Centennial Memory #29: Erie Anniversary Banquet with a Special Guest Speaker

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.

In the June 1970 issue of the DeMolay Cordon, the magazine highlighted events and activities that several chapters observed during DeMolay week. Each event was based around the seven cardinal virtues, with a section dedicated to each precept. Erie Chapter was mentioned in the section involving Comradeship, because of their successful Anniversary Banquet. Based on the time-frame, this would have been the Chapter's 46th Anniversary.

The guest speaker for the banquet was Gary Collins, former Wide Receiver for the Cleveland Browns. As the article indicates, this event brought a lot of interest for the organization, including from prospective members. This is an event that I wish I had a picture of, so if any member of Erie Chapter has anything regarding this banquet and photos with the guest speaker, please feel free to share it with us.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Centennial Memory #51: Flag Football Tournaments

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.

Tomorrow is the big game, which means that this weekend should be all about Football. Well, for us it may not be the whole weekend, but today's post will follow that theme, as we talk about DeMolay Flag Football. The Flag Football Tournament was an annual event held at Patton Campus in Elizabethtown in October, and brought teams together to compete against one another in friendly competition. The tournaments were double elimination. While most of the games took place at the campus, the night games took place at a field in town under the lights. Referees were provided from Gears recreation, making this a fun and safe tournament.

Here are the champions throughout the years of the tournament:

1992: Elizabethtown

1993: Elizabethtown

1994: Elizabethtown

1995: Elizabethtown

1996: No Tournament

1997: Reading

1998: Reading

1999: Reading

2000: Reading

2001: Somerton

2002: Erie

2003: Somerton

2004: Elizabethtown

2005: Elizabethtown

2006: Somerton

2007: Somerton

2008: Lorraine

2009: Lorraine

2010: Friendship-Bray

2011: Lorraine

2012: Lorraine

2013: Erie

2014: Carlisle

Enjoy some photos from DeMolay Flag Football.

Top Ten: PA DeMolay 2017

We're a little over a week into the new year, but there's always time for reflection on the year that has past. Pit Stop for Leadership Weekend will be the start of the 2018 PA DeMolay programming, but lets take time to remember what we did in 2017.

10. Dodgeball for Dyslexia has grown to be bigger than ever. This year's event, hosted by Elizabethtown Chapter, held 14 teams competing in a friendly tournament for a great cause. Roughly $2,000 was donated to various Children's Dyslexia Centers across Pennsylvania.

9. The Quest for the Holy Grail came to Patton Campus. Movie Mashup Weekend held a quest for members of PA DeMolay to find the Holy Grail. Several fun and creative workshop were held, along with an escape room to find the Holy Grail.

8. The Aliens beat the Cowboys at the Cowboys vs. Aliens Weekend. Several competitions, from trivia to Nerf battles, were held to determine which team was stronger. After the friendly competition, everyone in attendance played Laser Tag at the Laser Dome.

7. PA DeMolay was represented during the election of International Master Councilor. Brother Eric M. Dye ran for the office of International Master Councilor during the DeMolay International Sessions in Buffalo, NY. This was the first time in over 20 years that PA DeMolay had a candidate run for an International office. Although he did not win the election, he represented PA DeMolay proudly.

6. Jacques Lightyear joined the members of PA DeMolay to a trip to the movies. During Action Hero Weekend: Super Hero Training, the members had a special opening weekend view of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, an adventure that Jacques Lightyear took with the members.   

5. PA DeMolay is on the GO! During the PA DeMolay Convention, newly elected State Master Councilor Jacob Beers introduced his new theme for the year which is centered around racing. It also introduces three important phases: GO GROW, GO LEAD, and GO SPREAD.

4. Brother David Lynam of Riverside Chapter threw out the first pitch at the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game. One of the features of this year's Convention was a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game. David was chosen to throw out the first pitch for bringing in the most members to DeMolay during the year.

3. PA DeMolay honors the Supreme Tall Cedar. This year's winter induction class was held in honor of "Dad" Mark Brumaghim, Supreme Tall Cedar of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. The degree cast did an excellent job. Thank you "Dad" Brumaghim for allowing PA DeMolay to acknowledge your service.

2. The first ever PA DeMolay draft during Talladega Nights Weekend. The weekend was the long awaited return of Flag Football. This time, the teams were decided with a draft held on Friday night. Unlike the Super Bowl earlier in the year, the Falcons beat the Patriots in the Williamson Bowl.

1. The Distinguished Service Award was applied for and awarded for the first time in 4 years. At the Supreme Tall Cedars Class in December, Executive Officer "Dad" Greg Schaeffer acknowledged two young men as the DSA recipients, Brother Alex Spence from Elizabethtown Chapter and Brother Brandon Whited of Northeast Chapter. Brandon was also informed that he would be entered for a chance at the DeMolay International DSA. Congratulations to both young men.

