Happy Holidays from PA DeMolay

Since I will not be in the office over the weekend, I wanted to make sure I got this post together today. In DeMolay, we teach the members that it is important to have their own beliefs in terms of religious traditions. Not everyone believes in the same traditions, but we all believe in something. During the holidays, some celebrate Christmas, some celebrate Hanukkah, some celebrate Kwanzaa, and others just celebrate the New Year. 

For me personally, I will be headed back to Philadelphia to celebrate Christmas after I'm done work today. I will be away from my desk for a few days, but will be back Thursday of next week. For those celebrating Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas.  

On behalf of all of Pennsylvania DeMolay, we hope everyone has a Happy Holiday season. For anyone traveling, be safe in your journey. I'm sure I'll make a post before then, but in case I don't, Happy New Year and I'll see you in 2017.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

PS: Here is a really old picture, but there's always room for a photo of Santa Jacques so enjoy.

   

Sam Williamson: The Godfather of Pennsylvania DeMolay

Today is the birthday of a very special person in the hearts of the members and advisors of Pennsylvania DeMolay, "Dad" Samuel C. Williamson. Today "Dad" Williamson celebrates his 90th birthday. In a way, this post is a Throwback Thursday post mainly because you will see some of the best pictures we have of "Dad" Williamson throughout his time with DeMolay. 

"Dad" Williamson served as the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania from 1982 to 1983. In that time, he founded the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation, which dedicates its existence to the support of the Masonic Youth Groups in Pennsylvania. "Dad" Williamson served as Executive Officer from 1987 to 2000. This past year, "Dad" Williamson was inducted into the DeMolay International Hall of Fame.

To this day, "Dad" Williamson shows overwhelming support to the Pennsylvania DeMolay program. I had the privilege of being at the surprise party thrown for "Dad" Williamson last week (Sam, I still take no responsibility for throwing that party.) In that room, it was great to see how many people were affected in a positive way by the teachings of Sam Williamson. Thank you "Dad" Williamson for all that you do for Pennsylvania DeMolay. Happy Birthday! Enjoy your special day!

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

KMU Update: Have You Met Mitch!

Hello Brethren,

My name is Mitchell Holmes and I am from the best chapter in Pennsylvania (lol), Templar Chapter. If you haven’t heard already, I am the next Key Man University Youth Director for the 2017 Conference! I am very excited to work with all the applicants and staff for next year’s Conference!

I am 15 years old and in 10th Grade. In my chapter, I am currently the Master Councilor. In DeMolay, I have been awarded with the Lamp of Knowledge, Representative DeMolay, and I applied for my PMC-MSA Award.

This year at Key Man, I am excited to say that we will have our very first talent show, in which applicants have the option to show fellow friends their unique talents. Along with this, we will be having our second annual class competitions. Each class can compete for a prize that will be given at the end of the week. In addition, we will be having sweetheart competitions to the class competitions.

Key Man will be a fun week! I encourage all of you to come to this fantastic fun week! Should you have any questions or concerns about the Key Man experience, please do not hesitate to contact me or the Key Man Staff. Keep an eye out for applications, as they will be coming out soon!

I look forward in seeing you at KMU!

Ancora Imparo!

Bro. Mitch Holmes

Key Man Youth Director 2017

Building Relationships Between DeMolay and Masons

This past weekend, I had the privilege of watching one of the things that makes our organization great. I had the chance to watch the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Masons, take time out of his schedule and spend it with the DeMolay. The relationship between DeMolay and Masonry is a very important one. After all, one day the members of DeMolay may become Masons themselves. It's always great to see that the "fraternity" aspect that we teach can be exchanged between the organizations.  

This past weekend was PA DeMolay's Grand Master's Class, a membership class in honor of the  Right Worshipful Grand Master, Raymond T. Dietz. Most years this event takes place with the Grand Master stopping in, sitting with us at the formal banquet, speaking to the members during his remarks with words of wisdom, and leaving shortly thereafter. This year was different. This year, the RWGM and the RWJGW decided to challenge the members to a basketball game later that night, and if the DeMolay members won, they all received $5. The members of DeMolay, represented by Mitch Holmes of Templar Chapter and Cody Anderson of Elizabethtown Chapter, won the game and won the $5 for every member in attendance. Although money may have been exchanged, the dollar signs are meaningless in comparison to the memories that were made that night. I saw members rallying and cheering for their team. I heard music playing and a megaphone used by our State Master Councilor Eric Dye (Yes, we gave him a Megaphone.) The Grand Master, who has a busy workload as it is, took the time to play a game with the members. The DeMolays will remember that as a high point throughout their DeMolay and maybe even Masonic career.  

