Now
that a multitude of projects have been wrapped up and most of our usual
fellowship attendees spending the month in Paoli at District School, it is time
for me to take a brief break and step back for a few days. While there are
calls that need to be places, emails that still need to be answered, and bills
that need to be paid (at least not for a while at this point) this is the time
of year when I am afforded the opportunity for a summer respite from my duties.
This is also a season when I am able to look back at what we have already
accomplished and begin to look forward to all that is just peeking over the
horizon. After all, it won’t be long before elections are held and a new
Worshipful Master takes his station.
This
is also the time when I am finally able to sit down at my desk and focus on
constructing the list of things that need to be accomplished both before the
next stated meeting in September as well as the projects and events that are
planned toward the end of the year. And, of course, there is a particular need
this year to simply take a deep breath and prepare myself for the plethora of
plans and projects that will find their way onto my desk in the coming months.
As is the nature of the job and the primary reason why you don’t hear about
contested elections for this office.
At
this point, the remainder of the year looks good. We have some candidates ready
to receive degrees, some that still need to be interviewed, and one or two more
that are just starting their journey and with whom I hope to soon meet. There
are also a couple events that will undoubtedly sneak up on us including the
Masonic Picnic in August, Veteran’s Night in November, and the Quarterly
Communication in December. They seem like they are a long way off but they
really aren’t.
There
are also the seemingly never ending membership audit processes, data migration
to and revision of the new online portal, and now the additional audit of the
old database that needs to be completed. The latter of the three projects
resulted from a rather disappointing conversation I had with the past Secretary
a couple of weeks ago. However, there are also some great opportunities for the
remainder of the year including assisting brethren with award submissions,
continuing to develop leadership I the lodge, and seeing some of the planned
improvements to the building taking shape. This, of course, is in addition to
an excellent schedule of meetings and busy fellowship nights. And maybe some
more horseshoes.