So there you have it. Some very memorable things took place in 2017. What will 2018 bring? Well, you'll have to stay tuned to find out. 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin             

Gridiron Gang: John Elway

Super Bowl 50 is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than to acknowledge the former football stars that were, or currently are, members of our great fraternity. Today we highlight John Elway. Now I know what your thinking, and NO, John Elway was not a member of DeMolay. He is however a Mason.

John Albert Elway was born June 28th, 1960 in Port Angeles, Washington. John's father, Jack Elway, was a football coach for Port Angeles High School. Some would say that football was always in John's blood. As John's family moved a lot because of his Dad's work, John started High School at Pullman High School in Pullman, Washington, but would finish his final three years at Granada Hills High School in San Fernando Valley, California. As a senior, Elway would be named to Parade Magazine's All America High School Team.

Elway went to college at Stanford, where he played both football and baseball. He would go on to win two Pac-10 Player of the Year Awards, become a consensus All American, and finish second on the Heisman Trophy ballot. He was drafted by the New York Yankees to play right field in 1981, but chose to stick with football. In 1983, John Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts with the 1st overall pick. Elway, who refused to play for the Baltimore Colts due to his father's persuasion, used baseball in order to leverage a trade. The Colts would later trade Elway to the Denver Broncos, the place Elway would spend his entire NFL career.

Elway led the Broncos to three Super Bowls in the later part of the 1980's, losing all three attempts. He was named the NFL MVP in 1987. Although it took 8 years to get back to the big game, Elway would lead the Broncos to Super Bowl victories at Super Bowl's XXXII and XXXIII. He was named the Super Bowl MVP at Super Bowl XXXIII, which would be his final NFL game. He was named to the Pro Bowl a total of 9 times in his 16 year career. Until 2014, John Elway started the most Super Bowls at Quarterback with 5, until Tom Brady started his 6th Super Bowl at Super Bowl XLIX. John Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, along with legendary running back Barry Sanders.

Elway would later become the Executive Vice President of football operations for the Denver Broncos, a role he currently holds to this day. John Elway's Denver Broncos, led by Quarterback Peyton Manning, will take on the Carolina Panthers, led by Quarterback
Cam Newton, this Sunday at Super Bowl 50. So when did John find the time to join a Masonic lodge? John Elway would become a mason after his playing career was over, joining South Denver Lodge No. 93 at a Grand Lodge of Colorado two day class February 22 and 23, 2002. Although there is no evidence to how active he is within his local lodge due to time scheduling, Elway is a brother of our great Masonic fraternity, which earns him a spot in our Gridiron Gang.  

Gridiron Gang: Fran Tarkenton

With Super Bowl 50 taking place in a little over a week, I figured this is a good time to acknowledge the former football stars that were, or currently are, part of our Masonic Family. We start with a former member of the Order of DeMolay, legendary Quarterback Fran Tarkenton.

Francis Asbury Tarkenton, who later shortened the name to Fran, was born on February 3^rd, 1940 in Richmond, Virginia. He became the star Quarterback for Athens High School, where he led the team to a state championship in 1955. It was during his time in high school that Tarkenton found DeMolay, joining Frank Hardeman Chapter from Athens, Georgia in 1954. He attended the University of Georgia, where he led the Bulldogs to the Southeast Conference Championship and to the Orange Bowl. He became an All-American athlete for the Georgia Bulldogs.

In 1961, Tarkenton was drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. In his first NFL game, Tarkenton threw 4 touchdowns, an accomplishment that had not been repeated until this past year when Marcus Mariota of the Tennessee Titans made the same accomplishment. Tarkenton became known as a mobile Quarterback, often referred to as “The Mad Scrambler” or “Frantic Fran.” In 1968, after playing his first 6 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, he was traded to the New York Giants. In 1972, which would prove to be the prime of his career, Tarkenton was traded back to the Minnesota Vikings. From here, Tarkenton would lead the Vikings to 3 Super Bowls in 4 years, unfortunately missing out on all three tries. Tarkenton was named the League MVP in 1975 and was selected a total of 9 times to the Pro Bowl team. Tarkenton became a Pro Football Hall of Famer in 1986.

After his playing days were over, Tarkenton became a very well-known business man. Tarkenton has started twelve businesses, including a multi-million dollar computer software company that he sold in 1994. He also became known as a motivational speaker and an author, writing the books “What Losing Taught Me about Winning,” and “How to Motivate People: The Team Strategy for Success.”

In 1986, the same year Tarkenton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, DeMolay International inducted him into the DeMolay Hall of Fame. He was a Senior DeMolay as well as an Active Legion of Honor recipient. This Hall of Fame class was the inaugural class for DeMolay International.

“It is a great honor to be inducted into the DeMolay Hall of Fame. In today’s society where there is so much violence and heartache, it’s a gratifying feeling to know there is such a fine organization as DeMolay to look up to and lean on for guidance and support. I am proud to be a member!”

Be proud of who you are, both as a person and as a DeMolay.

Until next time – “Dad” Joe Pullin