The Value of Connections

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I've recently purchased my first home. While the structure of the home is solid, it requires several "facial" updates. The light fixtures, paint, counter tops, vanities, etc. are all pretty dated. The electrical outlets need to be replaced and some minor plumbing needs to be completed to really make the house new again. This is the "price" I'm paying for having gotten a great deal on the home at well under market value. In real estate terms, they refer to this as putting in "sweat equity."

For the last week and a half, I have worked nearly 100 hours on my new home. I've learned how to wire an outlet, plumb a sink, paint an ugly wall, fix a garage door, trim an overgrown tree, clean my gutters, change a light fixture, and so much more. I was discussing these projects with a Masonic Brother and he asked where I learned to do all of these things. I answered honestly and told him that much of it came from my father, while the rest came from watching videos on the internet. Everything was going very smoothly. Then, last weekend came.

Saturday was a huge day of work. I arrived at the house around 9 AM and immediately got cracking. I had some help, thanks to "Mom" Stacy Meeker, who took on the major task of painting. Then, around 1 PM, Bro. Matt Blaisdell came over and offered to assist as well. He and Stacy took to painting a bathroom while I completed some electrical work. The projects were going well, until I hit an issue with a light switch. It had many more wires than I had previously worked with and I wasn't sure what to do. I tried several combinations. Finally, the light came on and I thought I had it fixed. Then, at the end of the night, when I went to turn the light off, it wouldn't switch off. Drats! I ended up flipping the breaker and left it for Sunday morning.

I started working on the switch first thing on Sunday. I spent nearly two hours trying to get the switch to work, with no luck. Realizing that further work was futile, I moved on to the next project - mounting a new light above the vanity in my bathroom. I removed the previous fixture off of the wall, only to realize that the wires were punched through the wall in the wrong place for the new light, stopping that project dead in its tracks. I was frustrated. I was getting angry. I wasn't sure what to do. My new house was causing me much consternation.

It was about this time that I remembered that Bro. Scott Smeltzer, a Senior DeMolay from the old Continental Chapter in York, is an electrician. I called and left Scott a message and he got back to me pretty quickly. I explained my issues and he offered to come to my house on Wednesday to look at my problems. As promised, Scott arrived on Wednesday and got right to work. In an hour and a half, he managed to take care of three projects. I had spent three times that much working on just one issue. He was a life saver, to say the least.

As he was finishing up the job, I asked him how much I owed him for the work. Scott responded "Nothing. This is what Brothers do. I help you, you help me. That's what it's all about." I was blown away. I had never expected him to do the work without cost and had money in my pocket ready to pay him. However, he wouldn't take any remuneration from me (and I tried a couple of times.)

This is the value of the DeMolay program - connections. Over a decade ago, I spent $50 to join Erie Chapter. Since that time, that $50 has grown in ways that I could never have expected. Had I called in an outside electrician, it could have cost me hundreds of dollars and this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what the Fraternity has done for me over the years.

The value of DeMolay (and Freemasonry) isn't monetary. It's the connections that it gives you the opportunity to make. If you invest in making, keeping, and supporting your connections, you're investing in a better future for yourself and your Brothers.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

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

Walt Disney, DeMolay, and the Founder's Cross

Today's blog post is one of the most exciting I've ever been able to make.

Previously, on this blog, we've talked about Walt Disney's membership in DeMolay and shared with you some correspondence he wrote about the organization. A couple of weeks ago, I posted my research about the Founder's Cross, of which Walt Disney was a recipient.

Now, thanks to the work of some fellow researchers, we've secured photos of Bro. Disney's Founder's Cross and membership card. These are in possession of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, CA.

These pictures are absolutely amazing and credit for them is due to Mr. Ed Brucker (who's son is a member of Missouri DeMolay) who has been assisting me with tracking down information regarding the Founder's Cross. I'd also like to offer public kudos to "Dad" Tom Varner, of Virginia, who has been compiling biographies of several recipients (with hopes of having a book of biographies available at some point.)

This is what researching DeMolay history is all about - Brothers working together to make discoveries about our past and preserve them for the future!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

500 posts later...

Toot, toot!  Listen up, DeMolay International!

If any of our readers are "numbers people" they might have caught onto the fact that this is blog post number 500! (You can add up the number of posts for each year in the navigation bar to the right.) In less than 4-1/2 years, we have amassed an incredible treasure-trove of ideas, opinions, inspiration, history, video archives and fun.  Some of this material is worth repeating, or highlighting again, because we have a new generation of DeMolays coming along.  Some of it had one-time value, to promote a specific event long past -- but a vast majority of the posts are as interesting now as when first written.

The credit for this blog goes primarly to "Dad" Seth Anthony, who is responsible for the blog account, and has coordinated most of its content since it began in 2010.  In fact, he has written 440 blog postings over the years.  I have written 39 (a number that surprised me) and 16 other authors have contributed:  Isaac Holtzer (1), "Dad" Dan Loughin (1), "Dad" Peter Brusoe (3), Robbie Smith (2), Alex Rauschenberger (1), "Dad" Bruce Neubauer (1), "Mom" Jan Harms (1), Branden Glass (1), Adam Neubauer (1), "Dad" Zack Panitzke (1), Evan Quinter (1), James Palo (1), "Dad" Brent Richards (1), "Dad" Matt Blaisdell (2), Jordan Ippolito (1), and Alex Garcia (1).

I was privileged to write the first blog entry, which is why, I suppose, I have been asked to write the 500th blog posting.  In the Monday, November 1, 2010 blog post, I answered the question, "Why blog?" and it is still a very accurate explanation of why we do what we do.  The significance of it continues to grow as we realize the international audience we have amassed from the Philippines, Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Russia, India, and Australia.  And when we realized that some of our posts were bringing a lot of people to our blog who knew nothing about DeMolay, it encouraged us to look for items to share that would be of greater general interest.
Our most-often viewed posts include the story about the Senior DeMolay who grew up to become the WWE's "Undertaker,"  a detailed look at the yellow cords on officer capes called aigulettes, the history of Dad Land's very own personal Founders Cross Award, and the DeMolay advisor who was the President of the Philippines. 

I am very proud of this effort on the part of Pennsylvania DeMolay, and I admit that it gripes me just a little that the blog has never received any "official" recognition from DeMolay International.  They send certificates to the creators of regular monthly Chapter publications, which reach out to 15-150 local members and advisors.  But this blog reaches thousands of people, twice each week.  Google and other search engines index it, and make it easy for people to find subjects of great interest to them.  It often shows up in the top searches for DeMolay topics, and has even been featured on Chris Hodapp's FREEMASONS FOR DUMMIES blog. Usually I am reticent about calling attention to myself or our jurisdiction, assuming that the work speaks for itself, but there is another side of me that whispers, "If you don't toot your own horn a little, don't expect others to do it for you!" 

So, I am laying it out there for all of you to see and judge.  How about it?  Where's the love for the PA DeMolay Blog?  Where's the respect for its diverse range of topics, and its readability (typos abound, but, the nature of a blog is its immediacy, not its literacy) and its entertainment value?

Doesn't this merit at least a no-cost certificate, if not better?

Toot, toooooooot!

What say ye, DeMolay International? 

"Dad"  Thomas R. Labagh
Executive Officer in Pennsylvania

Congratulations, "Dad" Blew!

Today, we take a moment to congratulate and honor one of our own - "Dad" Eric Blew, of Allentown Chapter, who has been nominated to receive the HODEGOS Award from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for the year 2014 on behalf of DeMolay. Administered by the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation, the HODEGOS Award recognizes truly outstanding adult leaders of the youth programs, and creates further awareness of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s extensive support of our Masonic Youth. The award takes its name from the Greek word hodegos, meaning “a leader, a guide and an instructor of the inexperienced.”

Rather than just simply tell you about "Dad" Blew's accomplishments, I've decided to take a couple of paragraphs from the nominations letters that came in. Firstly, we have this from another Advisor at Allentown Chapter:

"During Eric’s time as an active DeMolay and officer, Allentown DeMolay thrived, winning many awards, including awards for ritual and Chapter of the Year multiple times. During his time as an advisor, particularly most recently as Chapter Advisor, Allentown DeMolay has thrived again, and once again, it has won many awards, including Chapter of the Year multiple times.

I can say without any hesitation or self-reservation in me whatsoever that Dad Blew is the biggest reason, if not THE reason, for the renaissance of Allentown Chapter, during the past 30 years. To put it simply, when the Chapter faced a decline in both membership and advisors, Dad Blew stepped up and through his relentless commitment of his time, knowledge, contacts, persuasion, persistence, and skill, Allentown Chapter is thriving again.

To put it most bluntly, Allentown Chapter might not exist today were it not for the dedicated efforts and exemplary service of Dad Eric Blew, and I wholeheartedly endorse him and recommend him for the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation HODEGOS Award."

... and this, from an Active DeMolay that "Dad" Blew has worked with:

"Dad" Blew was crucial in helping me become who I am today. When I shoed interest in rising to Master Councilor, I was met with encouraging words and inspirational messages from him. Giving me tips on to be an effective Junior Councilor and Senior Councilor, suggesting useful ideas for improving communication within our members, and guiding me to being the best Master Councilor I could be, he provided me with every tool I would ever need bot a prosperous as a DeMolay and as a human."
It's obvious that "Dad" Blew has touched many lives with his involvement in the fraternity and we will be pleased to see him receive this prestigious honor at our Convention in July in Reading.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Kudos to Recruiters

Rather than writing some long winded article covering an obscure topic, today I want to simple offer some congratulations and "thank yous." There are about 75 days left in 2013. For PA DeMolay to reach its membership goal, we need about 70 members. So, we're looking to recruit one member a day for the rest of the year. It seems like a big goal, and it is, but some DeMolays have already gone above and beyond the call of duty for membership and I want to recognize them for their efforts.

Since 2013 started, two DeMolays from PA have earned their Blue Honor Key - Bro. Adam Neubauer of Westmoreland Chapter and Bro. (now "Dad") Tom Moyer of Pilgrim Chapter. Each of these guys recruited 10 new members during their DeMolay career. Both Pilgrim and Westmoreland Chapters have grown because of it and they continue to have excellent programs. It proves that more members makes everything in DeMolay better!

A shout out also goes out to Bro. Cameron Fitzsimmons, of Erie Chapter, who has earned his Founder's Membership Award, for recruiting 5 new members. He is well on his way to the Blue Honor Key and the hard work he has put into recruiting new members really shows when you visit Erie Chapter.

Membership recruitment isn't always easier, but it's most definitely necessary. It's easy to get tired of hearing the message of "Get new members!" over and over again, but it's the only way we grow as an organization!

Thank you Tom, Adam, and Cameron for helping DeMolay in PA grow!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

The Man Behind the Curtain

In the world of DeMolay, the Executive Officer of a Jurisdiction often acts as the front man for DeMolay in his area. When things are going well, he gets the glory. Conversely, when things are going poorly, he gets the blame. However, in some Jurisdictions, Pennsylvania being one of them, the Executive Officer is the leader of a much larger team of adults who help to keep the program going. But, like any team, there is one player who really stands out. In Pennsylvania, that person has been the Executive Secretary - the man behind the proverbial curtain.

Since the inception of PA DeMolay, the Executive Secretary has played an important role in the day to day operations of the Jurisdiction. He has been, and remains, the right hand of the Executive Officer. He manages the day to day office work so the Executive Officer can concentrate on more "big picture" ideas, as well as being the face of the organization.

First, check out our gallery of Past Executive Secretaries, here: http://www.pademolay.org/people/past/pes.html

We've had 9 Executive Secretaries in Pennsylvania. Three of them have gone on to become Executive Officer - Labagh, McCulley, and Fisher. On average, they have served 8.5 years in the position, with "Dad" Alfred Baker, the first Executive Secretary, serving the least amount of time, and "Dad" David W. Berry, the current ES, holding it the longest - with more than 20 years of service. Of the 9, 7 hailed from the Eastern part of the State, with only two coming from other areas - "Dad" Baker was from Pittsburgh, while "Dad" Deeter was from St. Mary's.

It's also important to point out that the last 3 Executive Secretaries,  prior to "Dad" Berry, have all remained active with DeMolay in some way. It's a testament to their love of the organization that have kept active.

While the EO might be the face of DeMolay, we can never forget the work and effort the Executive Secretary's have put in to make our Jurisdiction great!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

 

Big Mike - A Pennsylvania DeMolay

Anyone who has been around PA DeMolay in recent months has surely come across Bro. Mike Curry, of Pilgrim Chapter, in Harrisburg, PA. Mike joined DeMolay in 2010 and is currently serving as Junior Councilor of his Chapter.

He is often referred to as "Big Mike," not just because of his size, but also because of his heart. Mike attended this year's Key Man Conference and earned his Lamp of Knowledge during the week. He's really taken to the DeMolay program and he strives to live life like a DeMolay.

Recently, a local news source did a video about Mike and his time on the football team for Susquehanna Township High School. Check it out!

http://video-embed.pennlive.com/services/player/bcpid1950981438001?bctid=2633369251001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAQBxUw0E~,DELAM66vw4z-hl01IhycwsWq-6Y4XfEN

Mike is an amazing young man, both an athlete and a DeMolay. Congratulations on this recognition, Brother - it's well deserved!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Thank You's and Updates Galore

Since I'm just getting back from PA DeMolay Convention 2013, this is going to be a short blog post. If you're looking for something to read, I'd encourage you to head over to pademolay.org and check out all of the updates that are coming down the pike. We've got new leadership for the next year, along with several new programs for DeMolays and Advisors. Take some time to read it over - there is a ton of good stuff there!

Now, I'd like to thank everyone that helped make Convention 2013 possible. Bro. Matt Traverso, Youth Director, and Bro. Mike Donahue, Asst. Youth Director, both did fabulous work and made sure all of the little things got done behind the scenes. "Dad" David Labagh was my second set of eyes all weekend and if it wasn't for his ability to think on his feet, many things would have fallen through the cracks. "Dad" Zack Panitzke, my tech guru, saved the day more than once, but most especially when he wrote a computer program, on the fly, to handle ballot counting. "Dad" Denny Morse continued helping at Registration, while "Dad" David Berry managed to keep everything flowing. Without these guys, I couldn't make Convention happen. They are great friends and brothers - I want to once again extend my thanks to them.

Thanks to Erie Chapter for their work in preparing the hospitality bags and for inviting all DeMolays to their club room on Friday afternoon.

Lastly, I'd like to thank those who attended - especially those who stayed in the overflow hotel. I know it wasn't ideal, but you made it work and for that I'm very appreciative. We had no issues with the hotels or the Convention Center and all of the DeMolay's showed their true character by acting like respectable young men.

That's all til Thursday - see you then!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

SMC at Grand Commandery

As long time readers will note, I missed posting something on this past Monday. I was unable to post as I was attending the 160th Annual Conclave of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania, held in Williamsport, PA. Also attending that event was Bro. Alex Rasuchenberger, State Master Councilor of PA DeMolay. Alex was given the opportunity to address the crowd and I managed to video it for "posterity." Enjoy!

PA's Senior DeMolays - William Shillady

I keep being impressed with how many hits my stories on PA's Senior DeMolays are getting. Since everyone seems to be interested in these articles, I'm going to post another one! Today, we take a look at one of PA's Past State Master Councilor's, Bro. William Shillady, who served in 1975-76. While you may not know his name, some very important people do - like former President Bill Clinton and his family!

I found a great biography of Bro. Shillady at the United Methodist City Society's web page:

"Rev. Dr. William S. Shillady has served as Executive Director of the United Methodist City Society since September 2008. Before taking this position, he served as a pastor for 29 years.

A native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Rev. Shillady received his undergraduate degree from Lebanon Valley College. In 1981 he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Duke Divinity School. During his time at Duke he served a four point United Methodist charge in Eastern North Carolina and a Presbyterian Church in downtown Raleigh.

After seminary, Rev. Shillady served one year in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference at the Hawes Avenue United Methodist Church. In 1982 he transferred to the New York Conference and served for six years as the associate pastor to Rev. Dr. Clayton Miller at Asbury Crestwood United Methodist Church in Yonkers.

In 1988 he was appointed to the Mamaroneck United Methodist Church on the Sound shore in Westchester, where he was senior pastor for 11 years. During his tenure, the church raised the funds for and accomplished a major restoration project, prompted by the 2,000 pound church bell falling through the steeple one memorable Sunday morning. Also during this period, Shillady earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew Theological School.

In 1999, he was appointed to the Park Avenue United Methodist Church on the upper east side of Manhattan, where he served as senior pastor for 9 years.

On September 1, 2008 Shillady became the fifth Executive Director of the merged mission associations that created the United Methodist City Society.

Over the years, Rev. Shillady has served on a variety of boards and committees of the New York Annual Conference, as well as community based programs and boards. He now is the chairperson of the Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the Conference, a mentor to candidates for ministry, and serves as chair of the District Committee on Ministry. And currently, he is a member of the Board of Visitors of Duke Divinity School and on the Leadership Council for Habitat for Humanity, NYC."

Pretty impressive huh? Well, check this out, from an article by Linda Bloom, located at http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2789393&ct=8551293

"A United Methodist pastor and Jewish rabbi officiated at the July 31 wedding ceremony of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky in Rhinebeck, N.Y.

The Rev. Bill Shillady, executive director of the New York City Society and a clergy member of the New York Annual (regional) Conference, performed the ceremony with Rabbi James Ponet, the Jewish chaplain of Yale University.

“It was a wonderful honor to be part of this special day in Chelsea and Marc’s life,” Shillady told United Methodist News Service."

Brother Shillady continues to live the life of a DeMolay and we are proud to have such an esteemed member of society among our PSMC's!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

PA's Senior DeMolays - Glenn Grell

Continuing our look at some of Pennsylvania's more well known Senior DeMolays, we come to Bro. Glen R. Grell, who serves in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 87th District, which covers Cumberland County. Much of the information below comes from Rep. Grell's website.

Rep. Glen R. Grell was first elected in 2004 to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 87th District in Cumberland County.  He is currently serving his fifth, two-year term in the state House.

A long-time civic and community leader, Grell is a lifelong resident of Cumberland County.  The 87th Legislative District is comprised of the townships of East Pennsboro, Hampden and Silver Spring, the Borough of Camp Hill, and the second voting precinct of Wormleysburg Borough, pending completion of the 2012 legislative redistricting process.

During his tenure in the House of Representatives, Grell has been the principal sponsor or House floor leader on legislation on subjects ranging from eminent domain; public pension reform; the 2012 Justice Reinvestment Initiative for corrections reform; revisions to the Uniform Commercial Code on secured transactions; a recodification of the Notary Public Law; tort reform and other subjects.  

Prior to being elected to the House, Grell was a practicing attorney in central Pennsylvania since earning his law degree from the Dickinson School of Law in 1981. He was formerly with the law firm of Klett, Lieber, Rooney & Schorling, having previously practiced in the areas of municipal and administrative law, government affairs, real estate law and finance, and public procurement.

As a highly-regarded real estate attorney, Grell was appointed in 2004 to serve on the Joint State Government Commission’s Advisory Committee on Real Property Law, in the first phase of its mission to advise the General Assembly on the codification of real estate laws in Pennsylvania.  During the 2005-06 legislative session, Grell was the prime House sponsor of legislation to protect private property rights and reform the Pennsylvania Eminent Domain Code, which became Acts 34 and 35 of 2006. 

Grell served as Deputy General Counsel to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge from 1995 to 2000. In that capacity, he had primary responsibility for Commonwealth contracting, review and approval of Commonwealth contracts, deeds, leases, inter-agency agreements, and other obligations.  He has also been a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Solicitors, the Urban Land Institute, the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors, and Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg.  Grell is also a graduate of Leadership Harrisburg Area.

Grell has been active politically at the local, statewide and national level for more than 25 years. He has served as an elected committeeman in Hampden Township, as deputy chairman and vice chairman of the Cumberland County Republican Committee, as county coordinator and regional field director for Gov. Tom Ridge’s gubernatorial campaign, as Pennsylvania co-chairman of Lawyers for Bush-Cheney, as a volunteer for the 2000 Republican National Convention, County Co-Chairman for Romney/Ryan 2012 and has been active in many other local and regional political campaigns.  

Grell is a 1974 graduate of Cumberland Valley High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University in 1978, as well as his J.D. from Dickinson Law School in 1981.  He and his wife, the former Elaine Sanzotto, reside in Hampden Township.  They have two children: Cory, PMC and Senior DeMolay himself, a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, and Alyssa, a student at Millersville University.

His civic activities include serving on the Shippensburg University Council of Trustees since 1995; serving on the Board of the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation and as chairman of the Foundation’s Educational Endowment Fund Scholarship Committee; prior service as director of the Cumberland Valley Eagle Foundation from 2002-10.  He has also served as chairman of a Fund Distribution Panel of the United Way of the Capital Region and was a member of the Board of Directors of Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties from 2006-12.  He is also an honorary member of the board of New Birth of Freedom Council, Boy Scouts of America, Hampden Township Volunteer Fire Company #30, the Mechanicsburg Sportsmen’s Club, and a member of the Central Pennsylvania College President’s Circle. 

PA's Senior DeMolays - Jason Klock

I've gotten an amazing response to my first article highlighting Senior DeMolay's from Pennsylvania. Several people have sent in information regarding Senior DeMolay's from PA that are making a name for themselves in their communities. Today, we take a look at a Senior DeMolay from Pilgrim Chapter, in Harrisburg.

Bro. Jason Klock is well known in central Pennsylvania, as he runs one of the most successful DJ businesses in the mid-state. Klock Entertainment now employs more than 20 staffers, who work several hundred events a year. Jason is also well known to PA DeMolay, as he is fondly remembered for his rambunctious years as an active DeMolay. Jason loved to DJ DeMolay dances - in fact, it's where he got his start. DeMolay gave him the chance to find his passion. Now, Jason has turned that passion into a full time business.

A short biography from his website (http://www.klockentertainment.com) states:


"Jason is the owner and founder of Klock Entertainment.  Jason started his DJ career back in high school and has not been able to let go of the microphone since.  After attending Harrisburg Area Community College majoring in Communications and Business Management, Jason decided it was time to turn his passion into a business.  Throughout the past few years, Jason has been able to grow his passion into a 20+ employee entertainment company.  Even though you’ll always catch Jason in the office, you’ll still find him working over 75 events a year!  When Jason isn’t working on KE or Emceeing an event you’ll find him spending time with his wife, Jess and their Australian Shepherd, Bailey.  Jason also enjoys playing the drums and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers."

You can read more about Jason in a recent article from Harrisburg Magazine at http://www.harrisburgmagazine.com/April-2013/Life-is-One-Never-Ending-Party/

This is a great example of a DeMolay succeeding in business and channeling his talents into a life long career. Congratulations to Jason for his success!

Do you know of a Senior DeMolay who deserves highlighting? Drop me a note at webmaster@pademolay.org and let me know!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Erie Chapter CHIP's In!

Kudos to Erie Chapter for their work with the CHIP (Child Identification Program) and for getting some news coverage out of the event as well. Way to go!

A PA DeMolay is Dino-might!

Bro. Tyler Bausinger, of Delaware Valley Chapter, is a well known face around PA DeMolay. As a Past Master Councilor, he has been actively involved in almost all aspects of our program, from sporting weekends, to leadership training, to the Appointed State Officer corps. One thing can be said for certain of Tyler - he's a leader. It came as no surprise that he was recently featured in a local news paper for creating a business out of his home.

Tyler is a long time lover of all things dinosaur. According the piece, he fell in love with the giant reptiles as a kid and his interest in them has never wavered. Using that as a basis, Tyler created a mail order company that produces educational kits for children that teach about dinosaurs. Calling it the "Kids Dinosaur of the Month Club," Tyler has made a true business out of his passion. You can read the entire story here:

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/money/childhood-love-of-dinosaurs-turns-into-roaring-business-for-lower/article_f5128c1c-aaf8-55fe-a259-d77fd51d4905.html#.UVsJU0PbxaM.email

This is a great example of a DeMolay taking initiative and showing his potential as a leader. Kudos to Tyler!

In the same vein as my last article - if you have information regarding a remarkable DeMolay or Senior DeMolay, please send the details to webmaster@pademolay.org. We may use the information for a future blog post.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Convention 2012 Ritual Competition Results

Ceremony Of Light                                                 

1^st Place – JEFFREY  HAMPLE       975 PTS         

2^nd Place – CARL BLEW                 940 PTS          

3^rd Place – ADAM PRICHARD       830 PTS         

Flower Talk

1^ST Place – JOE CIRILO           910 PTS
2^nd Place – TYLER MOYER     855 PTS
 3^rd Place – ERIC DYE               725 PTS


CHAPLAIN
1^st Place – LORENZO RODRIGUEZ     995 PTS
2^nd Place – MATTHEW MAPPLE         950 PTS
3^rd Place -  JOE CIRILO                          925 PTS


PRECEPTOR TRIO                                              

1^st Place – JOE CIRILO                    965 PTS         

2^nd Place – LUCAS SELLERS           900 PTS         

3^rd Place – ALEX TEMPLE              885 PTS           

OBLIGATIONS

1^st Place – TYLER MOYER               895 PTS

2^nd Place – MIGUEL PEREZ             890 PTS

3^rd Place – ROBERT SMITH             640 PTS

2011 - 2012 MSA's

PA DeMolay would like to congratulate the following members who earned the Past Master Councilor's Meritorious Service Award during the past year.

Cody E. Rosenbauer of Lorraine Chapter
Nick Spangler of Freedom Chapter
Jake Yarnall of Allentown Chapter
Isaac Holtzer of Westmoreland Chapter
William Maple of George Washington Chapter
Mark Richards of Susquehanna Chapter
Branden Glass of Lorraine Chapter
Michael Buss of Allentown Chapter
Adam Neubauer of Westmoreland Chapter
Michael Donahue of Susquehanna Chapter

Great work, Brothers!

Today we make history!

Congratulations are in order for the PA DeMolay Blog - this is the 300th post! In just a little over two years of existence, we have managed to bring you 300 separate pieces of wisdom, dementia, and random hullaballoo! So, what have we planned for the 300th post? Up until a few days ago, nothing. Yes, that's right. We planned absolutely nothing. Then, something really amazing fell on to my desk.