Its not often that members of DeMolay can say that they spent such a great time with the Right Worshipful Grand Master. Sure some may have held meaningful conversation with a GM in the past, but the interaction that took place on that basketball court was priceless. Sometimes the relationship between Mason and DeMolay tends to be more business than anything else. Its important for us to build relationships with the members of the Masonic Fraternity, and occasionally enjoy a laugh or two. Get to know the members in your local Masonic Lodge better. You'll find that the more down to earth our relationships are with the Masons, the more they may help us in the long run. Thank you Mr. Dietz and Mr. Wonderling for making memories with the DeMolay members. It truly meant a lot.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin      

Throwback Thursday: Grand Master's Class 2014

It's Thursday, which means its also "Throwback Thursday." With Grand Master's Class taking place tomorrow, I figured we should remember back to the last Grand Master's Class, two years ago. 

The year was 2014. The Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was Robert J. Bateman, who was in attendance. A total of 24 members were brought into DeMolay during the fantastic degree work performed by an All-Star cast, led by the Elected State Officers. Along with the outstanding work that PA DeMolay did to promote the Children's Dyslexia Center's, PA DeMolay also presented a check to the Right Worshipful Grand Master for one of the charities he was promoting throughout his term, Change for the Troops.

I remember being at this particular class, and I remember the professionalism that went into the performances that day. I've always been proud of the work I've seen in DeMolay, and that day was no exception. I look forward to seeing the same effort taking place this weekend at Grand Master's Class.

I'll leave these photos here for you to reminisce.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

 

#Giving Tuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to the efforts of giving back to others in a charitable sense. Originally, I thought this was a day DeMolay International created since I've seen it on all of our pages. That was until Facebook told me that they wanted to help give back to a fundraiser as well. From there, I noticed that all charities are supporting Giving Tuesday, and you should too. 

In DeMolay, we have several chances to give back and raise money for charity. We encourage members to raise money for the state charity, which in Pennsylvania is the Children's Dyslexia Center. Chapters and individuals have been known to support multiple other charities as well. I've seen chapters help out with homeless shelters, donate change for the troops, and we all remember the donations made from the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS two summers ago. 

Today, I encourage all members and advisors to take part in the efforts of Giving Tuesday. Choose a charity or program that you support and make a donation. You can even make a donation to the DeMolay Foundation by going to demolay.org/donate. The important thing is that you make a difference in the life of someone.      

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Brotherhood at it's Finest

"Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man's survival."

Carlos P. Romulo

DeMolay International is recognizing today's date, November 17th as Brotherhood Day. What does brotherhood mean to you?

The term brotherhood refers to a bond that cannot be easily broken. It means having a friendship that will last the length of time. In DeMolay, brotherhood is one of the sole purposes of the organization. We build friendships with people we otherwise may never have gotten to know. We as DeMolay's are expected to work together, have each others back, and support each other. 

To me, brotherhood is a group of people that will always be by your side. Because of DeMolay, I have close friends who I consider my brothers all over the world. I've had brothers from my home chapter who have helped me solve several problems as a team. I've had friends from across the state, including Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Erie. I've even had the privilege of meeting friends from all over the world. I've worked with DeMolay members from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Texas, Tennessee, Utah and Canada. Brotherhood and DeMolay go hand in hand. 

Take advantage of that bond. A lot of the members that attend KeyMan University had the chance to meet DeMolay members from jurisdictions other that Pennsylvania. Get to know them and stay in touch. You may find a bond worth keeping. Continue the brotherhood that has made DeMolay great for nearly 100 years. 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Happy Brotherhood Day

#IAMDEMOLAY

    

The 5 Steps of Being a Mentor

PA DeMolay promotes the Bro-Tie mentoring program, a program that allows members to coach our newest brothers through the ranks of DeMolay. They are asked to help guide them and teach them to make their DeMolay experience more enjoyable. When both parties achieve success, a half of their bow-tie is exchanged, giving both participants a black and red bow-tie. With this, we should be asking ourselves "What does it take to be a good mentor."

