DeMolay Week: Fun With My Comrades

The following blog post is from Brother Mitch Holmes, PMC of Templar Chapter and State Senior Deacon for Pennsylvania DeMolay. 

Are we limited to what we can do as DeMolay? The answer is most certainly no, we are not limited (unless you plan on something extremely dangerous or against insurance.) DeMolay is based from 9 young men who just wanted to have fun and build relationships. From that idea, we now have an international organization with over 3,000 chapters worldwide that was based off the idea of having fun and building friendships. Today, DeMolay is still the same. Although we have other aspects involved in DeMolay, we learn our leadership and skills through having fun in the organization.

The most fun I ever had in DeMolay was when my chapter planned an Air-soft Event. It was the first shooting based event I had been though with DeMolay. Yes, you might think it is a terrible idea for DeMolays to shoot one another with air-soft guns, but it’s basically the same as paintball, which has been common in DeMolay for years. After we presented the idea to our Advisory Council, it was approved and we started the planning process. When Bro. Chris Johnston and myself had originally planned our Air-soft Event, it was for the prospects we had interested in joining DeMolay. Due to our low chapter stats at the time, we felt it was necessary to have chapters and assemblies come to the event. We then invited the youth groups nearby. With an impressive turnout of 35 people, the amount of fun was endless. As we entered the arenas, most of us were scared and didn't know what to expect, but we felt safer because we all knew each other. By the time I had gotten out of the arena, I was immersed with the amount of fun that I had. I never thought you could have so much fun in DeMolay and that you were able to do events like that. When the night ended, everyone wanted to keep playing. Along with having fun, I later realized that the air-soft also consisted of leadership, communication, trust, and comradeship. All ideas that are based on our precepts.

Keep in mind, DeMolay is great for endless ideas. From going go-kart racing to camping trips, anything is possible in DeMolay. Without fun in DeMolay, we wouldn’t be the greatest organization in the world. During DeMolay Month, I encourage you to think outside the box and do something your chapter has never done before and enjoy yourselves as DeMolays.

Until then,

Mitch Holmes

Films Every DeMolay Should See: Remember the Titans

This year, State Master Councilor Eric Dye has been promoting the theme "Lights Camera Action: PA DeMolay Goes Hollywood." All of the weekends and activities have been planned around a movie or genre to help enhance the quality of the program. It seemed fitting to post a blog about movies that members of DeMolay should see. Over the remaining months you will see a few of these posts highlighting a specific move that you may want to check out.  

For anyone that knows me, I am an avid sports fan. This goes beyond the game itself for me, as some of my favorite movies of all time include sports films. One of my all time favorite sports movies has always been Remember the Titans. The movie stars Denzel Washington as Daniel Boone, the Head Coach of the T.C. Williams High School football team. The film takes place in Alexandria, Virginia in the year 1971, a time in which racial discrimination was still a concern in Virginia. Members of the T.C. Williams football team were not welcoming of the new members of the team or the new Head Coach, as they expressed their displeasure and got into fights constantly. Community members expressed there dissatisfaction of the changes made as well, causing disturbances for Coach Boone and his family. Coach Boone decided that the team needed to find away to get past their problems and work together. He took the team to training camp in Gettysburg, in which they worked harder than they ever have before. Although the process may have taken a while, the players became a unified team at the end of training camp. The team became a powerhouse team in pursuit of a state championship. The entire film highlights the adversity that took place in order to accomplish a common goal. 

So what makes this a movie that every DeMolay should watch? Some of the important lessons that are taught in this movie, are the same lessons we teach in DeMolay. Some of those lessons include comradeship, tolerance, teamwork, and overcoming the odds to meet the goals at hand. Facing adversity is a big lesson in this movie, and in DeMolay we can come in contact with that same problem, realizing that it comes with the territory of being a leader. One of my favorite quotes in this movie is when Bertier tells Julius he doesn't play hard enough, he tells Bertier "Attitude reflects leadership, Captain." I always felt this lesson was important. As a leader, our attitude and reactions are most important for others to follow our lead. Lead by example, others will work hard if you do as well. This movie is also based on a true story, which makes the lessons taught mean so much more. Another reason you may want to check this movie out is because of the up and coming stars that appeared in this movie before they became big names in the industry. Those stars include Ryan Hurst, Donald Faison, Kate Bosworth, Ryan Gosling, and a very young Hayden Panettiere.

To this day, I still enjoy this movie like it is the first time I ever saw it. Hopefully this review inspired you to check out the film, as it is an all time classic.   

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

A Bro-Tie Earned

The Bro-Tie mentoring initiative is a program that encourages experienced DeMolay members to get to know the newer members of the chapter a lot better. Mentors are to teach the new members the basics of DeMolay so it becomes a more comfortable environment for them. The mentor receives a black bow-tie, while the new member receives a red bow-tie. A questionnaire is filled out to determine that the mentoring has taken place. When the mentoring has occurred, the two members will exchange a half of their bow-tie, creating a red and black tie known as the Bro Tie.

