As you can tell from the above photograph we had a lot of people at the Riverboat Dinner Cruise.   We tried to get everyone in one picture but they wouldn't fit.   There were 44 people that attended, some of which were prospective new members.   Everyone had a great time and loved the all-you-could-eat barbecue buffet and the cruise up and down the Mississippi River.

We had 68 people take us up on our DeSoto Lodge Baseball Family Night-Out which will be held on Saturday, August 17th.   The gates will open at 4:30 pm and the game will start at 6:05 pm.   If you had reservations and have not received your tickets please let us know.   If you have any questions please call the Junior Warden Dennis Pope at 795-5008 or the Secretary Elbert Martz at 837-4579.

Happy Birthday to the following members: Jerry Long, William Kingery, Robert Brock, Jr., James Duke, Bobby Cox, Howard Mitchell, Robert Beeson, Michael Cook, James Byers, Jesse Davis, Albert Schaferman, Donald Brown, David Horton Jr. and Harold Rodgers.

If you have a birthday in June and it is not listed here we would like to wish you a Happy Birthday also, and urge you to send us your information card completed with your current information for our new database.

We were fortunate this month not to receive any correspondence that a member had died.   However, one of our members did loose his father who was a 50-year member of Summer Avenue. Brother John Lloyd Gordon, father of Brother Jim Gordon, died in the middle of July while in Texas.   The Lodge and the Officers wish to extend our deepest regrets and prayers to The Gordon Family in their time of sorrow.

If you have lost a family member recently our heart felt sympathy goes out to you and your family.   Brother Byron Wilkinson and the Sick & Visitation Committee would like you, a family member or a friend to notify them of anyone that is sick, housebound, or in the hospital; so they can check on them.   You can reach Brother Byron Wilkinson at 386-9914 or leave a message at the Lodge at 529-4025.
 

Because of the heat the theme for our September Stated Meeting Dinner will be an assortment of meats and cheeses for do-it-yourself sandwiches with an accompaniment of delicious deserts.   If you would like to participate please contact our Junior Warden, Dennis Pope, at 483-6111 or our First Lady, Mary Cook, at 681-0858.

Recently we had a very tragic and upsetting situation occur.   A brother died and no one let anyone at the Lodge know about his death.   The Brother's greatest desire was to have a Masonic Funeral. He was so very proud to be a mason.   His nearest relative didn't have any money to bury the Brother so the County buried the Brother in a pauper's grave.   There was no headstone, just a number.   No graveside service.   Had it not been for several Brothers being concerned about this Brother and not being able to contact him, we would have never found out he died.   We will try to rectify this situation, but please let someone know of your request for a Masonic Service and give them the phone number to the Lodge to contact us.
 

The Senior Warden's Officers Meeting will be held on Monday, September 16, at 6:30 pm at a location to be named later.   All Past Masters and Officers are invited and asked to mark their calendars.   We had a very productive meeting last year with very good suggestions from the Past Masters.   The Senior Warden is hoping for the same large turnout and enthusiasm this year.   Please get your reservations in early.
 

The Bingo Dinner has been scheduled for Saturday, October 19th at 7:00 pm and reservations are requested so we will have enough food and prizes.   If you have not turned in your reservations and your money, you still have plenty of time.   There will be a $2.00 cover charge for the dinner which is not refundable.   If you have any questions please call the Jr. Warden Dennis Pope at 795-5008 or the Sr. Steward Greg Howard at 639-2678.