As the program promotes, a mentor is a friend that helps guide a less experienced individual, but there are specific qualities that are important to make this process happen. Here are the five steps of being a mentor, as documented by the Oregon Youth Challenge Program:

Build trust - In order to be a mentor, the mentee must be able to trust the person leading him. Show them that you won't let them down.

Listen - Part of being a leader is listening to others. Listen to the mentee in order to find the best way to lead him.

Encourage - Motivation is an important part of success. As a mentor, encourage your mentee into learning what they need to in order to achieve their goals. 

Be Reliable - We already talked about building trust, but being reliable is about maintaining that trust. Be dependable, and the mentee will continue to follow your example. 

Have Fun - This should be the easiest part of being a mentor. Although you do want to make sure all other steps are followed, make sure both you and your mentee are having as much fun along the way. 

Every successful DeMolay has a story of someone that helped them along the way. In my case, I have a few different people who have mentored me and guided me to where I am now. Be that role model for someone else. Take advantage of the Bro-Tie program and help a new member learn more about DeMolay.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

#IAMDEMOLAY

The following is the link for the website that I found some of this important information.

http://www.oycp.com/MentorTraining/3/m3.html

Remember, Remember, the 8th of November

Today marks an important day for the Order of DeMolay, as it is the day that our Founder, Frank S. Land, passed away. "Dad" Land created this great youth organization in 1919, and we are still going strong to this day, nearly celebrating 100 years of existence. His vision for a young men's youth organization has turned into a program that has helped young men grow into better leaders all over the world. 

In DeMolay, November 8th is also known as "Frank S. Land Memorial Day," an obligatory day designed for us to pay tribute to "Dad" Land for giving us this incredible group to be proud of. Chapters are asked to celebrate in two ways: hold a program in memory of "Dad" Land, and donate money to a local or Masonic charity in memory of "Dad" Land. 

As a Chevalier, this date also is the day that we promised "To hold communion with a fellow Chevalier, or Court of Chevaliers, wherever I may be, and should this be impossible, I will break bread with an active DeMolay or a young man in his teens." Chevaliers all over the world will get together to pay tribute to "Dad" Land. Some Chevalier Courts choose to observe this on a day closest to November 8th. My Chevalier Court celebrated at Fogo de Chao in Philadelphia on November 5th.

So thank you "Dad" Land, for giving us a group of friends that we can rely on, a Masonic family that is always there for us, and an extended family that cares about us the same way that our real families do. We salute you on this very special 8th of November.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

I AM DEMOLAY!

November is finally here, which means that it's DeMolay Rush Month. DeMolay International has dedicated the entire month of November to promoting this great organization and attempting to bring in new members to DeMolay. This is a way to be proud of the organization that has turned us into the people we are today.

So what are some things that you can do to promote DeMolay in Pennsylvania? The first thing is to wear a DeMolay shirt to school or work. DeMolay International is making every Tuesday a day in which you wear a DeMolay shirt, but why limit it to just Tuesday. Social media posts are another way that can help promote DeMolay. Post a picture of you wearing your DeMolay shirt and post it to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other form of social media (maybe even Myspace.) When posting, please remember to use the #IAMDEMOLAY. This is an attempt to make DeMolay a trending topic all over the world throughout November. 

So what are your waiting for? Get out there and promote the greatest youth organization around. Start posting and start bringing in new members. Pennsylvania is currently in second place with 73 new members. Lets make our way to first place. We can do it!

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

#IAMDEMOLAY

Let’s Talk Respect, or Initiatory Promises Translated

Why do we wear a coat and tie to our business meetings? We don’t dress so formally for fun night, or for rehearsals. Yes, it’s true, that dressing up seems to change us, and make us feel better about ourselves, and it makes us look good to outsiders, but I think we wear a coat and tie to our business meetings as a matter of respect toward DeMolay and the Ritual we perform.

Every one of you made promises when you were obligated into DeMolay, and you repeat them every time a new member is obligated. Do you remember any of them? I would be willing to bet that unless you have studied the obligation, you don’t remember any of the promises (you may have some vague recollection of the concepts…). I think there is a reason for this. It turns out that the Initiatory Degree Obligation, and the promises it contains were written a long time ago using words that are no longer in fashion. Let me give you an example. Here is a line from the Initiatory Degree Obligation: I promise that I will live a clean and moral life, keeping my body free from dissipation and my mind free from the uncleanness that defiles and debauches youth. Huh? Well, that is the way they wrote things back then. 

