Recent Photos
The Motley Crew
February 16, 2019
Our Motley Crew from Sy Harrison Lodge #70 followed a snow plow as it cleared SR87 north towards Flagstaff
Sections of Lake Mary Road were white out conditions especially near the Discovery Telescope and Mormon Lake
Our destination was Flagstaff Lodge #7 for a Lodge of Instruction
Flagstaff Lodge #7 occupies the 2nd floor of a downtown building dedicated in 1917
Master Reed Houge hosted the Lodge of Instruction
The historic Flagstaff Lodge can be accessed by stairs and/or an elevator
Officers from Sy Harrison #70 filled many of the seats
Sy Harrison #70 was well represented
Flagstaff #7 has a number of amenities such as a pool table, a dedicated library room, and a comfortable and flexible seating area with leather chairs and rockers
The kitchen and food preparation area where we ate a lunch provided by the Lodge
The trip back was marked with sections of clear roads and almost wall-like areas of dense fog and slushy roads
The temperature was dropping quickly in the late afternoon with water spray freezing on the vehicles
Who or What is the Motley Crew?
(Excerpts from Master Jim Gier's Payson Mason Newsletter 2/18/2019)
The Master of Flagstaff 7 sent us pictures of the Lodge of Instruction attendees (attached) and he addressed us as The "Motley Crew" from Payson when we were introduced. (I think we may have outnumbered the Flagstaff Lodge attendees).
This past Saturday, WB John Elliot lead a 2 van caravan through several snow squalls to Flagstaff so that 8 brothers could attend a Lodge of Instruction centered on the Fellowcraft degree. Those traveling North with WB John E, were WB John Brooks, Brothers Herb Dwyer (Trestle Board Editor), and "Turtle" John Chubbuck... Bravely riding with me were WB Lon Thomas (our DDGM), Brothers Roger Weber (Treasurer) and Harry Offerman (our newest Master Mason, having been Raised on the 26th of January 2019). WB Lon was Senior Deacon, WB John Elliot was Senior Warden and WB John Brooks was Junior Warden. They did commendable jobs considering they had not been given any advanced notice, I stumbled over the last part of the opening prayer as Chaplin. Unlike the others, we didn't have open books. The Grand Lecturer; WB Ron Allen and I had fun with the obligation as he tried to trip me up. WB Cal Magness, the DDGL for our district was the moderator or producer of this event, and should you in the future ever meet WB Cal, be sure to give him some M & Ms... Flagstaff Lodge # 7 hosted the lunch break with BBQ Pulled Pork on great buns. And, yes we traveled back home through some snow squalls. And the Brothers that didn't know about the Discovery Channel's Observatory on Lake Mary Road, got a chance to see part of it as we rode by.
Those of you that couldn't travel with us, missed a great trip and the fellowship that goes on in a vehicle going some place for something Masonicaly different. Come join us on our next jaunt. Yes we will travel again, and soon. Target destination? Perhaps, as suggested by our DDGM, White Mountain Lodge # 3 in Globe. This is the 3rd oldest lodge in Arizona, having received a charter earlier from the Grand Lodge of New Mexico, who BTW, is constantly trying to steal the charter. This would be a chance to visit another OLD Lodge building in which the meetings are held in a lodge room on the second floor.
