I am honored to serve as the Most Illustrious Grand Master for the Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Idaho for the next year. When I first started up the Grand line, I did not foresee that my year would start in the midst of a pandemic. I hope you and your families are all safe and healthy.
One of my goals is to advertise York Rite Freemasonry in general and Cryptic Masonry specifically, and I thought that I would share that here as well. One way of accomplishing this is through the First Responders Award. The General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International has recently come out with this award and it is meant to recognize and acknowledge the service of those who are employed as Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and Law Enforcement. I find it to be of particular importance during the COVID-19 pandemic to recognize our First Responders.
This award is available in two forms: one for Master Masons in good standing and one for non-Masons. For Master Masons, the award includes a certificate and a medal. For non-Masons, the award is a certificate and lapel pin. There is a cost associated with this award: $25 for Master Mason version ($5 more if you want lapel pin with this version) and $15 for a non-Mason award. This pays for the cost of production and processing.
Presentations for this award may be done in a tiled or non-tiled meeting, and this award has the potential to serve as a great outreach tool to the community and to the Lodge. It will allow our Councils to promote goodwill and acknowledge these important contributors. If used as such, may introduce some to Masonry and to the local Lodge. Obviously, presentations are to be postponed until after the pandemic has passed and the edicts have been reversed, but nominations are still welcomed to be made. A nomination must be sponsored by a Cryptic Council or a Cryptic Mason of the respective jurisdiction.
The fillable nomination form is found at the General Grand Council website: https://www.crypticmasons.org/pdf/awards/2020_FRA_Form.pdf
One of my goals is to advertise York Rite Freemasonry in general and Cryptic Masonry specifically, and I thought that I would share that here as well. One way of accomplishing this is through the First Responders Award. The General Grand Council of Cryptic Masons International has recently come out with this award and it is meant to recognize and acknowledge the service of those who are employed as Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and Law Enforcement. I find it to be of particular importance during the COVID-19 pandemic to recognize our First Responders.
This award is available in two forms: one for Master Masons in good standing and one for non-Masons. For Master Masons, the award includes a certificate and a medal. For non-Masons, the award is a certificate and lapel pin. There is a cost associated with this award: $25 for Master Mason version ($5 more if you want lapel pin with this version) and $15 for a non-Mason award. This pays for the cost of production and processing.
Presentations for this award may be done in a tiled or non-tiled meeting, and this award has the potential to serve as a great outreach tool to the community and to the Lodge. It will allow our Councils to promote goodwill and acknowledge these important contributors. If used as such, may introduce some to Masonry and to the local Lodge. Obviously, presentations are to be postponed until after the pandemic has passed and the edicts have been reversed, but nominations are still welcomed to be made. A nomination must be sponsored by a Cryptic Council or a Cryptic Mason of the respective jurisdiction.
The fillable nomination form is found at the General Grand Council website: https://www.crypticmasons.org/pdf/awards/2020_FRA_Form.pdf