When El Campo gave brother Lins the Golden Trowel last year it was the 1st time since I have known Bill that he was speechless
Yeah- y'all really got me with that! Never saw it coming!
Bro. Red, I may have misinterpreted your question. The committee that determines who should receive the award is to be 3 of the past 5 WM's of the Lodge. Here's what our GL has published:
The Golden Trowel Award (As Revised May 1, 2009)
• Since its inception the Golden Trowel Award continues to be an exciting means for Lodges to recognize and honor distinguished members with an official award from the Grand Lodge of Texas. It is for use by all Texas Lodges.
• The Golden Trowel is the Lodge’s formal recognition of a Brother for his devoted service to Masonic principles in general or to his Lodge. It is intended for the Brother who, year after year, quietly, but actively demonstrates his devotion to the teachings of Masonry without thought of recognition or special honors.
• Every Lodge has such members. They spread the living cement that builds our Fraternity into a true Brotherhood.
• You will find them at labor in the kitchens, on the work committees, in public office, on community projects, in service clubs, heavily involved in their church activities and in schools – anywhere that a true and steady hand of assistance is needed.
• It is to those Master Craftsmen that the Golden Trowel Award is designated as the highest Award a Lodge can bestow upon an individual member.
• This award is not intended to replace or supersede any individual recognition award already established by a Lodge. It provides the advantages of a single, official award, which is recognized statewide.
Requirements
1. Recipients of the award will be chosen by a Golden Trowel Committee appointed by the Worshipful Master at the beginning of the Masonic year. The Committee will be comprised of three of the five most immediate, and available, living Past Masters of the Lodge. Their responsibility is to review the activities of all members to determine if any qualify for this high honor. If none qualify, then no award should be made.
2. A Lodge may vote to name any Lodge member the committee feels is truly worthy, of this special award. It should not be made for routine Masonic activities. A member who has served as Master or a Warden is not eligible for the award until three years after the date he completes his term.
3. No more than one Golden Trowel Award may be presented by the Lodge during any Masonic year.
4. The Award must be presented at an open meeting of the Lodge called for that purpose alone. This is to assure that absolutely nothing takes away from or diminishes the importance of this most prestigious award.
5. Any appropriate individual may make the award presentation.
6. The Lodge should make a genuine effort to properly publicize the open meeting in its local media and, without fail, other Lodges in the vicinity should be notified and invited to attend. All Lodges should make special efforts to help other Lodges in their vicinity to honor members by attending their Golden Trowel Award presentations. Such broad support lends additional dignity and importance to the award and increases the opportunity for publicity for the event.
7. When a candidate for the award is chosen, the Lodge should enter the information about the award in its official minutes.
8. The Lodge must send the form to the Grand Secretary. The award will be sent to the Lodge secretary. Please allow four weeks for receipt of the materials.
Use care and be very selective in choosing recipients for this award so that its importance is demonstrated in your Lodge at the very highest level.
Make the award only when a member truly deserves it.