At 007: Secret Agent Weekend, PA DeMolay announced its first two graduates of the Bro-Tie program. Brothers Jake Yarnall (the mentor) and Justin Nixon (the new member), both of Allentown Chapter, received and displayed their Bro-Ties for all to see. A new friendship has taken place, and now Justin understands more about the organization. In fact, Justin was recently installed as Senior Deacon of Allentown Chapter. 

If you'd like to wear one of these cool Bro-Ties, you need to earn one. There is still plenty of time, so reach out to a new member and teach him the important lessons of brotherhood and comradeship.

Happy DeMolay Month to all!

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

      

A Long Delayed Thank You

Earlier this week, I was packing up some boxes in my basement in anticipation of moving. The task seemed pretty menial at the time. I was digging through old photos, discarding items I no longer used, and generally creating order out of chaos. In one of the boxes, I found a stash of office supplies that used to be at my desk when I was in high school and college. It contained pencils, pens, a hole punch, etc. At the bottom of the pile, I discovered a small green box and recalled that it contained something unusual.

You see, in this box, was an honest to goodness fountain pen. That's right - one of those "old timey" writing instruments that were primarily used before the invention of the ball point pen. My memory having been appropriately jogged, I started remembering where the pen had come from. Then it struck me. I must have been 11 or 12 years old and the pen was a gift from an older couple my parents showed dogs with. I used to visit them and assist them with caring for their Pulis (a rare canine breed from Hungary.)

I decided to take the pen into the office and see if I could get it working. After a few minutes of cleaning out the ink and attaching a new inkwell, the pen was working smoothly and I was off and writing. Let me just say, there is nothing quite like signing your name with a fountain pen! Now that the instrument was back and working, I was curious about the value. I did a quick internet search and was flabbergasted. The pen, which I then held, was no ordinary writing utensil. It was a Cross brand pen with a 14k nib (the part that the ink flows to which touches the paper.) Little did I know, this pen was a very expensive gift to a very unappreciative "tweenage" me.

Now knowing the value of what I was given, and quite frankly, appreciating it a lot more, I called up my folks and asked if they still knew the couple who had given me the pen (as I hadn't talked to them in years.) They were    elderly and my parents hadn't seen them in quite some time. I took to the internet and tried to do some searching, but sadly, came up fruitless. So, to Bobbi and Bernie Silverman, if you ever happen to come across this blog post, please know just how incredibly thankful I am; not only for the pen, but for the life lessons you taught me.

As usual, you are probably saying to yourself "Wow, cool story, but what does this have to do with DeMolay?" As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm reminded just how ungrateful we generally can be. I know that I'm guilty of that trait at times. It's important to take time to say thank you to those that assist your life. Whether those persons be your parents (the first Precept, Filial Love), your Advisors and mentors (the third Precept, Courtesy), or your friends (the fourth Precept, Comradeship), we all need to find time to be more appreciative of those around us.

In that spirit, I have a thank you card to write (with my new pen, of course!)

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Dissapointed

I have been involved with DeMolay here in Pennsylvania for more than ten years. To some that may seem like a lot, while to others it's only a drop in the bucket. In that ten years, I have only been truly disappointed by a DeMolay or an Advisor on a handful of occasions. Unfortunately, today marks an addition to that list.

As I was getting ready to blog today, I found a comment awaiting moderation. It read as follows:

"Could you do your job and update the website. You have not even put any events on the calendar and it is already February. How do you expect me to go to events when you can't even put them on the website. I know that we have brought in kids this year and it is not shown on the website! So start doing your job and stop posting dumb blog posts."

I admit to being very taken aback by this remark. I wasn't initially sure how to respond to it, or if I should even post it. Then, I remembered a core tenet of the DeMolay program - teaching and mentoring. I also like to be as transparent as possible with my readers. With that in mind, I'm going to tackle this post from a couple of different angles.

First, as I have said before, if you're going to leave a comment, please sign it and let me know who I should respond to. An anonymous comment doesn't help anyone. When a person leaves a negative comment, and hides behind anonymity, I personally find it very cowardly. If you have an opinion that you'd like to state to me, please do so. I like to think I can take criticism well. We teach our Advisors and our State Officers to criticize in private rather than in public. This, however, was a very apparent shot at criticizing in public, but to what end? In the era of cyber bullying and web based issues, this kind of behavior does not solve any problems, it only exacerbates those that are present.

Next, I'd like to look at this from a "7 Cardinal Virtues" standpoint. We teach our members that Courtesy and Comradeship are key for DeMolays. Is this post courteous in any way? From my point of view, I don't believe it is. The 3rd Preceptor talks about reserving Courtesy for strangers, yet forgetting it for those that we are familiar with. I feel that this situation is a great example of that statement. I would hope that DeMolays in Pennsylvania would extend that kind of courtesy to everyone, but most especially to someone who works with the program.

Comradeship teaches that we should be looking out for our Brothers, ensuring that we stand with them. As has been said, "A house divided, cannot stand." Regardless of what you think of my job performance or my dedication, we are all on the same team. I'd rather you take a moment and help me perform to your expectations than to snipe at me from afar. As a person, I can only grow in that way.

