Master’s Message:

We have several things that we need to address at the next few meetings.  One will be that our Junior Warden has resigned and we need to vote on another Junior Warden to complete the year of 2006!  That vote will be September 5^th.  Also we are holding a Honesty & Integrity Awards Program on one of the weekends in September, so we need your input.  More information will be forthcoming as we learn the details.  We are trying to accommodate the Grand Master and have him present the award.  

I am very proud of Ideal Lodge, as we now have 37 members and also may have another plural member, when we get the filled in petition back.  We now have two DDGMs, one DGL, two District Masters and three sitting Masters, in our Lodge!  Not bad for a 37 member Lodge and coming from the storm ravaged St. Bernard Parish!  We can prevail in stormy times!  y

REPORT ON LAST TWO MONTH’S MEETINGS

On June 6^th we balloted on another petition for plural membership and received two more plural petitions!  We had been so busy the last few months that we had to read seven meetings of minutes!   

June 20^th meeting we received a report from Bro. Daniel Ledet on Andrew Jackson Lodge Hall.  The Lodge and Refreshment area are cleaned out and they have began painting the walls in the refreshment area and back rooms of the Lodge Hall.  They are NOT going to paint in the Lodge Hall, due to the decor of the Lodge Walls.  They also plan to use the refreshment area for more than just Lodge functions.  They are still working with the Parish Officials to have the electricity turned back on. 

July 4^th Ideal Lodge was dark due to no quorum.  (We knew that!) 

July 18^th met with 10 members and 13 visitors present.  Regular business was conducted and we balloted on the other two Petitions for Plural Membership.  We now have 37 members in Ideal Lodge.  We spoke on the Honesty & Integrity Awards for two young ladies who qualify for the awards.  Bro. Alton Harper stood up and stated that Livingston Lodge No. 160 was able to keep the Traveling Gavel Award and that we need to get enough members of Ideal Lodge to the District Meeting so that we can keep our too!  Rt. W. David Wallace, DDGM 19^th stated that the Commandry that meets at Livingston Lodge Hall has the equivalent, called the Traveling Bible Award and it is also displayed on the Award Table.  We also had a long discussion on possibly backing a resolution this year to allow business meetings in the subordinate degrees, that way Entered Apprentices and Fellow Craft Masons can attend business meetings.  It was also decided that Ideal Lodge would pay for the Warden’s Retreat, if any of the Wardens wanted to attend. 

 RELIEF:

• Bro. John Miknaitis’ grandson was involved in a really bad auto accident and will have to go through another operation.

• Rt. W B Lupo will have some test ran again.  He is living with his daughters on the North Shore and plans to build a home in Loranger, LA. 

• WB Rudolph W. Mayer is living next to his daughter and plans to build a new home in Mandeville, LA.

• WB Ralph McDonald is doing well and is still working on his home in Metairie, replacing cabinets and other things that were ruined by the floodwaters.

• I think that Bro. David Snyder is still out of town, visiting with his family.

• WB Joe Revolta is doing well and living with his daughter on the West Bank.  He attends meeting regularly, but does not like the ride to Hammond, but makes most of Andrew Jackson’s Lodge meetings (he is a plural member there) and his Shrine meetings.

• WB Ronald “Gator” Milliet, PM, Bro. David Bachemin, Bro. Martin Day & Bro. Ricky Smallwood are working on their homes in St. Bernard Parish and are planning to move back home!

• Brothers, please remember the above-mentioned Members in your prayers!

 Secretary’s Message:

Brothers, the 2006 Dues Cards are NOW PAST due.  Please remit your dues to IDEAL LODGE # 367, c/o: Armando Perez, 12108 Coles Creek Blvd., Hammond, LA 70403-2024.  Please remember to add your optional 2¢ worth a day for an additional $7.30.  Please make check in the amount of $52.80.    Check to see if you have a current Ideal Lodge Dues Card, if NOT, then I am expecting you to send me your dues.  Or to make it even easier, I have placed a self-addressed envelope with this correspondence, (for the members that still owe dues), so that you may mail your dues to me. 

We still have five (5) members that have not paid for this year!  Brethren, your dues are due at the first of the year, not the end of the year!  How do you expect us to run the Lodge and pay rent, per capita and other expenses, with some of the Brothers holding back until after September of each year? 

ALSO, PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS LETTER IS SENT BY E-MAIL TO TWENTY (20) MASONS AND THEY WILL NOT GET THE MAILED VERSION.  THIS HELPS KEEP THE COST OF THE POSTAGE DOWN AND ALSO PROVIDES THE NEWSLETTER TO THEM, TWO DAYS EARLIER!!  IF YOU HAVE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS, PLEASE PROVIDE IT TO:  skipperez@bellsouth.net.  THANKS!! 

COMING EVENTS:

Tuesday, August 1 & 15, 2006, Ideal Lodge's regular business meetings.  Meetings are held at Livingston Lodge Hall, corner of E. Morris & S. Cypress Sts., Hammond, LA.  Refreshments will precede the meetings at 6:30 p.m.; with Regular business at both meetings at 7:30 p.m., so come and enjoy the activities.

Monday, August 21, 2006, Eighteenth Masonic District Lodge hosted by Invincible Lodge No. 361, 417 Garden Road, Marrero, LA.  Meeting will commence at 7:30 p.m., with refreshments preceding the meeting at 6:30 p.m.  Regular business meeting and Nominations for DDGM & DGL for the year of 2007! 

Tuesday, September 5, 2006, at Ideal Lodge’s Regular meeting we will hold ELECTION FOR JUNIOR WARDEN!  Please attend this very important meeting. 

Tuesday, September 19, 2006, regular business meeting.  Refreshments will precede the meeting at 6:30 p.m.; with Regular business at 7:30 p.m.

Please mark your calendars with the above dates!!