I agree Brother Rhit,
If they continue to raise things that affect the Blue Lodges, we won't be able to turn the lights on to find our way into the Lodge Room... Our Lodge is near that category now. It is because in the past, several gave up, and made no plans for the future, just kind of "we'll make it somehow". Now they aren't there, and we are being hit by those decisions. We are doing a little better. We are making plans 2-4 years down the road. We are looking at who will be Officers and so on. We just raised our dues $10.00, as they had not been raised in about 20 + years. Now, GL is taking that $10.00, plus we have to add $.75 to it, to make the $25.00 they want. We are working harder, cutting back on expenses, and looking to the Brethren, as well as the community for more assistance. We are getting some, but as everyone keeps saying, "Times are tough", so we are doing more cutting back than anything. I have been sent home from my job for the first time in over 35 years, and told they would call when there was work. It's been over a month now. I am a contract employee, so there are no benefits for me. I do have some work in my little shop at home and can get by with it for a little longer, but I am not the only one in this situation. My employer is like the GL, wants those in the lower echelon to cut back, and give more. Rather than cut the labor rate, or give decent discounts, he remained at his full charges. He has hurt himself, because the regular employees are now at home, but they are drawing unemployment. It just shows, you can cut too much, in the wrong places, and then NOT have anything... Had the boss cut the rates, and talked to us about our pay, we could all be in better shape. GL can do that, but will they?? We have asked about some of the expenses, but don't know what they are, and have not yet got an answer. Maybe we won't. I think my SW asked about an expense account of around $160,000.00 and what it actually went for. We're still waiting... I don't have the exact answer, but I do know many are looking at the endowments so they don't have to worry about the Lodge Dues going up. Many are not worried beyond that, even though the Lodge is not getting anything back from the investment. Last year there was talk of returning all the endowments. Many were all for that, until they discovered there was talk of returning $300.00 on a $500.00 investment. If these were being invested in a manner in which we were ALL seeing something good from them, they would be good, but right now, only those using the money are getting any benefit.