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.