So, let me translate the Initiatory Degree Obligation promises for you, into words that you may understand a little better:

You promised to try to be a good son and to do everything you can to let your parents know you love them, as much as they love you.

You promised to be a good person, and not get involved in stealing, using drugs or alcohol, or being a part of any gangs.

You promised that you would support God and your church and that you would treat others the same way you would like them to treat you.

You promised that if you had to fight for your country that you would do so gladly, and that the flag of our country is just as important and because of all of this, you wont break any laws.

You promised that if you ever found someone plotting against our country, you would let the police know about it, and that you believe your school and your schooling is very important to you.

You promised that you think that Jacques DeMolay (who kept his promises and paid for that by dying) is a good example of how to live, and that you would do the same for something you truly believed in.

You promised to treat all DeMolay’s as brothers, and that you will always be nice to them, help them whenever you can, and not speak badly about them to others.

And finally, you promised that you will NEVER treat any woman badly, or call them names, or let someone else hurt a woman if you could stop them from doing it.

And do you remember who you promised this all to? You promised it to God!

Every one of these promises deals with respect. Respect for your family, respect for your country, respect for God, respect for the promises you make, respect for your school, respect for your DeMolay brothers, respect for others in general, and respect (especially) for women. 

So you can really sum up what it means to be a DeMolay in one word: Respect! Please remember that a DeMolay has essentially promised to ALWAYS be respectful, and let me give you a hint, if you can’t remember all the promises you made, it doesn’t matter as long as you always remember to be just one thing; respectful. 

 How respectful have you been today?

This blog post was created by Allentown Chapter Advisor, "Dad" Rich Shevalier. Thank you "Dad" Shevalier for your contribution to the PA DeMolay blog. A very important lesson that all should remember. 

Bake Sale for Charity

Since our Jaquestoberefest celebration is only a few weeks away already, we are asking for baked good donations to sell at our weekend. Everything will be from $0.25 to $2.00, so bring your change to Patton. Anyone, including DeMolay and advisors, can bring baked goods ranging from cookies, brownies, cupcakes, muffins, breads, etc. We ask that each baked good is labeled with what it is, who brought it, and a list of ingredients so customers are notified for allergy purposes. I will be at registration when everyone arrives on Friday to collect the delicious donations.

All of the proceeds from this bake sale will benefit our state charity, the Children’s Dyslexia Centers of Pennsylvania. Our goal for the year is to go above and beyond just raising the $6,000 to donate and sponsor a child, we want to spread awareness for this great cause and have 100% chapter participation in our programs. As of September 30th, we have raised over $700 already and have had two chapters donate! Great job guys, and keep up the great work!

Also, keep a look out for any charity events or fundraiser’s happening around the state like the two very successful Children’s Dyslexia Walk/5K’s recently held in the Pittsburgh and Allentown regions. If your chapter has a fundraiser happening soon, let us know and we can help promote it!

Additionally, if your chapter is having difficulty coming up with ideas, email our Sate Sweetheart at pa.statesweetheart@gmail.com and we’ll work with your chapter on ideas and execution as well. You can also email us with any questions you might have on our fundraising programs, charity, and upcoming events.

This post was written by PA DeMolay's State Sweetheart, Miss Caitlin Gresham. Thank you Caitlin for your contribution to the blog, and to the members of PA DeMolay please continue to support the Children's Dyslexia Centers. 

Apply to become KMU Youth Director!

Hello, readers! Today is the day that we start accepting applications for Youth Director for KeyMan University for the 2017 academic year.

KeyMan University will be August 6 through August 12, 2017, at Patton Campus in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. We're looking for someone who can fit the job requisition, which can be found here. The responsibilities of the Youth Director can be found here.

After you've read both of those files, and you feel like you're the candidate we're looking for, apply at keyman.pademolay.org/youth-director-application and we'll review your application. But act quickly; we're only accepting applications until November 15, 2016!

Application Process

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

1. Submit your application online by going to this link: keyman.pademolay.org/youth-director-application
2. We will contact you within a week of your application to let you know if your application is accepted and to set a time for the interview.
3. We will present you with a small project to prepare. This is completely open ended and shouldn't take long to complete. We'll ask you to present this during the interview.
4. The interview will be conducted via Skype. This interview will be carried out in the manner of a real job interview. We're not asking you to dress in a suit, but you will need to be presentable.
5. We are planning to make our final selection by Grand Master's Class in December and will contact each of our applicants to let them know of our decision.

