Embracing Change

The Following blog post is from Brother Sean Reitze, State Junior Councilor of Pennsylvania DeMolay and PMC of Pilgrim Chapter. 

Change: it exists in all of our lives.

I currently attend West Chester University and I am nearing the end of my sophomore year. I entered West Chester as a computer science major and I decided to add some minors since then, which include: Spanish, communication studies, and civic & professional leadership. Even though I wasn’t expecting it to happen, this semester I have decided that I am changing my major to communication studies and keep computer science as a minor. Essentially, this is a flip/flop of my major and minor course of study.

Even as soon as the spring semester of my freshman year, it’s been in the back of my head that maybe computer science isn’t right for me. Yes, I am very interested in technology -- but am I really that interested or passionate about the inner workings of computers, programming, or networks? As time has passed, the answer started to become more clear, but I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take -- that is, until I attended the annual graduate school fair.

During my visit at the graduate school fair, I visited booths from different universities and asked about their computer science master’s program. Their offerings sounded okay, but nothing particularly stood out to me. On a whim, I decided to visit one of Temple University’s booths for the Klein College of Media and Communication. After listening to their representative and seeing the different programs and opportunities available, the light bulb finally went off: I should look into changing my major to communication studies. It all started to come together and make sense -- I found my Intro to Communication Theory class last semester very meaningful and interesting, I’m passionate about media and production, and enjoy my radio show on WCUR. After graduation, I see myself in those career areas.

After talking with my Advisor and doing some research into the major requirements, I have decided to follow through and change my major to communication studies for next semester. Not only would I be more interested and happier with what I’m studying, but I am also still able to graduate on time! Beyond what the registrar sees on my record, there lies a deeper message within this process: sometimes, change can be nerve-racking and create uncertainty at times. Whether it’s a change of schools, a new job, a move, or changing your major like me, it’s important to keep a positive mindset during the process. Keep that positive mindset the next time you find yourself in a situation where change lies ahead.

Sean Reitze, State Junior Councilor

Communication: Why Do We Talk About it So Much?

The following blog post is from Brother Sean Reitze, State Junior Councilor for Pennsylvania DeMolay and a PMC of Pilgrim Chapter. 

Communication is something we all experience in everyday life. We often hear about its importance during Stated Meetings, Advisory Council meetings, and other areas of DeMolay. Why is it spoken of so much at DeMolay events? I hope that throughout the course of this blog post, and with my insight as a communication studies minor, I can help you understand why communication is so important — not just in DeMolay, but in life as well.

One of the major facets of DeMolay involves event planning. Imagine yourself as the chairman of a committee that is planning a regional dance for your local Chapters, Assemblies, and Bethels in the area. You tell your committee in advance that you want music, decorations, and refreshments for the dance. Fast forward to the night before the event: the “music” for the event is just a member’s laptop speakers, “decorations” include a few balloons, and the “refreshments” consist of a half-gallon of fruit punch (without cups nonetheless!) This is definitely not what you had in mind for your event!

While this example might seem a little extreme, let me offer an opportunity for improvement and illustrate one of the key concepts of communication theory. Right off the bat, the chairman should have met with the members of the committee a few times before the dance and should have been more specific with his requests. Moving past this part of the solution, let’s take a deeper look at where and how this miscommunication occurred.

The committee members were only told by the chairman that they need to secure music, decorations, and refreshments. While the committee members technically weren’t wrong in completing what they were tasked with, it is certainly not what the chairman had in mind. To look at this more closely, we are going to look at the Allowable Range of References, or an acceptable list of words that you could think of when someone says something. When the chairman said “music,” what was he really saying? On one side of the range you have the laptop speakers, while on the other end of the range you have a DJ with professional speakers (which is what the chairman had in mind). Bypassing occurred when the communicators (in this case, the committee members) chose different spots on the Allowable Range of References. This concept can be applied again with the decorations and refreshments.

From looking at this example, you can see that there are many aspects of communication we don’t actively think about. Miscommunication can happen very easily, but it can also be easily avoided by being specific with what you are trying to promote or convey. Keep the Allowable Range of References in mind if you find yourself planning an event, working on a committee, or involved in other aspects of DeMolay. This is one of many examples of communication theory I have learned so far, and I hope to share more with you as time goes on. Like the motto of KeyMan University says: Ancora Imparo!

KeyMan University

For the 32nd year, Pennsylvania DeMolay will host the annual KeyMan Conference, known for the last 4 years as KeyMan University. The week long DeMolay experience will take place at the Masonic Conference Center - Patton Campus in Elizabethtown, PA on August 6th to 12th, 2017. Members and sweethearts are encouraged to join us for what is known throughout DeMolay International as a premier DeMolay leadership program. So why should you attend? Here are several reasons why you will want to be in Elizabethtown in August.

10. The Directors of KMU, "Dad" Dan Loughin and "Dad" Matt Blaisdell, have put together a stellar staff roster to help teach members and sweethearts everything they need to know during the week.

9. Participants will enjoy a week long stay at Patton Campus. For those who have never been to the campus, the facility consists of several meeting size rooms, dorm room style accommodations, a state of the art Multimedia Center, a cafeteria, and plenty of outdoor space to play all kinds of games and sports.  

8. Patton Campus has a half Olympic size pool that participants will have opportunities to enjoy. Assigned time frames for the pool will be reflected on the schedule.  

7. For the sports fanatics, there will be assigned time to let off some steam, with sports such as dodgeball, flag football, kickball, volleyball and basketball. Not a fan of sports? Not to worry, there are plenty of other things to do on campus, including a closet full of board games and a few chess tables in the atrium. 

6. One of the things that makes KMU special is the emphasis on service through our various service projects that will be built into the week. More details on this will come in a later post. 

5. Each participant will be placed into a department, which will be the emphasis for their learning experience through the week. New members will be placed in the DeMolay Education department. Other departments include Ritual and Performance, Chapter Leadership and Operations, Communications and Media, Events and Program Planning, Brotherhood and Membership, and Interpersonal Development.

4. There will be opportunities to work on LCC's throughout the week. Participants can also start working on their Representative DeMolay Award. 

3. FOOD!  

2. Participants will get to meet other members and sweethearts from their Jurisdiction as well as others. KMU is a DeMolay International known program, with participants traveling from Virginia, Maryland, New York, Canada and others to participate in our program. 

1. The week long fun that will be had at KMU will surely provide stories and memories that can be shared for years to come. It will also provide lessons that can, and should, be taken back to your home chapter.   

I hope this motivates members and sweethearts to join us for what is guaranteed to be a great DeMolay experience. Registration is open now, so go to keyman.pademolay.org to register now.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Getting to know the KMU16 Jurisdictional Officers

At Key Man University, members from the Communications and Media Department hosted the KMU blog. Here is one of the articles that they posted in case you missed it. 

In my latest KeyMan University blog, I’ve decided to uncover a little more about our Jurisdictional Officers. I achieved this by questioning a majority of them regarding their favorite superheros, and the reasons that went into their choosing.

Joseph Bell, Brian Martin, and Cole Benfer:

Joseph, Brian, and Cole all selected Batman as their favorite superhero. Joseph’s reason was that Batman was the first superhero he read about, and it has stuck with him to the present day. Brian had chosen Batman because he is just a mortal man that had mastered martial arts, and though he is mortal he risks his life to defeat evil. Cole’s own reasons were that Batman, out of his own volition decides to serve justice and bring discipline to criminals.

Jacob Beers and Andrew Santilli:

Both Andrew and Jacob agreed in that their favorite superhero was Iron Man. Andrew’s reason being Iron Man has expertise with technology and Andrew himself shows an interest in technology. Jacob’s own reasoning was that Iron Man makes use of his vast fortune in an attempt to help others.

Garret Corso:

Garrett’s favorite superhero is Tinkerbell. Garret’s reasoning was that Tinkerbell has wings and though small she rises above expectations of her, which is one of the requisites of being a member of DeMolay.

Cade DeLisle:

Cade’s favorite superhero is Captain America and his reasons are that Captain America is patriotic, caring, compassionate, and strong.

Eric Dye and Samuel Levin:

Eric’s and Samuel’s chose Daredevil as their favorite superhero. Samuel’s reasoning is that even though Daredevil is a flawed person he is still capable of making the world a better place. Eric’s reason is that Daredevil is a very good listener, which makes for exceptional crime fighting capabilities.

Matthew Flaherty:

Matthew’s favorite superhero is Antman. Matthew’s reason for this is that Antman can shrink down and observe people living their life.

Gabriel Jones-Gallardo:

Gabriel’s favorite superhero is Nightwing; His reason for this is Nightwing used to admire Batman and wanted to be like him, however, he has since then changed his views, but still decided to emulate the Dark Knight. Gabriel is much like Nightwing himself, he used to admire someone and wanted to be just like him, later however, he decided he wanted to be his own man.

Sean Reitze:

Sean’s favorite superhero is Thor. Sean’s reason for choosing Thor is that he has a “cool hammer.”

Alejandro Rodriguez:

Alejandro’s favorite superhero is Storm. Alejandro’s reason is Storm is very passionate about her teammates.

David Ticknor:

David’s favorite superhero is Superman. David’s reason for this is that Superman can fly.

Raymond Wright:

Raymond’s favorite superhero is Green Lantern. Raymond’s reason is that Green Lantern’s powers grant him the capability to do anything he puts his mind to as long as his will remains strong.

Among us KeyMen, the Jurisdictional Officers are looked upon as idols and by extension superheroes, and its nice to have a better understanding of some of the thoughts that go into their own personal tastes. This is especially true in regards to understanding their own favorite superheroes, with reasons that might echo our own reasons for thinking of them in the same light.

~David L., Editor-n-chief for the 2016 Communications & Media department.

All above images and the characters depicted in them are registered trademarks of their respective brands; DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Disney Studios. 

Presidential Debate at Patton Campus!

The following blog post was written by the members of the Communications and Media Department at Key Man University. Here are their thoughts. 

On Thursday night at 7:00 PM in the multimedia room, several members of the KMU16 staff will be holding a mock presidential debate. “Dad” Peter Brusoe from the Brotherhood and Membership department will be personifying former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. “Dad” Dennis Hunter of the DeMolay Education department will be portraying Republican candidate and businessman, Donald Trump. Lastly, “Dad” Dan Loughin will be representing the Libertarian Party candidate and former governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson. This debate will hopefully show examples of how a proper debate should be handled; with an emphasis on facts and the discussion of important issues, rather than going on with insults and bickering. Though from an entertainment stand point, I do hope its not too overly factual and that we can enjoy some good natured jabs. Regardless of their political affiliation, I wish the best of luck to each candidate.

I do wonder however if “Dad” Brusoe will take his role a little too seriously, and clear his browser history prior to the start of the event.

~Noah B., Senior Editor of the 2016 KMU Communications & Media Department.

UPDATE: Due to unpopular(Brusoe) opinion, we’ve been inclined to mention that Green Party Presidential nominee, Dr. Jill Stein, will be represented by “Bro” Eric Baker in the debate as well.

UPDATE: We’ve been informed that the debate will be taking place at 7:00 PM Thursday evening, rather than the originally posted 9:00 PM. We hope that you can adjust your schedules accordingly, and still join us for this event.

To see more blog posts from the members of KMU check out the KMU website at https://keyman.pademolay.org/blog/

So You Want to Be the Key Man Youth Director

Today we have a guest post written by "Dad" Zack Panitzke, Director of Key Man University.

It’s that time of year again. Beginning today, we’re accepting applications to be the 2016 KeyMan University Youth Director.

The application is available [here]. We’ll accept applications until Sunday, December 6, 2015. After that date, we’ll evaluate applications and present the best candidates with a special, open-ended project. No details on the project are available now - you’ll have to apply to find out more!

In order to qualify, you must have attended at least one Key Man Conference in the past. You also must be able to arrive at Patton Campus in Elizabethtown, PA no later than 9 am on Saturday, July 30, 2016 and stay until Saturday, August 6, 2016.

Read through the responsibilities and application process below. You might also review the Key Man University online materials. Finding out what you can about the job and the employer is an essential part of any job application process.

Responsibilities

As the Youth Director, you’re responsible to be the face of Key Man University. You’ll get to work with the Directors and the rest of the staff to plan and execute the conference. Before the conference, there are a few specific responsibilities, including:

• Develop a unique program to complement the coursework and extracurricular activities at KMU.
• Assist with curriculum idea generation.
• Write introductory and closing speech material for the beginning and end of the Conference.
• Attend regular virtual Director meetings.

During the week, you’ll have a few other responsibilities as well:

• Implement your unique program, including instruction, observation, and gathering feedback.
• Preside at opening session, closing session, awards banquet, and other public presentations such as activities at the Masonic Village.
• Host distinguished visitors during meals.
• Supervise all flag raising and lowering events.
• Participate in disciplinary discussions involving Key Men and staff unrelated to zero tolerance issues. You will be the youth advocate, helping the young men communicate through the conflict.
• Be the “eyes and ears” for feedback from the attendees, including observing all aspects of the program and interacting with the members as they experience the week.
• Provide courteous lights out enforcement.

Application Process

So how do you apply to be Youth Director? Follow these steps!

1. 
   Submit your application by filling out [this form].
2. If you’re selected, we’ll notify you within one week of the application deadline.
3. We’ll present you with the challenge project. You’ll have one month to complete it as you see fit - it’s completely open-ended and intended to test you on your planning and coordination abilities.
4. At the end of the project period, we’ll contact you to schedule an interview. The interview will offer you an opportunity to talk about your project and convince the Directors that you are the best candidate for the job.
   
   The interview will be much like a real job interview, because this job comes with real responsibility. You won’t need to wear a suit, but you should look presentable and be ready to discuss your qualifications.
5. We hope to make a final selection within a week of concluding the interviews. We’ll send you an email and an official invitation by mail.

That’s it! Fill out your application and get it to us as soon as possible. We look forward to reading it!

Meet the KMU Staff: The Communications & Media Department

Every day we see creative, inspiring and captivating forms of media and communication (I mean, who doesn't like t-shirts, cat videos and free posters?) 

For years, DeMolay has taught its members about the interactive, personal and print media field - teaching us how to manage ourselves appropriately and make conscience decisions when producing a positive image for ourselves or our Chapters. At Key Man University this year, a team of wise, creative and rather awesome advisors took on the task of teaching YOU about the odds and ends of everything you wanted to know about Communication and Media.
If you're already asking some of these questions below, you're the kind of person for the Communications and Media Department! 

• How do I start a Website?

• Sweet Shirt! Where do I get one?

• What's a tweet and how do I do it? 

• I can just delete that off the internet, right? 

• How does proper writing fall into all this?

• What's print media all about?

• Am I creative enough for this?

These questions would remain unanswered if not for our great C&M staff for this year, let's go ahead and see what they're all about. 

"Dad" Matt Blaisdell, a Past State Master Councilor and Director of Media of Pennsylvania DeMolay, is a recent graduate of Edinboro University with a Degree in Graphic Design. When "Dad" Blaisdell isn't working at the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation office, he's at home teaching himself web design, designing large scale print print publications for many different clients and watching the occasional funny cat video. He's been involved in the design field for over five years, continuously learning, teaching and finding new ways to create. 

"Dad" Peter Brusoe, a Past State Master Councilor of New York DeMolay, is celebrating a decade of service as a DeMolay advisor.   He has served DeMolay in a number of different capacities ranging from chapter advisor to a Deputy Congress Advisor.  Professionally, "Dad" Brusoe works as a data analyst for a data and news company in Washington, D.C.  Outside of DeMolay, "Dad" Brusoe serves on the board of the Albany Alumni Association, the Dean's Advisory Council for Rockefeller College, is President of the Woodley Park Community Assocaition and chaired the Commission on National and Community Service for Washington, D.C. 

"Dad" Stefan Revesz, a Past State Master Councilor of New Jersey DeMolay, has more than a decade of service as a DeMolay advisor.   He has served DeMolay in New Jersey on various staff positions ranging from Ritual Director to Assistant Executive Officer.  Professionally, "Dad" Revesz works as a Manager for the Credit Union of New Jersey.  Outside of DeMolay, "Dad" Revesz is a Past Master of Gothic-Fraternal Lodge, Junior Deputy Grand Tall of Trenton Forest #4 TCL and serves on the board of the Ewing Little League.

If you come to Key Man University with a ready-to-learn mindset, you're going to have the experience of a lifetime! 

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it"

Pablo Piccasso 

Come to Key Man University and take on the Communications & Media Challenge - learn something, create something and teach something that you can bring home to your Chapters to make a better DeMolay experience! 

The Importance of Words

Today's post comes to us courtesy of "Dad" Peter Brusoe, Past International Master Councilor, Advisor with Nation's Capital DeMolay. Enjoy!

I was talking with a DeMolay and he mentioned that he had the best grade in his entire high school English class.  Not satisfied with that accomplishment, he then recounted how he did better than this student, and that student, and some other student.  My first reaction was why weren’t these students in DeMolay? My second reaction was that I cautioned him that hubris was not good for the soul.

He said, “ ‘Dad’ Brusoe, what’s hubris?”
“You have the best grade in English and you don’t know what hubris is?” I jokingly teased him.
 
“ ‘Dad’ Brusoe, you don’t need to have a good vocabulary to do good in English.” I was promptly informed.

 I suggested to him that you may need a good vocabulary to do well in English in a less jocular tone of voice.

For those of you who do not know, Hubris is defined as excessive pride or self-confidence.  Most frequently this quality is found in Greek tragedies and causes the downfall of a character.  We all tend to be guilty of suffering from it from time to time.   We may not use the word often, but it is a good word for scrabble as well as when you are discussing the human condition, or in SAT examination preparation.  

Perhaps the DeMolay was right.  Maybe you don’t need a good vocabulary to do well in English.  In this inane academic world focused on standardized testing we are losing part of our culture. Winston Smith would think that we’re entering the world of newspeak.  

You do need a good vocabulary to do well in life and in college.  The words you use act as signaling cues to other people about your level of education, your degree of sophistication, which books you have read, and your general interest in the world around you. 

There is nothing worse than asking someone you just met “How are you?” and they mumble “good” or “OK”

Consider for a moment the word “good.”  A lot of things are “good” but is the quality of Mom’s meatloaf the same type of good as the latest Pop song? Are they the same type of good as the last Eagles Football game?  Are they the same type of good as Keyman?

Of course not. 

Mom’s Meatloaf was savory, delicious, appetizing, succulent, tasty and mouthwatering.
The latest pop song was emotional, enjoyable, has a fun beat, is catchy, and is energetic.
The Eagle’s game was well-played, high scoring, emotional, edge of the seat excitement.
Keyman was fun, eye opening, unique experience, exhilarating, athletic.

Every year we get older the number of new words we learn decreases dramatically.  Part of this is that most popular fiction and news that we read is written at a middle school reading level.  As an organization that believes in the importance of education we should constantly be looking at improving our vocabulary.  There are two sites on the internet that you can do this. This year let us commit to learning one new word each week.

There are some great websites that help you with this, I would recommend several of them to you:

http://wordsmith.org/words/today.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/
http://www.wordthink.com/
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/

LEGO your old ideas...

It's been a while since I've written a completely new content article myself, but I finally found some inspiration to do so. PA DeMolay is quite busy over the summer - Convention, Softball, Key Man, and more - make for a packed schedule. This usually leads me to working quite a few hours in a short period of time. I know that to get through this sprint, I'm going to need something to look forward too. This is what happens when you have a degree in Psychology; you learn to motivate yourself via rewards. So, this year, my reward was to take a tentative step into a hobby I've been considering for quite some time - LEGO.

Yes, you're right. LEGO are "kids toys." However, there is a thriving community of adult fans who are constructing some magnificent pieces of out those tiny LEGO bricks. I've always enjoyed building things such as models and toy soldiers. The down side of those hobbies was the painting that comes after the piece is constructed (which I'm not very good at.) LEGO seemed to provide a great middle ground. I can construct all I want and not have to paint a thing. Perfect! As Key Man finished up, I was looking forward to taking my dive into the world of LEGO enthusiasts.

Thus far, I have not been disappointed. It's amazing how complex and detail oriented this "toy" is. The range of kits has changed drastically from when I was a kid. The pieces are familiar and new all at the same time. It's really been fun re-learning how to "play" with LEGO. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our work, we forget to take time to just do mindless activity. For some that's watching television or sports, for others it's a craft, and many enjoy reading or writing. For me, I need to be an active participant in my mindless activity, hence LEGO.

As usual, I'm sure you're asking "what does this have to do with DeMolay?" As I've sat and constructed with my LEGO, I'm forced to relearn some things that I thought I knew how to do. Reading detailed instructions is a great example. LEGO has gotten much more complex than it used to be and following instructions is key. As I worked through the diagrams, I was immediately reminded of the ritual diagrams. Following those specific instructions seems second nature, but having an eye for detail with them can be a real challenge.

I'm also forced to look at familiar pieces in a different light. A simple brick that I've seen a thousand times before can become something very different if used at a different angle or in a new way. This again reminds me to look back at DeMolay and ask how the "old" things we do can be re-imagined and used in a new way. Taking a program and redeveloping how it's used is a great way to reinvigorate excitement for it. In fact, we're doing that right now at the office with a couple programs. By applying what I've learned with my "toys," I'm finding it easier to think outside the box on these issues.

Of course, there are other lessons that can be learned as well. LEGO can be used to teach communications, problem solving, precision, and more. Perhaps your Chapter could have a LEGO modeling night after a meeting. Have the members each bring in some LEGO and ask them to build something. What would a LEGO model of Courtesy look like? Can they make a Jacques mini-fig? Could they construct a ritual diagram? The possibilities, like the LEGO bricks, can be endless.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Taking Responsibility

Recently, Gary Ridge , CEO for WD 40, shared his company pledge with the San Diego Professional Coaches Alliance. Thanks to "Dad" Dennis Snedden, who reads all kinds of good stuff, we are able to share this with you --

"I am responsible for taking action, asking questions, getting answers, and making decisions.

I won't wait for someone to tell me.

If I need to know, I am responsible for asking.

I have no right to be offended that I didn't 'get this sooner.'

If I'm doing something others should know about, I'm responsible for telling them. "

That's not a bad way to view any leadership role --- youth OR adult!

"Dad" Tom Labagh, EO in PA

What did you do for DeMolay Week?

Today we bring you a special guest posting from "Dad" Peter Brusoe.

This past DeMolay week we took a tradition of DeMolay - pride in our order- and applied it to 21st century technology, through the use of Facebook. I think this program was successful and wished to share with you some feedback on what we did, how we did it, and some ideas for future work.

Why Facebook?
Facebook provides a unique opportunity for individuals to network and to rally towards various causes. When a national tragedy occurs it is not unusual to see people change their facebook logo to a ribbon or something else to promote a cause. (For example, the massacres at NIU, Virginia Tech, etc.) The 2008 Presidential election saw people putting up a picture of their preferred candidate. Saturday Night Live has now booked Betty White to host based upon a grass roots movement. The possibility for promotion of organizations or causes using Facebook is nearly endless.

How Did this idea come about?
Nation’s Capital DeMolay started out with a basic premise: Our members, alumni and advisors should make a point of wearing a DeMolay shirt / tie / pin / hat to school / work / wherever on March 18th, 2010, the 91st founding of the organization. It was approved by our Executive Officer and we created a Facebook event which was then sent it to the 50 or so "fans" of Nation’s Capital DeMolay. The next day I checked the event and over 100 people had been added. The growth continued. The most recent stats had 612 people willing to do this, with 287 people saying “maybe,” and 587 people who did not respond. We had 400 people who declined. That was pretty impressive. The event had gone “viral.”

If we had that type of response for doing something in the real world that required effort, what if we did something with showing DeMolay pride online? "Dad" Seth Anthony, a Senior DeMolay and Advisor from PA, and I talked about it and what we developed was the concept of a DeMolay Internet Pride during DeMolay Week. The premise was simple: DeMolays and their supporters changed their profile pictures during DeMolay week to highlight a famous DeMolay or famous DeMolay supporters.

The implied benefit was easy:
(1) It would increase the presence of DeMolay on the internet
(2) It would educate some of our members about our more famous members
(3) It would highlight the support of some key Masonic leaders to other masons.
(4) It could create solidarity.
(5) It would provide an avenue for members to talk about DeMolay.

Seth had the inspired idea that since we were taking members from our “Hall of Fame” we should go for a “baseball card” look (see example at left.) He created some great pictures that we posted to Facebook. We had 509 people say “yes” 301 maybes, 852 people who did not respond several hundred people say “no.” (Ironically in this no category were several Past Congress Secretaries and current and past State Master Councilors.) The result was amazing even among those replying “no," “maybe,” or "not yet responded." Even some of them had changed their profile picture. Some jurisdictions came up with their own logos, some PSMCs used their year’s logo, and others used whatever graphic they felt comfortable with. What was important was that people had rallied around the organization. This cost us nothing to do, the promotion was very light, a couple of emails from our International Master Councilor, some states promoting it through their electronic news, but mainly just informal social networking and promotion from a couple of jurisdictions to their members.

The results wre pretty amazing:

1) The exposure to DeMolay was amazing. If we assume each one of those people had 100 unique friends we exposed over 50,900 people.(and chances are that’s a little higher I personally have 1,200 facebook friends.)
2) It educated our members: Several DeMolays sent responses that they didn’t know Pete Rose was a DeMolay, or "Who is Bill Bradley?", or that they didn't know John Steinbeck was a DeMolay.
3) We saw Masons take an interest in the picture of their various national leader (graphics were created for Scottish Rite, Shrine, and Knights Templar.)
4) It created bonding and solidarity. We saw DeMolays friend other DeMolays via Facebook and communicate about what their Chapter was doing.
5) We don’t have any direct evidence from DeMolays that there were able to recruit anyone or start the conversation about DeMolay. I know that from my non-Masonic/DeMolay friends many of them said “Oh, I didn’t know Trent Lott was in DeMolay.” or “You were in the same organization as Bill Clinton? Did you know that before you joined?” or “Disney, that’s cool!”

We do know that several Job’s Daughter’s were impresssed by the idea and are doing their own pride event this week. DeMolay in the Philippines even made several pictures highlighting their own alumni.

What can we do with other groups?
I think there is a real possibility for us to apply this to our other Masonic bodies to highlight awareness and pride in the organizations or to highlight their philanthropy.

The possibilities are endless.

"Dad" Brusoe is a Past State Master Councilor of New York, and Past International Master Councilor. He now resides in Washington D.C. and works with Nation's Capital DeMolay as their Deputy Executive Officer for Membership Services. Interestingly enough, he also enjoys playing the tuba. We dont' know what that says about his personality, but we personally don't think of him as a blow hard.