Now, to address the concerns listed in the original message - the calendar and the membership numbers. Let's start with the Calendar. Last year, the PA DeMolay server suffered problems when the owner of the system passed away unexpectedly. At the same time, the computers malfunctioned, causing the entire Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania web system to crash. It took us nearly two months to get things back online. Part of that system was the Calendar on the PA DeMolay website (as well as on the Grand Lodge site.) Realizing the technical issues we faced, we have been in deep discussions about how best to solve the problems at hand. Repopulating the Calendar is a time intensive task. Until we decide which Calendar software we are going to use, we aren't investing the time. I can happily report that in the next couple of weeks, we will be transitioning to a Google Calendar that will provide better functionality and easier event management for our members. We didn't rush into this decision and we had to make it in consultation with other Masonic groups. While I apologize for the lack of events on the Calendar, I have been working diligently behind the scenes to improve the functionality and make it a better piece of software for our members. Unfortunately, this takes time, but, as I said, the issue should be solved shortly. Perhaps I should have been more transparent on this issue, however, I have told the same thing to anyone who has asked me (I just haven't broadcast it publicly.)

The next concern is about membership numbers. The poster is correct that new members have been initiated in 2013. After checking with "Dad" Berry, we have had one new member in January (from Westmoreland Chapter, by the way.) We haven't reported this on our site because the final membership goals for 2013 haven't been completed. Why? Because to finalize those numbers we have to have all of the Form 10's processed from the previous year. After talking with "Dad" Berry, we were still receiving 2012 Form 10's on January 15, 2013. The later the reports come to us, the harder it is for us to accurately post the information to you. We'd rather make sure the information we post is accurate and ready for press than to steam forward with wrong data. I understand the inconvenience of this method, but we've found it to be the most effective.

I hope this has answered the questions that have been raised and I will gladly discuss them further with anyone who is interested. You're welcome to call me at the office (800.266.8424 ext. 8) or to email me at webmaster@pademolay.net. I'll certainly respond. With that being said, you're not welcome to come to this blog and post anonymous comments that are meant to tear down instead of build up. I expect more out of DeMolays and adult volunteers. 

To the author of this post, I implore you, don't hide behind your screen. Reach out and contact me so that we can talk things through. I'd much rather discuss the issues with you directly than address them in this fashion. DeMolays are young men of character and our adult workers are mentors with integrity. I would hope that the original poster would have both of those qualities and come forward, at least to me.

To everyone else - this is the first, last, and only time I will respond to an anonymous posts. Further anonymous posts will be ignored and deleted.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Parable of Sorts

I was trying to think of something to write about today and was having a bit of trouble coming up with a topic. Generally, when I have that problem I turn to other sources. But, rather than just linking you off to another site, I really wanted to give you something more substantial to read. I dug into the far corners of my mind (which is kind of link Cheers - everyone knows me there!) and decided to relate a story from one of my previous employers.

As many of you know, I spent one crazy and amazing year working at Games Workshop. For those who haven't heard of them, Games Workshop officially makes "high quality miniature wargames," however, that's just a sugarcoated way of saying toy soldiers. Yep, I worked for a company that made and promoted the hobby of playing with toy soldiers. When I took the gig, it was quite literally my dream job. I dropped everything - work, family, etc., and moved to Maryland for it. I learned a lot about myself that year and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. The best part is the stories that I now have to relate to folks.

Today's tale is an apocryphal one that came from the echelons of upper management, which was headquartered in the United Kingdom (Nottingham, England, to be precise.) You see, Games Workshop held the rights to one of the most lucrative product lines one can imagine - the Lord of the Rings. They owned the rights to produce games based upon that franchise and it was a smash hit for them. Games Workshop was so involved in the Lord of the Rings that four members of the Games Workshop staff actually appear as extras in the scene of the Battle of Pelenor Field in the final movie. So, needless to say, when the movies came out, Games Workshop was at the forefront.

Pictured left to right, Alessio Cavatore (GW Author), Alan Perry (GW Sculptor) , Brian Nelson (fellow GW sculptor) and Michael Perry(another GW Sculptor). Notice the blue screen with dead Mumak in the background.

As with any company that was involved in the property, they were issued several tickets to the London premier. In a show of democracy unknown in many other companies, the upper management decided to place the tickets in a pool and do drawings to see who would go. In the meantime, one senior manager had finagled a way to get an extra ticket for him and his wife to go, ensuring his presence at the premier regardless of the raffle. The night of the show came and, lo and behold, there stands the senior manager on the red carpet, even though he didn't win the raffle. His colleagues were understandably angry and his supervisors took a stand. They sacked him. Why? Not only had he done something wrong by taking tickets on the side, he had shown that his own personal gain was more important than being a team player and partner to to his colleagues.

So, how does this relate to DeMolay? At a time when honors abound and people are being recognized for their achievement, never forget that we are Brothers. You may have just gotten a Chevalier, but what are you going to do continue to prove that you deserve that honor? Those who have received the Representative DeMolay Award are enjoined to "help another Brother earn the RD himself." I know for a fact that most do not. All of this comes back to the fourth precept - Comradeship. Are you being the best DeMolay - the best Brother - the best Comrade that you can be?

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony