Volume LIVAugust 2007Number 3
Brothers Become Masons in One Day
Douglas C. DeLaMater always wanted to become a Mason; however, his U.S. Air Force career, which included three deployments to the Middle East, prevented his joining. Bro. Kenneth E. Beard, Jr., District Deputy Grand Master of District 2, made an inquiry to Grand Lodge about the possibility of conferring all three degrees in one day. After a positive response, Douglas submitted a petition to Robert Burns Lodge No. 464, Harrisburg, for membership. When his brother, Paul M. DeLaMater, learned of his plans to become a Mason, he, too, submitted a petition to Robert Burns Lodge so that they might receive their degrees on the same day.

On Saturday, April 28, by a dispensation from the Grand Master, an Extra Meeting of Robert Burns Lodge No. 464 was held and Douglas and Paul were entered, passed and raised to the degree of a Master Mason. The Entered Apprentice Mason degrees were conferred by Bro. Carl E. Karstetter, J.W., and Bro. Michael P. McGinnis, S.D. The Fellow Craft Mason Degrees were conferred by Bro. Richard L. Cooper, J.D., and Bro. Shawn E. Fabian, W.M. The Master Mason degrees were conferred by Bro. Michael P. McGinnis, S.D., and Bro. Carl E. Karstetter, J.W.

Both new Masons are the stepsons of Bro. Robert M. Spicer, Jr., P.M., Robert Burns Lodge No. 464.
Left to right: Brothers Patrick R. Grill, S.M.C.; Ramon J. Lacomba, S.W.; P. Matthew DeLaMater; Kenneth E. Beard, Jr., D.D.G.M., District 2; Robert M. Spicer, Jr., P.M.; Shawn E. Fabian, W.M.; Carl E. Karstetter, J.W.; Major Douglas C. DeLaMater; Michael P. McGinnis, S.D.; and George T. Davis, J.M.C.
Brethren Deployed to Iraq
More of our brothers are headed for the Iraq war zone. On April 26, about 200 citizen-soldiers, members of the 213th Area Support Group, rolled from the Curtis Armory in Allentown, headed to Fort Bragg, N.C., for final training before being deployed to Iraq to provide support and supplies to fighting field units. This is the second time the 213th has been sent into a war zone in the last four years. The unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2003.

These citizen-soldiers also have been deployed to assist hurricane Katrina victims as well as recently helping motorists stranded along Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania when the highway was closed for two days during a winter ice storm.

Left to right: Brothers Captain Keith McKeon, P.M., Whitfield Lodge No. 622, Tatamy; Major Timothy Brooks, H. Stanley Goodwin Lodge No. 648, Bethlehem; Master Sergeant David Gassert, P.M., and Specialist First Class Bruce Kosack, P.M., both from Pine Grove Lodge No. 409, Pine Grove. Missing from the photo are Major Thomas Cannariato, Solomon's Lodge No. 3, Philadelphia, and Sergeant Major Stephen Moyer, Pine Grove Lodge No. 409.
Honoring Our Brothers and Sisters Who Gave All for Freedom
Memorial Services are held every Memorial Day and Veterans Day at Philadelphia's Washington Square Revolutionary War, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials in Center City. Representing Richard Vaux-Ivanhoe Lodge No. 384, Philadelphia, at the Veterans' Day Services on Nov. 11, 2006, at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans War Memorial are Brothers John A. McGrail, John J. Kline and Charles Holloway, P.M., shown in the photograph below.



Brothers Holloway and Kline also placed lodge wreaths at the rededication ceremonies of the Philadelphia Korean War Memorial on Oct. 7, 2006. The Korean War Memorial's landscaping had to be redesigned and renovated to remove damage created by skateboarders.
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