Last Saturday morning (which was April 21, 2012, for those keeping track), I received a call from my father who was attending an antique show in Erie. He had just purchased an old DeMolay item for me and was really excited about it. He described it as a collar in an old box that it had been mailed in. He said he recognized that the medal hanging on it as something I had, but since it was old, he figured I'd want it. The box stated that it came from the DeMolay Sales Division in Kansas City, MO, and was addressed to a Mr. James N. Wilson, who resided at 314 Sassafras St, Erie, PA.

Unfortunately, there was no date on the package, which left us wondering just when it was shipped. My dad, being the resourceful guy he is, hit the internet and started matching the stamps on the box to when the Postal Service had issued them. In total, the package cost eleven cents to ship and was stamped with two George Washington three cent stamps and one Teddy Roosevelt five cent stamp. This is where the story gets interesting! The Roosevelt stamp was produced in the late 1920's, while the Washington stamps were from the 1930's. Initially, this led us to date the box (and it's contents) to the early 1930's, but there is much more to the story!

The collar, contained in the box, was unlike anything we'd ever seen before. It was made of red gross grain material, bordered with a yellow cord. On the collar was a patch with the DeMolay crest. Thanks to the DeMolay International Website we were able to date the emblem from being between 1932 and 1949. This gave us a date to start with, as we now know the item had to be from after 1932. The medallion hanging from the collar should be familiar to almost every DeMolay - it's the same medallion that hangs from the yellow cordon of a Chevalier. That gave us our next stop, which was another visit to the DeMolay International Website, where we looked up the history of the Chevalier.

According to that site, the Chevalier Degree came about as an alternative to the Legion of Honor that could be bestowed upon Active and Senior DeMolays, whereas the Legion of Honor was reserved only for adults.The fruits of this labor came together in 1936, when "Dad" Land himself started nominating people for this new and prestigious honor. The first Chevaliers were given at Mother Chapter in Kansas City, MO, on June 2, 1937. With this information, we can now hazard a guess that the box is from the late 1930's - obviously after "Dad" Land conferred the first Chevalier in Missouri.

The last tidbit we could use to date the item was the name on the box - Mr. James N. Wilson. The name didn't ring any bells for us here at the PA DeMolay office, but once again the internet proved a valuable resource. A quick search revealed that we have talked about Mr. Wilson one other time on this very blog - when we discussed the case of the missing Founder's Cross. Aha! So, "Dad" Wilson was a well known man who had even caught the eye of Frank Land himself! Unfortunately, we don't know much about "Dad" Wilson, so it seemed I was once again stuck.

On a hunch, I plugged Mr. Wilson's name in to Google to see if I could find an obituary or any other information. Low and behold, a link came back from a university in California that had a scholarship named after a Dr. James N. Wilson - who was originally from Erie, PA! The site contained a short biography, stating that Mr. Wilson was born in 1915 in Erie, went to Edinboro University (my alma mater), and entered military service during WWII. After the war, Wilson earned his doctorate and began teaching collegiate geography in California, where he would remain until his death in 2003. I thought that I had solved the mystery and figured it all out - but sadly, there were some holes in my research.

First, the James N. Wilson I found was born in 1915, making him 22 during the time that "Dad" Land would have started presenting these awards. That means that this James N. Wilson was probably not the same person that "Dad" Land presented the Founder's Cross to in 1939. Darn! So, who was James N. Wilson if not this doctor living in California? I thought about the problem and did one more internet search, this time over at ancestory.com.

I knew a birth and death date for one James N. Wilson who was born in Erie, so I started my search with him. After a little digging, I found a listing of a Mr. James N. Wilson living in the 4th Ward of Erie according to the 1920 census. A quick comparison of maps found that 314 Sassafrass Street was indeed part of the 4th Ward in 1920. Furthermore, it listed James N. Wilson, Sr. - meaning that he probably had a son named James as well. This was making more sense! The Dr. James N. Wilson I found was probably the son of Mr. James N. Wilson, Sr, living at the correct address in 1920. The census further shows that he had children living with him at the time, leading us to believe that our theory was pretty solid. This means that the collar and jewel were probably shipped to James N. Wilson, Sr. - either to honor him, or for him to present to someone else in Erie Chapter. Addition: Thanks to "Dad" Zack Panitzke, we learned that James N. Wilson, Jr., was Master Councilor of Erie Chapter in 1935.

