THE JULY FRIENDSHIP MONTH

The banned decals were stripped as directed by the Grand Master's edict.

The Honored Ladies of the Order of the Amaranth came as always to measure blood sugar and pressure.

Mangroves were again planted during the traditional July District Meeting in Baler Aurora.

Pins fall in the first two days of the District's annual Bowling Games.

Work on the Masonic Temple resumed.   

And school supplies were distributed to the students of the Lodge's two adopted schools.

It was a busy but happy month...

NO FOOLS ON APRIL

April went and left with a flurry and certainly with no time to fool around.

The Lodge's furnishings were finally delivered along with gifts of chairs and electric fans from gracious hearts and friends.

Just in time for the 5th public installation of officers of Model Court No. 55 of the Order of the Amaranth.

Then the 4th edition of the Lodge's annual right-of-passage with the Munoz Bodies (AASR) and the Amaranths but this time with a parallel medical mission.

And the month's highlight as the Lodge's delegation motored to Legazpi City for the 99th Annual Communications of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines where Grand Master Allan Purisima recognized Model Lodge No. 373 as among the six outstanding Lodges of the Philippine jurisdiction in 2014.

Community service also beckoned as the Lodge responded to the blood donation drive of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas in Fort Magsaysay.

And though it all, the 373 Bikers never stopped riding.

THE STORY OF OUR HOUSE

One year ago after our first regular meeting in 2014, we trooped to the site where the Lodge's permanent Masonic Temple was being erected.

There was one big hall then with an unpaved floor, and the Lodge must move in by the beginning of the next year.

So we started paving the floor from the savings generated from our simple installation rites. 

There was excess cement so maybe that will be enough to erect the facade's first floor too, or perhaps a bit more by completing the second floor pavement with the income from the annual fun run and golf tournament, and maybe some more as pledges and contributions from our members made the second floor walls and roof, and the rest rooms and mosaic pavement possible. 

“Operation Bintana” was launched where we individually or collectively sponsored the cost of a steel window, followed by “Operation Semento” where members contributed one bag of cement each after every meeting for the plastering of the inner walls. 

Donations from generous friends came and that took care of the water and electric works and the doors.

A year later on almost the same day when we first came to look at the unfinished Temple work, we came back with the Atengs with brooms and hoses to wash the dust away and do some last minute work.

The furnishings from the temporary Masonic Lodge was moved in while we tried to do a semblance of installation rites practice in between.

On January 10 of this year, the Model Lodge Masonic Temple was dedicated in a solemn ceremony presided by Junior Grand Lecturer Rodel Matias who represented Grand Master Alan Purisima. 

District Deputy Grand Master Jerome Malaca stood as the principal witness with his counterpart from Masonic District RIII-F --- District Deputy Grand Master Tristan Escudero --- as Grand Lodge officers performed their duty of consecrating the Temple before it can be used to pursue the labors of the Craft.

All Past Masters of Model Lodge who worked hard in building the Temple were present, and it was a poignant moment as Grand Marshall Manolo Mercado --- Model Lodge’s Master in 2010 when the Temple foundations were laid --- presided over the floor works as Bros. Anacleto Fernandez (PM, 2009), Marionito Guerrero (PM, 2011), Sergio Francisco (PM, 2012), and Aquilino Valino Jr. (PM, 2013) looked on. 

And it is fitting that Bro. Prudencio Elegado (PM, 2007-2008) who was the Lodge’s Charter Master reported to the Grand Master the completion of the Temple with Bro. Eduardo Sayco, the Lodge’s own tireless Hiram Abiff, at his side.

Finally, the corn of nourishment was poured with the wine of refreshment and the oil of joy. The Grand Master concluded the ceremony and the Grand Marshall led back the Purple Aprons into the room where the Grand Lodge was earlier opened in ample form.

There is still much work to be done.

But Model Lodge has come home, and this is our story…

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM NEW YORK

The day before Christmas, the Lodge received a donation from the brethren of Manahatta Lodge No. 449 of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York through Bro. Romeo Villanueva.

