Page 13 - FALL Sojourner Newsletter-11202020

Vol. 97 Iss. 4 13

GEORGIA AREA: Masters Lodge
TINKER #43, CW4 Daniel A.
Burchett, Secretary, 4800 NW donates to National Sojourner Chap-
48th Avenue, Norman, OK 73072- ters Masonic Charity is one of the most
1201. Bro. David Laukat, Represent- important lessons we learn in Freema-
ing our chapter presenting the chap- sonry, The Brethren of Masters Lodge
ter’s National Sojourners Oren Lee #295 in Georgia learned that lesson
Peters Achievement award to Okla- well.
homa National Guard OCS Graduate In recent years Masters Lodge had strug-
2d Lieutenant Holms. Bro. Oren Lee gled with the same issues many Lodges
Peters was president in 1966. face. While financially strong, attend-
ance was poor. After careful considera-
Ft Campbell Chapter #177, tion and discussion, the members decid-
Clarksville TN/Southern Arizona ed to surrender the charter and use their
Chapter #273, Tucson AZ Joint substantial assets to benefit Masonic
Operation. Ft Campbell #177 finally Charities and the community.
formally presented Ms Siera Millard the 2020 National Sojourner Essay award pack- The Brethren of Masters Lodge used
age from National HQ. We are very appreciative of Southern AZ #273 for providing their existing funds as well as the funds
an assist for a long-distance presentation in our place. Siera is the recipient of the 2020 from the sale of their building to provide
National Sojourner Essay “Thousand Points of Light” 1st Place ($2000.00) Award. donations to various Masonic Charities
Siera is also the recipient of the inaugural Ft Campbell Chapter #177/Old Hickory and organizations including the Masonic
Camp 2020 Essay 1st Place ($100.00) Award for her essay about a local Ft Campbell Children’s Home of Georgia, Greenville
Red Cross worker. We were extremely happy to forward Siera’s essay to National HQ Shrine Hospital, Georgia Child Identifi-
for consideration at the national level. Needless to say, her 1st place finish (and check) cation Program, DeMolay, Cryptic Ma-
has created increased high school student interest for the upcoming 2021 essay contest. son Medical Research Foundation, Roy-
Siera is no stranger to our chapter. In her Junior year she was the Commander of the al Arch Research and Assistance, Tall
Rossview High School JROTC Saber Team and her Senior year served as Battalion Cedars, Scottish Rite Foundation of
Commander. She supported the Chapter #177 Veteran’s Day Program at the TN State Georgia, various food pantries & lodges.
Veterans Home by providing the Saber Team Arch of Steel and posting of the service Importantly for us are the donations
flags for the past two years. Her Rossview High School JROTC SAI, Maj John Braun that these generous Brethren made to
USA (ret) stated; “Siera is the most gifted cadet I have ever had the pleasure of teach- five Chapters of the National Sojourn-
ing. The foundation she established as Battalion Commander this past school year will ers, Inc. in the Georgia Area. The fol-
have a far-reaching effect on this program. The cadets she trained and guided are the lowing five Chapters received donations
ones leading the program this year with great success even when dealing with a global of $10,000 each for Chapter use: Ft.
pandemic. Basically, I was honored and blessed to have her as a student.” McPherson #60; Ft. Benning #8; Clar-
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions felt around the country, Ft Campbell #177 was ence H. Cohen #162; Lyman Hall #556
not officially notified of Siera’s winning essay prior to her family’s PCS to Ft Huachu- and Blood Mountain #555. These funds
ca, AZ. Once notified, the National Sojourner website was invaluable in locating the will be used to support Patriotic activi-
closest chapter to Siera, who is a Freshman at University of Arizona, Tucson. We con- ties, sending young people to Freedom’s
tacted Southern Arizona #273, Br Harold “Lindy” Lindamood who took our pass and Foundation at Valley Forge and other
ran with it. The unhesitating cooperation between the two chapters to recognize a activities.
young scholar underscores the unity of the order. Go to WWW.NATSOJ177.ORG to We express our gratitude to WB Jim
read Siera’s winning essay posted on our web- House, PP/PC, and the other Brethren of
site Bulletin Board for your enjoyment. Masters Lodge for this unbelievably
WELL DONE, SIERA!!! generous gift.
Left, L-R: Bros. Arthur R. Stull, II, PP, PC,
Chaplain; William S. Welty, Pres.; David N.
Sweatt, PP, Cdr., Fort Campbell #177.
Below, L-R: Bros. Paul McCollough; Joseph
Talvey; Harold Lindamood, Pres.; M. Siera
Millard; Joseph Leininger, Sec, Treas.; Ra-
mon Martinez, Area Rep., Southern Arizona
#273.