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

Dan Loughin

2017 KMU Director

Arnold Palmer: Pro Golfer and DeMolay Legionnaire

With tie recent passing of DeMolay Legion of Honor recipient Arnold Palmer, PA DeMolay's Deputy State Master Councilor, Brother Jacob Beers wrote this blog post. Thank you Brother Beers for sharing your meaningful and heartfelt story. 

Sunday night, I was coming off of a very good weekend of DeMolay. Saturday marked another great Autumn Day for the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown where I was able to talk to a few prospective members for Central PA Chapters and spend time with friends across the Masonic Youth Groups. Later in the day, the ESOs and I worked on final planning for Jacquestoberfest and worked on other State issues. Sunday, we invested 16 new Legionnaires into the Legion of Honor with an amazing ceremony back at the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown.

However, not all of the weekend was as perfect as it would seem to have been. At 8:58 PM, I received this update from CBS Sports:

“BREAKING: Arnold Palmer, golf trailblazer known as ‘The King’, dies at age 87; had 62 PGA Tour wins”

I was immediately saddened. Just one year ago, I had the chance to meet the golfing legend. Not only did I meet him, but I had the chance to be a part of his Legion of Honor Investiture Team performing the 2nd Preceptor part, truly an honor within itself. Looking back on it now, I don't think I appreciated that moment enough. I don't think I really noticed until now that a man who seemingly had everything - trophies, medals, championships, Presidential recognition - could be so proud, so honored, to be given this recognition from an organization such as ours. This was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life, or at least it is now when my hindsight is 20/20.

The DeMolays that were there were able to talk with him in his office for a while after the ceremony had finished. I can remember one of the members from Westmoreland Chapter asking of a table full of embedded medals of Palmer’s many tournament wins something like, “what are these empty spaces for?” To which he brilliantly replied, “those are for my next wins.” The man was so confident and such a joy to be around that I wish I could have stayed longer and asked him more, but the only question I got in was this: “What made you want to open a golf course in China?” His reply was something along the lines of this (I'm paraphrasing): “Golf is something I've loved ever since I played it as a boy. They [China] didn't have golf over there and I wanted to spread what I love to them so they could enjoy it, too.” Whether that's exactly what he said or not, the point is clear: Arnold Palmer wanted to spread what he loved to people that didn't have it so they could love it themselves.

I didn't write this, initially, with the idea of plugging DeMolay into it, but I feel as though I can't not do it. If we all, as DeMolays, spread what we love (hopefully, DeMolay falls into that category) to people that don't already know how great this group is, maybe we, too, can spread passion for DeMolay as Palmer spread passion for golf throughout his life. Though Palmer himself was never a DeMolay, I feel connected to him. Of all the Legion of Honor Conferrals I've been a part of, it is his that I felt was one of the most meaningful. Like I said earlier, a man that had everything was so proud to be honored by some little youth organization called DeMolay. 

Arnold Palmer was one of the greatest men I have had the honor of dedicating anew to the faith of our fathers, as the Ritual prescribes. I can only hope that this distinction from a group of young men whom he had never met, but whose ideals were those that would provide the foundation of a successful future for themselves and their country, was as great of an honor to receive as it was to bestow on The King himself.

Throwback Thursday: Autumn Day 2013

It's Thursday, which means according to the social media world that today is "Throwback Thursday." With Autumn Day taking place this Saturday at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, I figured we should try to remember how much fun we've had during such event. 

The year was 2013, and to be honest, I think this is the most recent Autumn Day that I have attended (I only know that because I saw myself in some of the photos, which you will not see.) For those that have never been to Autumn Day, it is a community festival that takes place at the Masonic Village. Members of all Masonic affiliated groups gather together to enjoy the festivities. Food and entertainment is provided by the hardworking staff. Masonic Youth Groups gather to promote their programs to the public.

So, enjoy these photos, and join us this year at Autumn Day to make some new memories. 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Random Act of Kindness

The other day I was looking around on Facebook and saw a story that really caught my attention. “Dad” Labagh shared a story from David Miller, the current Deputy State Master Councilor of Virginia and graduate of KeyMan University. David was at a gas station filling up his truck. He still had a long distance to travel, while only having just about $12 on him. He used all of the cash he had and started to pump his gas. As he was pumping, he realized that the pump was filling more than he paid for, and in a panic, tried to figure out how he was going to pay for it. As he walks to the cashier to figure out what happened, Before he had a chance to go inside, the man in line behind him told him to keep pumping because he put $40 on his pump. David was amazed that a random stranger would do such a good deed to make sure he could get home.

