Page 18 - Sojourner Newsletter-Winter 2024 FINALv2

18 THE SOJOURNER

GARDEN STATE CHAPTER #438 (Chris Sands, Secretary) Garden State Chapter #438 in New Jersey
has had a very busy fall. We began a chapter level fund-raising campaign for the Spirit of America conference
and were granted $1,500.00 from the H. Hovnanian Foundation! We had a meeting in September during
which we Initiated two new members and had Mr. Noah Lewis, who portrays Private Edward "Ned" Hector, a
Teamster and Bombardier in COL Proctors’ Pennsylvania Artillery. Our chapter had a lecture on Brother
Major Thomas Ward Osborn, who Commanded the 11th Corps Artillery at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was
born in Scotch Plains, NY, moved to New York City, became a Master Mason and after his passing was buried
in North Adams, MA. We noticed he did not have a VA headstone and ordered one for his grave. On
28 October three members of our chapter along with members of the Grand Lodges of NJ, NY, and MA,
conducted a Masonic Funeral Service to dedicate the new VA Headstone. The NJ and MA Sons of Union
Veterans of the Civil War conducted their funeral service. Altogether there were fifteen organizations that
came together that day to help in this dedication. We also sponsored the Fort Dix-McGuire AFB Club #284
th
which now has eight members. This is the third Chapter in NJ! Lastly we had a meeting on December 7
and initiated four new members. We are planning one more meeting to get more MIP members on
28 December.

Mr. Noah Lewis portrays Edward "Ned" Hector Four new members going through the Initiation
who fought at the Battle of Brandywine. L to r, Chester Shannon, Peter Reed, Robert O'Mara,
Mark Corrado

Members of the Grand lodges of
NY, NJ, and MA along with the
Mayor of north Adams after the
dedication of Major Thomas Ward
Osborn's VA gravestone.

Front row, second from left chapter mem-
ber and Past Grand Master of NY MW
William Sardone, RW J. Eugene Mar-
groff, then Senior Grand Warden of NJ,
Jennifer Macsey, Mayor of North Adams,
MA, RW John Kelly Jr., Senior Grand
Warden of MA, RW Ron Murad who co-
ordinated the event, RW DDGM of the
30th District Travis Sawyer.
Back row, far right chapter member 1VP
Michael Hrycak.