Meet the Candidates: Timothy Nevil for State Treasurer

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

Hi guys, its Tim Nevil for those of you who might not know me, and I am a member of Elizabethtown Chapter. I was born in 2001 to my dad Martyn Nevil, current deputy director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and my mom Julia Nevil, who is the DME coordinator for the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania. I have been raised in Middletown, which is a small town that sits between Hershey, Harrisburg, and Elizabethtown. I have attended Middletown Area School district my entire life and will be entering my junior year of High School. I am involved in many organizations around the school including marching band mini-thon and my High School radio station. My future goal in life is to attend college for a degree in Public Health. In 2014, I joined DeMolay as a part of Elizabethtown chapter and served as Master Councilor from June 2016 to January 2017, in which I received my PMC-MSA along with receiving my RD prior to my term. At Keyman 2016, I was selected as the keynote speaker for the week.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?

My goal as State Treasurer is to represent the members of the state. My goal for charity is to work alongside the state sweetheart and create statewide charity challenges and initiatives. I will be an active member for all brothers statewide by coming to all events and meetings that I can possibly make of every chapter. We are all in this fight together. It was once said that "We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." I will make sure that as your friend and brother, I will never be silent in your defense.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

My DeMolay influences would have to be brother Jake Beers, and brother Tyler Moyer. Each for many different reasons. Brother Beers has been there ever since I joined DeMolay and has always been willing to support me if I needed. Brother Moyer helped provide an extra layer of support and on numerous occasions helped with challenges for charity and membership. Both of these brothers have been incredible leaders on the state level and inspire me and push me to be the best leader that I can be. 

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment? 

My greatest DeMolay experience was attending Keyman University and being selected as the keynote speaker. The keynote speaker was just a minor accomplishment, especially because it was earned by everyone in my track. As a group, we faced some adversities that we never would have expected, but we fought and overcame those adversities. This showed me the true drive that everyone in my group and DeMolay has. It showed me that in our darkest hours, we will always rise higher and stronger than ever before.

Meet the Candidates: Sean Reitze for State Junior Councilor

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

Hello Pennsylvania DeMolay! My name is Sean Reitze and I am a member of Pilgrim Chapter. I am 19 years old and a student at West Chester University. I am majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Communication Studies and Spanish. As my major may suggest, I have an interest in technology and hope to bring that interest to PA DeMolay as I am running for the office of State Junior Councilor. Since joining DeMolay in May of 2013, I have earned my PMC-MSA for both terms of office as Master Councilor and I have served as an Appointed State Officer for two years. In my free time, I enjoy photography, travel, socializing, and throwing my free time away on social media and Netflix.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?

If elected, one of my goals involves enhancing communication across the State. We cannot be strong without communication between our State Officer Corps, Executive Officer, EO Staff, and all our Chapters. I would also like to utilize technology and social media to our advantage as they are becoming more integral to our lives. Social media can help bring DeMolay to a wider audience: we can help PA DeMolay grow in membership and remain relevant today.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

My greatest DeMolay influences include Dad Knapp and Dad Berry. They exemplify dedication to the Order and their support has shaped me to become the DeMolay I am today. I enjoy working with them; they motivate me and push me to be the best I can be.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

After a great deal of thought through all the events I have attended over the past four years, I would have to say that my greatest DeMolay experience would be the 007 Weekend at Patton Campus last term. A brilliant idea manifested into an excellent event with proper execution – this made it my most memorable Patton weekend to-date. 

Meet the Candidates: Dylan Kirk for State Senior Councilor

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

My name is Dylan Kirk and I am running for the office of State Senior Councilor. I am a Past Master Councilor of Westmoreland Chapter. This fall I will be entering my junior year of high school. Throughout my four years in DeMolay, I have earned several awards including my lamp of Knowledge and my Representative DeMolay Award. Some of my interests are baseball, hockey, and movies, my favorites are: the Cars trilogy, Saving Private Ryan, The Sandlot.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?
If elected to State Senior Councilor, I hope that I will be able to bring new ideas to help improve PA DeMolay. I also hope to help the individual chapters, a goal of mine is to visit each chapter at least once, so that we, as state officers, can have better communication with the chapters to help them improve as well.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

Although I have had many great experiences, varying from chapter events, to becoming a state officer. I’d have to pick going to the Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland. I was Master Councilor of my chapter at the time and I chose to do that for My Government Day. It was a great experience that I will never forget.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

Of all the great people I have met and gotten to know in DeMolay, whether they are from my chapter or the state, many of them have taught me valuable lessons. Two of my greatest DeMolay influences are Adam Neubauer and Isaac Holtzer. Adam recruited me into DeMolay and was my mentor, at least I saw him that way, before the bro tie program. Isaac became State Master Councilor shortly after I joined. While he was SMC, he still participated in chapter events and I was able to observe his leadership style in the chapter and on the state level. I was able put that towards my own leadership skills, especially with being a state officer.