When I first read this story, and even now, I found it really great that there are still good people that willingly do selfless deeds for people that may not even know. It made me think when the last time I did something like that. Sure I've done the normal opening doors for people and I gave a cashier a dollar for a small child that was a dollar short at the Elizabethtown Fair, but nothing to this caliber. As part of DeMolay, we are taught to be courteous of others, but an occasional random act of kindness never hurt either. David will remember this good deed for the rest of his life. How can we affect the lives of others. I challenge everyone reading this blog post to go out and perform a good deed for someone, whether someone you know or don't know. 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

    

DeMolay and Patriotism

One of the cardinal principles that we teach in DeMolay is love of country, which can be summed up into one word that was deemed a cardinal virtue of DeMolay; patriotism. The love and respect we are taught to have for our country goes beyond the field of battle, which several members of DeMolay have been proud to be part of for many years. That same love of country goes deeper into the thoughts of our belief's and our actions in our daily lives.

Yesterday was a day that still stands the test of time as a historical day. September 11th, 2001, the day the World Trade Centers in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, were demolished by terroristic attacks on our nation, will always be remembered as a turning point in American History. Just like the question "Where were you when President Kennedy was assassinated?," we will always think to ourselves "What were we doing on 9/11/01?" To answer that question, I was a sophomore in High School. We were sent to home room right before being sent home for the day. In my home room, which was also the choir room, classmates were standing on chairs to watch the TV screen. I knew something bad was happening, but I couldn't tell what it was since I could not see the screen for myself. They sent us home, and I was yelled at by my mother for stopping for pizza. Needless to say, when I watched the events on TV, I could understand why. I knew that this moment would be a day that we would never forgot, and 15 years later, that theory still stands.

Our nation has had a lot of "ups" and "downs" over the years. Some would even say that we are in some of those "downs" now. The thing I will leave you with is for us to remember all that we have overcome in our nations history. Every problem that we have been faced with as a nation, has come with a solution. September 11th, 2001 was a devastating time in our nations history that some would think we would not come back from, but we did.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Back To School For DeMolay

The summer is almost over, which means school is back in session. I’m sure most DeMolay members will cringe at the thought of school, but it’s not all bad right? You get to see friends that you haven’t seen throughout the summer, experience a new classroom with a new teacher, and you’re a grade higher than you were last year. The most important part of why school is a good thing is because it’s the perfect place to promote DeMolay.

The one thing that makes DeMolay grow is membership, bringing in others to enjoy the experiences that we have all enjoyed ourselves. Why not take advantage of this opportunity by promoting DeMolay at school? You can talk to friends about the fun activities that took place over the summer during lunch or in between classes (I don’t recommend talking during class time. Teachers won’t like that.) You can describe how much fun you had at KeyMan or Convention. When they ask how do I take part in this, give them a form and a brochure.

Another way to promote DeMolay is to promote without saying a word, through advertising. Wear a DeMolay shirt or an emblem on your backpack. Friends may ask what that logo represents, creating a conversation starter, and hopefully a new prospective member.

So, now you should be excited about going back to school. Go out there and recruit new members to make your DeMolay experience more exciting.   

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/

2016 KMU Movie Preview, Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad, a can’t miss action thriller.

On Friday August 5, 2016; Suicide Squad will be coming out in theaters across the nation. This film focuses on some of the man villains of DC Comics universe, rather than their hero counterparts. This alone is drawing the interest of many people, myself included. In Suicide Squad villains Harley Quinn and Joker are recruited by the government, and sent to destroy said government’s enemies. Another villain, Deadshot, who specializes with firearms, is the one that I am particularly looking forward to seeing, because according to his backstory he never misses a shot. I for one am fascinated by the concept of Suicide Squad and am incredibly excited to see it, because as I said it will focus on the villains, and I think  that this factor along will make the movie enticing to all that love DC Comics, and even those who don’t.

~David L., Editor-n-chief of the 2016 KMU Communications & Media Department.

Suicide Squad(2016), is a film production by DC Entertainment, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. All rights and trademarks are reserved by Warner Bros. Pictures.