The "Masons Honor Veterans" float that has been winning prizes in community parades throughout the 17th Masonic District depicts veterans in various historical scenes, starting with ...

For the past several years, the members of Galeton Lodge No. 602 have built a "Masons Honor Veterans" float and entered it in the local Fourth of July parade. It took a lot of work, but the brethren enjoyed themselves. It made such a big impression on their community that they decided it would be great for members of the nine lodges of the 17th Masonic District to march together during the Summer with a bigger float in community parades throughout the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. Gary B. Stahley, D.D.G.M., agreed.

Galeton Lodge built a bigger float with the same theme on a 40-foot flatbed trailer and invited the lodges in the District to join in parades throughout the region.

Each lodge has been asked for volunteer marchers; not just for the parade in its own community, but for all of the seven parades scheduled for this Summer. Edward K. Bailey, P.M., the Galeton Lodge Secretary, explained that with each lodge committing up to ten members, there would be 50 to 100 Masons in regalia to march with the float.

The communities are directly involved with the float. For each parade, there are to be ten to 15 students from the respective high schools posing as historical characters. Their participation not only involves people from the community, but also by not having Masons do the acting, it assures that the maximum number of brethren will be available as marchers.

The float depicts veterans in various historical scenes, starting with George Washington crossing the Delaware. For the Civil War, a life-size papier-mache replica of the Friend to Friend statue at Gettysburg was crafted. For World War II, the scene has four or five students in uniform raising the flag at Iwo Jima. Students in uniform represent the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm. At the back of the float is a 12-foot high Square and Compasses replica.

George Washington crossing the Delaware...

the Civil War with a life-size papier-mache replica of the Friend to Friend statue at Gettysburg and the World War II flag-raising at Iwo Jima...

and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm. At the back of the float is a 12-foot high Square and Compasses replica.