Page 11 - Sojourner Newsletter-Winter 2024 FINALv2

Volume 101, Issue 1 11

There is a very strong likelihood that very few of your Chapter’s members will have seen these programs; or if they
did, they’ve only seen one or two. As you can see, there are many available to choose from!

The BOL Committee is designing a brand-new program to pay tribute to those Medal of Honor recipients buried in
your area. This will provide a terrific opportunity for you to invite local Masonic Lodges, newspapers and TV stations,
and other local dignitaries to join you in performing this 20-30 minute ceremony. The tribute has been performed in
three different states already, with great success, and we should have it finalized in time for the ANC in June!

Another area I would like to talk about is the Odie Howell Award. The requirements for your chapter to receive the
Odie Howell are very straightforward and easy to follow. You simply perform BOL activities, then total the points you
have earned, and if you achieve 40 points out of the available 50 points, your Chapter will qualify for the award.

The requirements are much more readily attained if you know what they are and have a plan of attack. I would like to
discuss that with you. There is much low-hanging fruit that goes unpicked by Chapters every year. The first opportunity
to increase your points is to perform a Bridge of Light program at your Chapter meeting. Though the Toast to the Flag
does not count in this instance toward the requirements since it is a mandatory part of the Chapter’s opening ceremony,
any of the other BOL programs most certainly do quality!

Another opportunity to receive 16 points, which is a full 40% of the required points is to present the Toast to the Flag
to four local lodges in Colonial uniform. This is a great opportunity to recruit for your Chapter since all present will be
curious about your Colonial uniform, and seemingly everyone enjoys hearing the toast when presented well. This has
proven very effective in recruiting Sojourners, and if performed to non-Masonic organizations, can prove very successful
in recruiting new Master Masons. Remember Brethren, they must first be a Master Mason before they can even be
considered as a Sojourner! As I mentioned, just doing these four Toasts would provide 40% of the points you need to be
awarded the Odie Howell award! Also, present each lodge you visit a BOL certificate while you are there and add
another 4 points to your total. Make sure to report your activities to the National office for inclusion in the Sojourner
Magazine and receive an additional 4 points. See how easy it is to get to 40 points quickly! Following just this paragraph
earns you 24 of the 40 points you need!

Want to know another truly fantastic way to earn easy points, improve our Masonic family, and have a fun time while
you do it? I know you would! If you support a Masonic youth group by attending one of their functions, and making a
minimum $25 donation to that group, you would quickly and easily earn another 8 points, which puts you 20% closer to
earning the award! You will, undoubtedly, have fun with the youth groups and I know they will definitely appreciate
your support! It really brightens their spirits to have a Mason show interest and attend their gatherings.

OK. So, now we’re cooking. Maybe you have been doing a lot of running around this holiday season and are feeling
tired. I will tell you how to earn 4 points (10% of the requirement) without even leaving your chair! Yes, it seems
improbable, but it is definitely possible! Simply e-mail your Chapter’s newsletter to another Masonic body. Yes, you
read that correctly…just sending it to one Masonic organization, other than your Chapter, gains you 4 more points! If
you schedule your computer to send the e-mail, you can actually earn 4 points while you sleep! There is no possible way
to make it easier than that!

Lastly, another 6 potential points await you just for attending an ANC, MWM, or ACE. Just having one attendee at
each of these events will not only add 2 points to your total but will provide much useful information to help your
Chapter grow, and maybe even ignite a new spark!

The BOL Committee is currently revising the wording on the calculations sheet for the Chapter Annual Report (CAR)
to allow for even better understanding of the requirements.

There is still plenty of time to earn the 2023-2024 award. Show your pride in your Chapter, present your BOL
programs to your local lodges, and I look forward to watching you accept your Chapter’s Odie Howell award at the
ANC.

Feel free to call or e-mail me, or any other member of the BOL Committee if you have any questions about the
calculation sheet, BOL programs, or need any other BOL help or information. We are always as ready to help as you are
ready to receive help.