Thank you, "Dad" Seth Anthony!

Even though "Dad" Seth Anthony will no longer be working at the PA Masonic Youth Foundation office and handling all of our public communications, he certainly isn't going far from DeMolay.  He will continue as our Convention Director, and will engage in other activities as his time permits.

I am excited to see how "Dad" Anthony can create a positive internet presence for the Masonic Villages and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. If he attacks that problem with the creativity and genius he brought to the PMYF over the past 6 years, they are going to be very pleased with his work!

"Dad" Anthony is just one more outstanding success story who grew his leadership and public speaking skills through his time as an
Active DeMolay, and then immediately began to give back to the fraternity as an adult leader.  While we will miss him around the PMYF office, we'll be seeing a lot of him at local fraternal events.

Thanks for 6 great years, Seth, and congratulations on the new position!  I think I can speak for ALL of Pennsylvania DeMolay when I say, "We wish you success in everything you do!"


"Dad" Thomas R. Labagh
Executive Officer

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

Happy Thanksgiving!

I was in the middle of trying to come up with something to post on this blog for the holiday. As if someone knew what I was looking for, I received this email from "Dad" Mark Rauschenberger, Executive Officer of Illinois DeMolay. "Dad" Rauschenberger is also an Advisor for Lorraine Chapter here in PA and a relation of our State Master Councilor, Alex Rauschenberger. As you can see, he is quite thankful...

Greetings from the Land of Lincoln,

At our FallFest Ritual Tournament this past weekend, my message to the Jurisdiction was all about being thankful for what we have and what I have as a member of DeMolay International.

God knows, this has been a rough year for me personally by getting nailed with health issue after issue along with the health struggles of a few of my close family members.  Through the grace of God, I am thankful for completing another year of my journey in this world and the opportunity to continue my service to DeMolay.

The most concerning for me this year was the progressive loss of my eye sight.  There are no words to describe the feeling of losing one of the most critical senses we have.  Thankfully, the condition was reversible, restoring my sight to an improvement over what I have lived with most of my life.  In masonry we talk about being brought from darkness into light and this year I literally experienced just that.

After the two surgeries it was amazing how much one misses when things change slowly over time.  Today, I have a new clarity of focus and a new appreciation of what is before me. 

Sometimes in DeMolay, we look through a fogged vision of what stands before us and what is important.  I am personally thankful for each and every young man we serve and the Sweethearts who give of themselves to make our program better.  I am thankful to each of our Advisors and staff members who give of their time and efforts to deliver quality to the youth we serve.  I am thankful to our State Officers, young men and our State Sweetheart, with a heart for our Order always looking to make DeMolay even better.

I am thankful for the new friends I have made.  This past year I have had the opportunity to attend the Installation of Officers for George Washington Chapter in San Dimas California where the Chapter was impacted with the passing of a key Advisor.  I was proud to be invited to attend the installation of Glendale Chapter in Glendale Arizona where we saw a “full” installation of officers and spend time with some outstanding young men.  These visits remind me that we are part of a worldwide brotherhood and the caliber of young man participating in DeMolay is unrivaled.

Tomorrow, as each of you share the day with friends and family, I encourage you to take a moment and think of what you are most thankful.  I hope you find that clarity of vision to see what is before you and appreciate those things even more.

God bless each and every one of you and may you and your families have a joyous holiday season!

Mark L. Rauschenberger

Executive Officer - Illinois DeMolay

Thanksgiving with a Twist

In a recent discussion among members of a Masonic group, the topic of awards and honors came up. This group, as a whole, offers no nationally sponsored awards or honors to recognize members and how have been instrumental in the success of the program. When this idea was brought to them, many said they were happy that no such award existed. This perplexed me a bit. Having come from a DeMolay background, I see great value in well used awards and honors.

Their concerns generally came in one of three ways. First, they didn't like the idea that people would be "in it" for recognition. Next, they were concerned over the hurt feelings that might come up as a result of someone not being recognized. Lastly, many felt that the positive feelings they get from serving was reward enough (and should be enough of a reward for everyone else too.) While I understood their concerns, I found it hard to accept that the bad outweighs the good when it comes to rewarding our members for a job well done.

However, they bring up some good points. Everyone, at some point in their life, gets passed over for a promotion, an award, or something else they truly believe they deserve. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, it becomes a good time to reflect on what you are truly thankful for. While being a Chevalier is a great honor, many will tell you that the events leading up to receiving the cordon of a Chevalier are much more important than the actually knighting. The real "reward" was the enjoyment building up to the receiving of such an honor, not the intrinsic value of what was given.

As you look back on your DeMolay experiences, don't just think about the things that you didn't do, or the things that didn't work, or even the awards you think you deserve. Think about what a wonderful time you've had in the organization and be thankful for that. I know I am.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

How do you say thank you?

Over this past weekend I had the privilege and honor to participate in the Annual Gettysburg Memorial Service with the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania. Each year, usually in September, the Grand Commandery comes together to march up the hill that leads into the National Cemetery at Gettysburg. About mid way up the hill rests the Friend to Friend Monument, which was erected by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to commemorate the Masonic Brothers who fought on both sides during the American Civil War. It  is at this hallowed site, dedicated to Freemasons and soldiers, which is mere steps from where Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal Gettysburg address, that the Grand Commandery remembers the Knights that have died during the past year. The service was very moving and provided great honor to those who have come before.

I know. I hear you. What does this have to do with DeMolay? C'mon guys, you know I always find a way to tie it back together!

As I stood guard for the service, I noticed that "Dad" John K. March, the Right Eminent Grand Commander of Pennsylvania (the State level president), was wearing a blue ribbon on his uniform. It looked very out of place, as Templar awards and medals generally are red, white, black, or purple. Blue is not a common color. Yet, there he was, wearing a blue ribbon. Upon further inspection, I realized that he was wearing a DeMolay Medal of Appreciation. That medal was presented to him by Bros. Matt Blaisdell (SMC) and Anthony Kallhoff (SJC) back in July at a testimonial dinner in his honor. As my eyes panned to the right, I spied "Dad" Kenneth J. Wyvill, Jr., the Right Eminent Grand Commander of Maryland. Lo and behold, he was wearing a similar jewel on his jacket! I was noticing a trend.

Pictured above (from Left to Right): Sir Knight and "Dad" John K. March (Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania), Sir Knight and "Dad" Seth Anthony (Division Commander, Division No. 5 of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania), Sir Knight and "Dad" Kenneth J. Wyvill, Jr. (Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Maryland)

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the Templar organization, the uniform codes are very strict. They specify not only what medals and decorations you can wear on your uniform, but also what order they are to be displayed in. The code is very strict and adherence to it is an important part of the Templar tradition. To see two of the highest officers in their respective states wearing adornments that are not listed as official in the uniform code is very unusual. Uniform codes are usually left up to each state, so the Grand Commander can do anything he likes in regard to his uniform, but to see two Grand Commanders both wearing DeMolay medals on their uniforms at the same time was really special.

I spoke with "Dad" March after the service and asked to take some pictures with him and of his Medal of Appreciation. He said to me "I promised those young men that I would wear this medal for the entire year that I'm Grand Commander. They did me a great honor by presenting this (the Medal of Appreciation) to me and I'm going to return that favor by wearing it everywhere I go this year." When I asked "Dad" Wyvill about his Medal he said "The young men of Maryland DeMolay are our future. They gave me this Medal and in a couple of weeks I'm receiving the Legion of Honor. It means a lot to me."

The DeMolay Medal of Appreciation is one of the easiest awards to bestow, but that doesn't cheapen it! The only requirements include the following: it must be approved by a Chapter;  it can be given to anyone over the age of 20; it can be given to community leaders, Masons, and others who help the DeMolay program; and lastly, it must be approved by the Executive Officer.  It provides an excellent way to say "thanks" to those who make the DeMolay program successful.  And, as demonstrated above, the potential impact it can have is enormous.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Why blog?

I was recently asked by a fellow DeMolay Executive Officer: "Why is PA DeMolay blogging?"


What he really wanted to know was: "Where is the value for the time invested?" and "Should I do it, too?"

Well, first of all, blogging statistics are staggering.

A September 2010 study by eMarketer on the skyrocketing growth of blogging suggests that blogging is becoming very important to users who are looking for unfiltered opinions, product reviews, and up-to-date content. The study says that by 2014 more than 150 million Americans, or 60 percent of the U. S. Internet population will be regular blog participants. WordPress.com alone hosts more than 11.4 million blogs, publishing about 350,000 new posts, daily, and receiving an average of 400,000 comments, daily.

That's a lot of on-line "conversation" and while it is something that requires a regular and reliable time commitment, it is a valuable, and necessary communications tool in today's social media world.

Blogging, for organizations in general, can help build brand awareness, increase website traffic, develop better relations with members and friends, and provide an easy way for non-technical people, (like me!) to change content regularly on a website.

PA DeMolay is lucky to have "Dad" Seth Anthony who likes to do this-- I enjoy it, too, occasionally, but the pressure of doing it on a regular schedule would probably wear me down. "Dad" Anthony, however, seems to thrive on it, and never has trouble coming up with something of interest.

Our goal is to write posts that are relevant to DeMolay leaders, both young and old. Being relevant isn't just writing about how to run a DeMolay Chapter. Often it involves writing about the things that we think are important to young men and leaders who work with young men. Sometimes the topics are thoughtful and meaningful; sometimes they are downright silly. But that's what working with DeMolays is all about-- finding the right balance between ritual and athletics, fund-raising and social time, leadership and followership, philosophy and fun.

So, I come back to the big question: IS this blog worth the time we spend on it? It is hard to quantify the answer, because, after ten months of blogging with 124 posts we don't have a huge number of official "followers," (58) and we don't get too many written comments (26) by way of the blog, yet.  But we do get emails and phone calls, and have received some great suggestions for future blog topics.

If you find that reading this blog has been interesting, or helpful, or challenging, or, at least, amusing, drop us a note and let us know. You can write via the blog comments, or you can send an email to me, or to Seth at any address you may have for us, or you can use webmaster@pademolay.org; whatever is most convenient for you!

And whether or not you choose to send us a note, thanks for reading!

"Dad" Tom Labagh
Executive Officer

Wait For It!

The 25th Anniversay Key Man Conference is now history and the closing session on Saturday, August 14th, was an unforgettable experience. We will have video coverage of all of the closing speakers who proved that they really understood the purpose of the week and the purpose of the Order of DeMolay.

I can't promise that they will be posted tonight-- possibly not until Tuesday evening-- but I CAN promise that you will want to stop back in to see them-- THEY ARE AMAZING!

Right now I would like to just give a huge shout out and thank you to Mom Jeanine Larkin who was our volunteer nurse for the week. She carefully logged in everyone's medications, verified dosages with parents, and kept meticulous notes on the scheduled dispensing of meds as required for each Key Man.
She also took care of cuts and scrapes and bruises (and perhaps a little homesickness) for both DeMolays and Staff Members, and without her, we would have been in deep trouble. I cannot thank her enough for her dedication to DeMolay!

- Dad Tom Labagh, EO in PA