Centennial Memory #18: Northeast Installs at Corinthian Hall

To celebrate the DeMolay Centennial, PA DeMolay will be counting down 100 memories worth celebrating that took place within the DeMolay Chapters and Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.

During DeMolay week of 1978, Northeast Chapter held their Chapter's Installation in Corinthian Hall at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, home of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The Installation welcomed over 300 people in attendance, including long distance travelers. Along with the ceremony, the City Managing Director, Daniel J. McKenna, presented the Chapter with a proclamation declaring DeMolay Week in the city of Philadelphia. Below is the photo and article, found in the September 1978 DeMolay Cordon.  

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Centennial Memory #76: Card Playing at Northeast Chapter

To celebrate the DeMolay Centennial, PA DeMolay will be counting down 100 memories worth celebrating that took place within the DeMolay Chapters and Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.

I mentioned yesterday that DeMolay International kept track of some unique marathons. Another record that was held by a Pennsylvania Chapter was for card games. The Chapter from Pennsylvania that set the record for card game playing was Northeast Chapter from Philadelphia. They played 610 hours of card games. Yes, you saw that right. 610 hours, not 610 games. The total amount of games was 6,989, as you'll see in the article below.

I can say as a member of Northeast Chapter that we do appreciate our card games, but I'm not sure that the members of my generation would have had the endurance to keep this kind of record going. I'm not sure if the record is still held to this day, but there is an article from 1975 that proved it was still in place at that time, so the record was at least held for a few years.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Meet the Candidates: Brandon Whited for State Junior Councilor

Convention is a little over a month away. Our second of two candidates for State Junior Councilor is Bro. Brandon Whited of Northeast Chapter.

My name is Brandon Whited and I am running for State Junior Councilor. I joined DeMolay at the age of 14 while attending Grand Masters Class in December of 2014. About a year after I joined DeMolay, I was given the opportunity to serve as Master Councilor for three consecutive terms. During my last term as Master Councilor, I received the PMC-MSA and DSA. My home chapter is Northeast and I am currently Senior Councilor. I plan to continue being a valuable asset to my chapter, helping every member in any way possible, and bring my knowledge and experiences to State Office.

What is your greatest DeMolay experience or accomplishment?

Throughout my years as a DeMolay, my greatest experience is receiving PMC-MSA. Receiving this award was an extremely humbling experience and I realize that without my brethren and advisors I could not earn this award. I was very excited when I received the PMC-MSA because I know that I and my chapter have worked extremely hard to complete the various tasks that were necessary. I will continue to work hard with my chapter and help all Master Councilors to the best of my ability, hoping that they too will receive this award.

Who are some of your DeMolay influences and how have they inspired you?

Dad Joe Pullin and Dad Alexander Swift have inspired me in various ways during my time in DeMolay. Upon meeting them I saw a brotherly bond, formed in DeMolay, that would be impossible to break. During every event, they emphasized the importance of teamwork and communication. When I started my first term as Master councilor, they were constantly helping me plan my events and assisted me in the execution of those events. Dad Pullin and Dad Swift are both great role models that have inspired me to always do my best. What are your goals if elected to serve as a State Officer?

If I am provided the opportunity to become a State Officer, I will work tirelessly with the other State Officers as a team to ensure that we will have a productive and successful term. I would like to help other chapters plan joint events together outside of the state weekends to strengthen their brotherhood. I would also focus on having more fun learning activities at Patton Campus and hopefully make learning fun for everyone. Lastly, I would want to focus on membership and the importance of getting new young men involved in DeMolay.

Registration for Convention is due June 10th. Make sure you are there for a chance to vote for the Elected State Officers to represent PA DeMolay for the 2018-2019 year.