreadsheet development at my job. 

I developed the LEA spreadsheet to help us document our goals and set direction as we go through the year. It has been well received and Brothers Chad Snyder and Rob Hanson, our webmaster presented at our District meeting. I was unable to attend as I was to be in Ohio but a bad tooth (root canal time) prevented me for both Ohio and Jefferson.

Reports from the Grand Lodge is that they did a great job and the presentation was well received. The LEA worksheet can be downloaded from our website for other lodges to use.

On another note, plans are proceeding nicely with updating the physical Lodge building. We are in process of redoing the secretaries office. Furniture has been purchased from Office Pro, a used office furniture facility in Janesville. Nice furniture for a fraction of original cost.

The cost of a new ceiling tile structure has been donated, volunteers have come foreword to assist in painting and varnishing. Carpet colors and paint colors are being discussed and we should have a modern office in the near future with costs being a major consideration in our discussions. Next step, the men's lounge and a game room down stairs. 

Thoughts are for a library/museum/conference room in the Lounge. We now have wireless throughout the upstairs and plans are in place to place it in the lower section as well.

Much more to follow as we progress. Come to Lodge, you are needed and more that, your Brothers miss you.


Tom
WM

Brothers,


Brother John Meek informed me that he noticed Bill Timpany had passed away at age 99. I contacted Denise at Whitcomb-Lynch Funeral Home and Jerry Lynch is handling the arrangements. 

I asked Denise to let the family know that a Masonic Service would be available if requested. He has one son who is in Afghanastan currently.

Services will be held later and he is going to be creamated. I will let you know of future plans as I get them. Brother Bill, was a member of the Janesville Lodge for over 76 years and our longest member.

This is a great lesson to visit our Brothers, especially the aged. We met with Brother Bill four times this last year. 

Brother John presented him with one of our Janesville shirts and hat. Grand Master Davey White, Grand Chaplain David Ritchie, the Masonic Journal Rich Rygh, Brother Garrick Kautz and I visited with Brother Bill and were able to get his picture and story in the Wisconsin Masonic Journey as Grand Master Davey presented him with his 75 year membership plaque and pin.

We must recommit ourselves to visit our senior Brothers, as we have be reminded with a "not so gentle nudge" to get going. We have 29 members with over 50 years of service. 

The sands of the hour glass continue to fall, and we know we have never been promised another breath. Make good use of our time as we have been taught as Entered Apprentices and the Masonic tool of the Twenty Four inch Gage.


Thomas Walton
WM

Brothers and all,














We had 35 attendees or our Celebration dinner. Included were two Sweethearts and two 50 year members. Also present were four non Masonic invitees as well as petitioners and candidates in the process with their wives or families.

The meal consisted of Cranberry Fruit Salad, Rolls, Roast Pork, baby carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, baked apples and ice cream. Certificates, cards and pins were awarded to the 50 year members and two Mason of the Year awards were given to John Meek and Jerry Thompson. Past Grand Master Jack Allord's picture was presented and placed on the Lobby Wall of Leadership.

Our Webmaster Rob Hanson presented the website upstairs in the Lodge Room which was received quite well. I spoke of the improvements planned for the Lodge and future social possibilities.

Everyone was on the way home by 9:00 pm. Great night, great food, great fellowship. It was great to see some of the Brothers who had not been in Lodge for a number of years. Hopefully we will see them again at the next meeting.
God Bless

Thomas Walton W.M.