Meet the Candidates: Brian Martin for State Senior Councilor

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

Hello everyone, my name is Brian Eduardo Martin. I'm the first DeMolay and Mason of my family. I’m from Carlisle, PA and I'm a PMC of Carlisle Chapter. Some of my hobbies include golfing, fishing and hunting. My favorite superhero is Batman. My accomplishments include obtaining my PMC-MSA, DeMolay Varsity letter, RD and earning the Degree of Chevalier.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?

If I’m elected to serve Pennsylvania DeMolay as your State Senior Councilor I would like to help chapter's increase visitation amongst each other. I would also like to help find new ways to get DeMolay out there to the public to boost membership.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

My biggest DeMolay influence will not change. My influence is Bill Sardone. I look up to him ever since the day I met him. The passion for DeMolay that he exudes is what I stride for. I hope that exuding that passion to the younger DeMolays will make them love this organization as much as I do.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

My greatest DeMolay accomplishment to date is serving as State Scribe for Pennsylvania DeMolay. It taught me time management. This helped me become a better State office in learning how to juggle school, DeMolay and work. It also helped me get around Pennsylvania to meet new brothers that have yet come to a State weekends and or from another state. 

KMU Course Selection: Events and Program Planning

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by "Dad" P.J. Shuey, who will be of the Department Chairman for the Events and Program Planning Department. 

So you’ve decided that you are going to attend the PA DeMolay Keyman Conference this year, but you need to decide which department to spend the week with. You might wonder what a week with the Events and Program Planning department might look like. Well I’m here to tell you that it is packed with learning, experience, and fun.

By the end of the first day you will have learned everything you need to know about planning a first class event.  On day two you will be putting those new skills into practice. Throughout the week, the Events and Program Planning department is responsible for organizing a number of activities and events for other campers. For example, we will be organizing Jacques Heroes which is a morning exercise activity for anyone who would like to come. We also have the opportunity to plan events during free time. You will have total control over what these activities would be and how to carry them out, and the staff from the department will help you with anything you will need. 

One of my favorite things that the Events and Program Planning department gets to do is plan the end of the week event. This event is usually a charitable activity or presentation. The EPP department is responsible for planning, promoting, and executing this event for the whole conference. It is an authentic experience for working in your chapter and planning an important event. It is one of the most rewarding projects at Keyman. If you spend the week with Events and Program Planning, you will go home with confidence and actual experience in planning exceptional events. 

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org. 

Meet the Candidates: Tyler Moyer for Deputy State Master Councilor

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

For those of you who may not know, my name is Benjamin Tyler Moyer; yes it really is Benjamin. I’ve been a member of DeMolay since KeyMan 2010 and have always thoroughly enjoyed it. During my time, I served as the Master Councilor of my Chapter multiple times, earning my PMC-MSA along the way. Last year I was elected to serve as your State Junior Councilor and over the course of the year I tried to become as active as possible. It was, and still is, my goal to be there as much as I can for our members, because it is through you that DeMolay will prosper.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?

If elected, it will be my goal to continue bringing new ideas to the table and to be a very visible State Officer. Coming to as many activities that are held on the Chapter level as possible. When I first became Master Councilor my brother told me that it should be my goal and it is my duty to try to leave the Chapter in better shape than when I joined it. That’s what will be my big goal for the next few years on the State level.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

My greatest DeMolay experience actually occurred last November. It was the Regional Game Truck Party that I had planned for my Chapter. I personally feel that it was the best event I’ve ever planned. We had close to 40 attendees; DeMolay’s and prospects. Having that be a success is what has reignited my fire for planning more Regional events in the future.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

My DeMolay influences would definitely have to be the State Master Councilors that I came up under. It was and is through their leadership that I learned what a leader is and I learned how I should act and lead as a State Officer. 

Meet the Candidates: Jacob Beers for State Master Councilor

Convention is just around the corner, so lets take a few minutes to meet the candidates for Elected State Office. Members will get the chance to elect their officers during the Business Session the Saturday morning of Convention. They were all asked to provide a biography and an answer to the three questions below.