Unfortunately, all of this research has left us more questions than answers. Was this an original Chevalier collar and set, or was the collar for something else (such as an officer's collar) to which the medallion had been attached at a later date? Why was James N. Wilson so well known? Did "Dad" Land award the Chevalier to James N. Wilson, Sr., or was it awarded to his son, or even someone else? Our research will continue as we learn more about this interesting relic of DeMolay from the early days.

The collar, medallion, and box, were graciously donated by my parents, David and Deborah, and will be on display in Memorial Hall at Patton Campus for all to enjoy. If you happen to know any more about this piece, please drop us a line and let us know!

How's that for a 300th post? I hope you found it interesting and perhaps even a bit helpful. Check out your old regalia rooms and see what you can find out about the history of your Chapter!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Lorraine Bowls Away the Competition

 Congratulations go out to Lorraine Chapter, in Butler, PA, for being the winners for DeMolay International, Region II, in the Postal Bowling Competition. That means the guys at Lorraine beat out teams from seven other states with their skills and high scores.

What is the Postal Bowling Tournament, you may ask? Well, according to DeMolay International, here is how it works:

• Hold a chapter bowling event.
• Send your results to DeMolay headquarters.
• Find out how you stack up against other chapters from around the globe.

Pretty simple, huh?

Awards are presented in the following categories:

• Individual High Game
• Individual High Series
• Regional High Team Series
• International High Team Series

The tournament does have some other rules though...

All teams must bowl between a set time period (the next one is from November 30, 2012, and January 30, 2013.)  Scores submitted that were bowled during another time period will not be accepted.  All entries must be postmarked by February 1, 2013 and received no later than February 15, 2013.

Entry fee is: $10 per five (5) member team.

Ten pin bowling only (no handicaps).  A chapter may enter more than one team; however, each bowler may compete on only one team.  A team may enter only once.  Each team member must bowl three (3) lines with the team, and each team member must be an active DeMolay in good standing.

The members of the team must be decided before competition play begins.  Bowlers are allowed to practice; however, a team must decide that it is beginning a competition game before the first frame is bowled. (You cannot list the best five players out of ten, or the best three games out of five, etc.)

Awards will be sent to each recipient's Executive Officer for presentation.  All teams entered will receive a list of the winners.

So, plan a bowling event for your Chapter next year, and take control of the lanes!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Showing Appreciation

Sunday morning at the PA DeMolay Annual Convention is a flurry of activity, and this year's event was certainly no different. From the Sweetheart crowning, to the Guild of the Leather Apron presentation, to the installation of the State Officers - it's a whirlwind day! It's a great time to highlight the leaders of our organization, both young and old, and give out some pats on the back to those who most deserve it.

This year I had intended to publicly present one of these "pats on the back" but due to time constraints I wasn't able to. "Dad" Zack Panitzke has been my right hand man throughout my entire DeMolay (and Masonic) career. He was the guy who first line signed my DeMolay petition. It was with him that I traveled the Commonwealth to DeMolay events. It was his family that first introduced me to Masonry. Without "Dad" Panitzke, I wouldn't be where I am today. He continues to work with me, even now, and I can't thank him enough. He gives tirelessly of his time and efforts to make whatever program he is assisting with work.

Convention is a big job but it is made easier when you have great people helping you. I couldn't have pulled off Convention the last three years without "Dad" Panitzke. The lanyards that were given out this year were entirely coordinated and designed by him (with the exception of the new Mission: Control! logo.) He was also responsible for arranging the hospitality suite and served as an onsite staff member with all of the venues over the weekend. He truly made himself indispensable.

So, on Sunday morning of Convention 2011, I had intended to publicly present "Dad" Panitzke with the DeMolay Medal of Appreciation. But, just what is this award? According to DeMolay International "A Chapter (or Jurisdiction) may recommend any person over 21 years of age for the DeMolay Medal of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding service to DeMolay. The nominee can be a man or a woman and does not need any Masonic affiliation. Nominations may be made at any time. The nomination form must be forwarded to the Executive Officer and, if approved by him, will be forwarded to the Grand Secretary."

I ended up giving the Medal to "Dad" Pantizke after the event and personally thanked him for his help during the year. If you happen to see "Dad" Panitzke (he'll be at Key Man in just a couple of weeks) thank him for his hard work in making Convention 2011 a success!


Oh, and because I can never go without making a good Brotherly jab at him, check out this video of "Dad" Panitzke doing the chicken dance - at least until he realized we were filming him!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony