Thursday, August 29, 2013

Big Mike - A Pennsylvania DeMolay

Anyone who has been around PA DeMolay in recent months has surely come across Bro. Mike Curry, of Pilgrim Chapter, in Harrisburg, PA. Mike joined DeMolay in 2010 and is currently serving as Junior Councilor of his Chapter.

He is often referred to as "Big Mike," not just because of his size, but also because of his heart. Mike attended this year's Key Man Conference and earned his Lamp of Knowledge during the week. He's really taken to the DeMolay program and he strives to live life like a DeMolay.

Recently, a local news source did a video about Mike and his time on the football team for Susquehanna Township High School. Check it out!

http://video-embed.pennlive.com/services/player/bcpid1950981438001?bctid=2633369251001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAQBxUw0E~,DELAM66vw4z-hl01IhycwsWq-6Y4XfEN

Mike is an amazing young man, both an athlete and a DeMolay. Congratulations on this recognition, Brother - it's well deserved!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Monday, August 26, 2013

New Youth Exhibit at GWMM

I apologize for posting so late in the day today. It has been a really exciting day for the Masonic Youth Groups, so that accounts for the delayed post.

Before you read any further, go check out what happened today at the George Washington Masonic Memorial - http://pmyf.org/2013/08/26/pmyf-assists-with-masonic-youth-exhibit/.

Now that you've read that, I can post a few more pictures from the event that are specific to DeMolay. We were very pleased to have with us Bro. Chris Labaw, International Congress Secretary, who did an outstanding job representing the young men of DeMolay. We hope that everyone will get a chance to see this display in the near future, as it really is a testament to what the Masonic Youth Groups are all about. In the mean time, here are some more pictures for you - remember, you can click to make the bigger!

This Legion of Honor Cordon belonged to Bro. Roy Rogers, a famous Hollywood actor!


"Dad" Thomas R. Labagh, Executive Officer in Pennsylvania, poses with Bro. Chris Labaw, ICS, and "Dad" Samuel C. Williamson, Grand Treasurer Emeritus.

A large crowd was in attendance!

Everyone cuts the ribbon!

A quick shout out to my home Chapter, Erie, who are credited with donating the regalia displayed on the mannequin.
 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Don't Regret College

This week, many of our DeMolays are heading to college. Some are going for the first time, while others are working towards the completion of their degree at more advanced level. Either way, these young people should be commended for advancing their knowledge.

However, over the last several months, I've heard time and time again about the financial difficulties facing recent college graduates. According to an article on Art of Manliness, many college graduates are facing regret. It says:

 "When over 500 recent graduates were surveyed by Accounting Principals, they reported 3 big financial regrets about their college career:
  • They wish they had more actively pursued scholarships and financial aid.
  • They wish they had pursued a different major that had more realistic job prospects and a higher starting salary.
  • They wish they had gotten a job while in college and had started saving money earlier."
The article then goes on to describe ways to avoid these regrets, including tips for scholarship searches and how better to manage money while in school

. I think it is an incredibly valuable read for any college bound person or parent. Check it out here: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/08/06/the-3-biggest-financial-regrets-of-college-graduates-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Monday, August 19, 2013

KoP Inspirational Talk

I took today off from the PA DeMolay office, but I did want to share a series of videos I found of a great speaker that addressed the Knights of Pythagoras in Louisiana. Enjoy!
Frat ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Thursday, August 15, 2013

PA DeMolay Unveils Portrait of Founder

Bro. Matthew S. Maple, State Master Councilor, posed with the new portrait of "Dad" Ralph C. Minehart, along with the artist, Miss Georgette Williams.

On Friday evening of the 2013 Key Man Conference, PA DeMolay held a special Conclave to highlight achievements during the week. The Key Men performed Preceptor parts, showed off their elevator speeches, and more. During that meeting, PA DeMolay did a little showing off of its own, led by Bro. Matthew Maple, State Master Councilor, who unveiled a new piece of art for Memorial Hall at Patton Campus.

The portrait, commissioned by PA DeMolay, depicts "Dad" Ralph Carlos Minehart, Right Eminent Past Grand Commander, and founder of Pennsylvania DeMolay. "Dad" Minehart is taking center stage this year as part of our 90th Anniversary Celebration. You can learn more about "Dad" Minehart on the PA DeMolay website. The portrait was created specifically for PA DeMolay

by a local artist, Miss Georgette Williams.

The painting is now on permanent display in Memorial Hall, near the DeMolay display cases as you enter the Stark Atrium.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony
 

Monday, August 12, 2013

KMC 2013 Videos

As we settle back into our normal groove here at the PMYF office, I wanted to share with you the amazing videos that they Key Man conference attendees created during their week at Patton Campus. Each Key Man Chapter was asked to script and plan out a promotional video, advertising the Key Man Conference or DeMolay in general. The videos were shot and edited by "Dad" Matt Blaisdell and made their premier at the Friday night Conclave.

So, for your viewing pleasure, I present the KMC Conference videos!

 
















And, as a special bonus, we present this video in honor of PA's State Scribe, Bro. Eric Dye, who made the mistake of falling asleep in the Atrium. Before doing so, he took of his signature glasses. Shenanigans ensued.



Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

90 Years, 90 Words, Unlimited Memories

In honor of our theme in Pennsylvania DeMolay, Honor and Heritage, we are going to explain the history of Key Man in just 90 words starting..... now.

The Key Man Conference originated in the year 1986, and was created by Dad Williamson. Dad Williamson created Key Man because he wanted a program that enhanced leadership abilities of DeMolays. And over 28 years, Key Man has evolved into what it is today. Through the years it has become the best best program for DeMolays. This program was designed to provide different leadership skills, and that DeMolays of any age can learn something new by attending. Key Man has become a big part of our HERITAGE in PA DeMolay.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

PA's Senior DeMolays - Kendig C. Bare


The history of PA DeMolay is fairly vast. Hundreds of thousands of young men have called a PA Chapter home. Some of those DeMolays went on to lead ordinary, uneventful lives, filled with service and love. Others preferred the spotlight, fulfilling a deep desire to affect the world around them; of the latter, one stands out to me as a DeMolay worthy of emulation.

Bro.  Kendig C. Bare, colloquially known as “KC” by his Brothers and friends, was an early member of Lancaster Chapter. Born on November 5, 1913, KC was at the perfect age for DeMolay when Lancaster Chapter was founded in October of 1928. It is an interesting side note that Lancaster Chapter was instituted in a ceremony overseen by someone you should all know about – “Dad” Ralph C. Minehart, Founder of PA DeMolay.
KC was an active member of Lancaster Chapter, rising to the position of Master Councilor in September, 1932. His biggest goal was to have Lancaster Chapter publish a better newsletter. He quickly assigned a committee and got to work. The Chapter published the first issue of the Sentinel during KC’s term, with his older Brother, Howard, a PMC himself, at the helm as Editor. When KC completed his term of office, he took over the Editor’s desk and retained it for the next 14 months.  For his work on the Sentinel, KC was honored as the first “DeMolay of the Year” for Lancaster Chapter.

However, honors and awards did not satiate Bro. Bare’s appetite for service. In 1933, Lancaster Chapter undertook a major campaign to host the 1934 Conclave of the Associated Chapters of the Order of DeMolay in Pennsylvania. Bro. Bare headed up this committee, which did indeed win the bid to host the event. KC put in hundreds of hours of work to arrange all of the details for the Conclave. Everyone was very impressed with the event Lancaster Chapter put on. Riding high on this success, Bro. Bare made a fateful decision. He would run for State Master Councilor.
At this time in PA DeMolay history, one did not have to serve in another elected office to be State Master Councilor. While it was unusual for someone to jump straight to the top, it can and did happen, mostly thanks to politics. Think of the situation; Bro. Bare just arranged and hosted a very successful Conclave. Everyone around the Commonwealth knew of the success of the Sentinel, his newsletter. Finally, the vote was taking place in his home town, where several members of Lancaster Chapter could be mustered to bolster his vote count. All of these things combined to help KC get elected State Master Councilor for the 1934 – 1935 term.

KC’s claim to fame in that office was the development and publishing of the Keystone Crusader, the first newsletter of the Order of DeMolay in Pennsylvania, which is still printed today. Initially published out of Kendig’s home in Lancaster, the “Key Cru,” as it is sometimes called today, has been the main channel for distributing DeMolay information in Pennsylvania for close to eighty years.
So well liked was Bro. Bare, that, upon completion of his term as SMC, at the age of 21, he was inducted into the DeMolay Legion of Honor. The Degree of Chevalier had not yet been developed, so the Legion of Honor was used to show the Order’s enthusiasm for Bro. Bare’s hard work and dedication.

KC’s service to DeMolay was far from over, however. He would go on to serve on the Advisory Council for Lancaster Chapter for a number of years. He was later elevated to the rank of District Deputy for the area surrounding Lancaster, where he would administer and assist several other Chapters.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate much information on Kendig’s personal life following his DeMolay career. We know he remained a life-long resident of Lancaster, but we do not have record of his profession, outside of one important distinction. He was married, but had no children.

At the age of 37, in 1950, Kendig was elected as the Mayor of the City of Lancaster. He managed to serve only nine months, before being called to the service of his country to help win the Korean War. He served at the rank of Captain with the United States Army. In his absence, his older Brother, Howard, took over the reins of the City while his Brother performed his service. Upon his return to the States, Kendig was re-instated as Mayor and would serve another full term, before retiring from that office in 1958. The City of Lancaster honored Bro. Bare by naming its public safety building after him, which still stands today.
Kendig Bare was a paragon of service, both to his community and to Pennsylvania DeMolay. He passed away in 1989, leaving one heck of a legacy. Throughout his life he showed dedication, patriotism, and his ability to communicate well. All of these traits are something every DeMolay should try to master, ever keeping in mind the example of Bro. Bare.

Frat! ~ “Dad” Seth Anthony

 
Addendum: Following the publishing of this article, "Dad" Eric Ullom, PSMC, sent me a picture of Bro. Bare's PSMC key. Yes, that's right, a key - just like the Blue Honor Key. Prior to the institution of the PSMC jewel, Pennsylvania awarded keys to its PSMC's. Sadly, this key was sold at auction to an unknown buyer. If you know who owns this item, please let us know at webmaster@pademolay.net. We would really like to bring back to Pennsylvania!