If by some strange circumstance we haven’t met yet, my name is Jake Beers and I am hoping to serve as the 83rd State Master Councilor of Pennsylvania DeMolay. I joined Elizabethtown Chapter on July 10, 2011. In 2014, I became Master Councilor with the goal of revitalizing and re-energizing my Chapter. Since then, I have worked with all of the Master Councilors that have come through my Chapter, serving as Scribe for two-and-a-half years and Treasurer for the last six months. I was appointed State Treasurer in August of 2014 and have since served as State Junior Councilor and Deputy State Master Councilor. As State Junior Councilor, I worked to create new Patton Campus weekends that would excite members and allow Pennsylvania DeMolay to grow in ways not yet seen. As Deputy State Master Councilor, it has been my duty to help the corps in whatever way needed, whether it was in planning events, advising, or anything else. In my time as a DeMolay, I have earned the Representative DeMolay Award, Elizabethtown DeMolay of the Year twice, Scribe’s Efficiency Certificate, and the Degree of Chevalier.

This year, I graduated from Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown as a member of the National Honor Society, French National Honor Society, and History Honor Society. I was involved in Lower Dauphin’s music program as first-chair euphonium in Concert Band and Low Brass Section Leader, both in my junior and senior years. In the fall, I will be attending West Chester University seeking a degree in Mathematics with a concentration in Statistics. I am an avid football and NASCAR fan, as well as a sports fan in general. My favorite football team is the Jacksonville Jaguars and my favorite driver is Kevin Harvick. In the future, I would like to work as a Sports Statistician.

What are your goals if elected to serve as an Elected State Officer?

If elected State Master Councilor, I want to achieve three main goals. First, I want to encourage members to take charge of their Chapters and their Order as a whole. In my time as an Elected State Officer, I have seen Pennsylvania DeMolay shift in demographics towards a younger base of members. A fixture of my term will be encouraging these new members to take some leadership role in their Chapters - be it a Councilor role, Committee Chairman, or anything else - and their State. Second, I want to improve Chapter-to-State communication. This year, Chapters will have greater ability for communication with their Elected State Officers and Executive Officer’s Staff than ever before. More information on how this will be achieved will be announced at Convention. Third, I want to spread DeMolay to more people than ever before this year. For PA DeMolay to grow in members, influence, and recognition, we must introduce more people to the Order. Chapters and members alike will be encouraged to visit lodges, other Chapters, other Masonic Youth Organizations, and areas within their communities in the name of spreading DeMolay.

Who are your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

I have always looked at “Dad” Dave Berry as my mentor and inspiration throughout my DeMolay career. So often, he does a large portion of the work for PA DeMolay or is very instrumental in various facets of the Order. Rarely, though, does he receive or ask for credit, putting DeMolay ahead of himself. I also look to the PSMCs throughout my DeMolay career, especially those I have worked with, and take from each of them their best qualities and attempt to emulate those qualities.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

My greatest DeMolay accomplishment was receiving the Degree of Chevalier last November. At face value, the Chevalier would obviously be my greatest accomplishment, but my reasoning goes far beyond this. The Chevalier is given to reward those who have worked to better their Chapter, with only their Chapter in mind. I felt so honored to be rewarded by my Chapter, knowing that they appreciated what I had done to aid the Chapter in my time as a DeMolay. I hope that I can continue to be worthy of this honor in my time as State Master Councilor and the years to follow.

KMU Course Selection: DeMolay Education

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by "Dad" Tom Moyer, who will be of the Department Chairman for the DeMolay Education Department. 

Are you just beginning your journey within this amazing youth organization? 

In the DeMolay Education department at Key Man University, you will have an opportunity to learn about DeMolay as you haven’t been able to before. You, along with fellow newer members, will focus on honing your DeMolay skills and knowledge, as well as preparing you to grow both as a DeMolay and as a citizen of your country. You'll learn the ins and outs of the organizations, including honors and awards, the offices and their responsibilities, and the overall operations of how the organization works.

When I first joined DeMolay, I struggled with public speaking, memorization, and being able to organize my thoughts into actions. With the help of my Advisors and my family, I was able to overcome these challenges and give back to DeMolay by being a Jurisdictional Officer, and eventually, State Master Councilor. I now continue to serve this order and look forward to giving back to those who helped me by helping mold the future DeMolay leaders. Maybe you don’t consider yourself to be a leader, but by the time your through with this department at KMU, you will. 

DeMolay is different from other organizations in that we regularly change over leadership with most chapters using 6 month terms for their Master Councilors. While you may not currently be thinking about becoming a master councilor, the opportunity may present itself throughout your DeMolay career. I’ve attended over ten different Key Man conferences since 2005 aside from meeting hundreds of brothers, I’ve met some high quality friends who have helped me grow both in DeMolay and in my private life, and you will too.

    

Why not start your DeMolay career off with a week that is packed full of fun, comradery, and growth?  Sign up for DeMolay Education today!

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org.

KMU Course Selection: Brotherhood and Membership

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by "Mom" Kelley Otto of Carlisle Chapter and "Dad" Peter Brusoe of our Nationals Capital, who will be two of the Advisors leading the Brotherhood and Membership Department. 

BaM! What does the Brotherhood and Membership (BaM) Department do at Keyman? We are building new DeMolay communities, promoting brotherhood, and enhancing our membership! 

How do you build a DeMolay Chapter? The foundation starts with is yourself.  We need to give you the skills to be a better brother and share the comradeship we experience in DeMolay. BaM looks at what we can do to improve ourselves as Brothers, using trust building exercises, problem based learning, and interactive activities. We also share with you some of the rich history of our order focusing on tradition and sharing the stories about famous DeMolays and brothers.

To the foundation, you add walls and rooms, which are other members in our Chapter. We look at how to promote brotherhood in our chapter. We provide strategies and ideas to ensure that all members, regardless of age or interest, are engaged with the chapter. Presentations and group projects help us to develop these skills. DeMolay awards and honors will also be reviewed. 

Now we have the foundation and walls, what about the roof? Yes, your Advisors, who always have you covered. We will work on how to talk to adult and work with them to plan prospect parties and other events. The department Advisors will help you put everything together that we discuss for the week so you can take the new ideas back to your Chapters.

But that is only one home, what about a community? Promoting our organization in the community is a key to growing our Chapter. We discuss different community events and presentations to help build our ties. Masonic organizations will be presented in a new way. Elevator speeches will be developed in our classes.

Come join us to learn how to build your DeMolaly community. BaM looks forward to working with you in August!

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org.

KMU Course Selection: Interpersonal Development

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by PA DeMolay's Director of the Sweetheart Program, "Mom" Angela Lennox, who will be the Department Chairman for the Interpersonal Development Department.

WARNING: After completion of this course you will be DANGEROUSLY prepared to make DeMolay EXPLODE in your local jurisdiction. Please proceed with EXTREME CAUTION!

You walk into a Chapter room, and you see a handful of members from the local Lodge. How do you approach them? How do you show that you know how to present yourself, and can socialize with them, just as you socialize with your Brothers around you? How do you switch from that role to the role of friend, acquaintance, or leader? Interpersonal skills are present every single day, in every interaction you have with anyone. Memorizing words can be easy. Everyone can learn quickly how to write an agenda. Approaching someone, making eye contact, and keeping a conversation with others may not be as easy. Humans are social creatures that actively seek out interactions with others. Developing and refining the social skills we use each day is extremely important and will make a difference in your experiences in school, at home, and in DeMolay.

The Interpersonal Development Department is going into it’s second year as a department at KeyMan, and is designed to evaluate, teach, and strengthen the skills it takes to effectively work with other people. The skills that we focus on include interpersonal skills, goal setting, and leadership techniques. Before we can work effectively as a team, we must understand and polish ourselves. We will explore topics such as assertiveness, decision making, and other skills in the beginning of the week, with a focus on learning about how we think and act as individuals.

Throughout the week we will take these individual skills and discover how to apply them into social skills and use our personal strengths and weaknesses to benefit our local chapters and jurisdictions. These valuable skills are not only applicable to DeMolay, but also at school, home and everyday life.  We have designed your learning experience based around “real-world” scenarios that will provide you the opportunity to analyze, practice, and improve your skills. We will rely heavily on individual and group participation, but the only requirement is that you take what you learned throughout the week and apply it to your interactions and experiences with others in DeMolay and your personal life.

Our goal is not to strictly talk “at” you. We are not looking to lecture and drill skills into your brains. Instead, each day you will participate in various individual and group activities, with a ton of opportunities to openly talk, discuss, and debate with the Advisors and other members of the department. Each activity is designed to assist you with personally developing the social skills you already use and will continue to use daily.

Whether you consider yourself a “social butterfly” or you feel more comfortable sitting by yourself at a party, Interpersonal Development is the right fit for you! Come to develop your skills, and leave knowing you have improved yourself as a person. We look forward to seeing you in August! 

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org.