The gift is intended for the continuing construction of the Lodge's Masonic Temple and the brethren of Model Lodge No. 373 are grateful especially to the following:

WB JON TISON

BRO. ROMEO VILLANUEVA 

BRO. SAMUEL DEL ROSARIO

BRO. ROY CRUZATA

BRO. DWIGHT OCHOTORENA

BRO. LOUIE RAZON

BRO. JASON BUERANO

BRO. EFREN LAZCANO

BRO. DINO VILLAREAL

BRO. ROLLY TUPAZ

BRO. BOB MARTIN

BRO. BENJIE SANTOS

BRO. JASON LUGTO

BRO. EDGAR PILI

BRO. DAVID VINLUAN

Merry Christmas and may you be blessed by the Great Architect of the Universe forever! 

YEAR-LONG ADOPT-2-SCHOOLS PROJECT KICKS OFF

What more than a tree planting to start the school year --- which is actually preluded by a Brigada Eskuwela last May --- which is actually a late commemoration of last month's Environment Month.

Whatever is the case, the 100 guyabano seedlings from Bro. Junnie Fernandez of CENRO-Talavera found its way to the Felix Pascual and Rogelio Valdezotto Elementary Schools in Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija where these were planted by students, teachers, members of the Order of the Amaranth, and the brethren of Model Lodge for the benefit of today's Generation Z.

The project was spearheaded by Model Court No. 55 (Order of the Amaranth) and supported by the Lodge, and was graced by the presence of the District officers of the Order of the Amaranth led by its District Deputy Grand Royal Matron (Sis. Salud Cruz) and Patron (Bro. Antonio Manabat).

This year's Adopt-a-School project will be conducted throughout the year and will focus in providing the unmet needs of both schools and its students based on the inputs of the school principals and teachers.      

FELIX PASCUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ROGELIO VALDEZOTTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A nutrition supplement feeding for the students of the Rogelio Valdezotto Elementary School capped the tree planting activity that was attended also attended by officers of the school's Parents-Teachers Association. 

Through this small contribution, the Court and the Lodge hopes in helping the effort in totally eradicating severe cases of malnutrition among school children.

On the way back, the tree planting team checked on the progress of the ongoing construction of Model Lodge's Masonic Temple where Model Court will also have its permanent address.

Next year, both the Lodge and the Court are hopeful that they will be finally coming home...  

TEMPLE PAVEMENT COMPLETED, FACADE WORK BEGINS

After a month of work, the rough pavement of the Lodge's Masonic temple is finally completed.

Work now shifts to finishing the facade of the Lodge which will house the archives and a columbarium in the basement; the visitors' area, the Preparation Room, and the restrooms in the ground floor; and the Lodge offices in the second floor.

Bros. Prudencio J. Elegado and Eduardo T. Sayco co-chairs the Lodge's Temple Works Committee and with them at the helm, the brethren of Model Lodge is hopeful that they will finally be able to hold next year's installation of officers in their new home. 

TEMPLE WORK STARTS AGAIN!

Bros. Prudencio J. Elegado and Eduardo T. Sayco [center], co-chairs of Model Lodge's ad hoc Temple Works Committee, survey the Lodge's unfinished Masonic temple with some of the brethren.

Upon their recommendation, the Master of the Lodge authorized the continuation of work on the Temple with a minimum target of completing the floor pavement plus the the completion of the rough Temple facade at most.

The brethren hopes that next year, the Temple would have reached that level of completion required for it to host the Lodge's annual public installation of officers.  

MODEL LODGE UNDERGOES A MAKE-OVER

"Bahay nami'y // maliit lamang // pero pero pero malinis ito // kahit na kusina..."

With this line from a popular Eraserheads hit, Model Lodge's temporary Masonic Temple [which is just actually a work room behind a commercial building graciously loaned by the heirs of the late Bro. Antonio Pascual] was refurbished by the Lodge's Entered Apprentice Masons under the supervision of the Master of the Lodge.

The general cleaning cum Lodge improvement --- conducted after the Entered Apprentices' second session on the "Tried and Proven" lecture series --- saw the East and the Preparation Room draped with new curtains, dead clocks and forgotten tarpaulins resurrected, the symbols and signage of a Masonic temple arranged in the right order, and mementos from the past dusted and displayed.

After all, we are where we live said the Master of the Lodge.

LODGE HOLDS TRANSITION MEETING

A day before its 7th Public Installation of Officers, the outgoing and incoming officers of Model Lodge held a transition meeting where the financial portfolio and corporate documents of the Lodge were handed to this year's set of officers.

Witnessing the turnover is Bro. Prudencio J. Elegado, the Lead Convener of the Lodge's Council of Past Masters.

This year's plan for the continuing construction of the Lodge's Masonic Temple was also discussed with Bro. Eduardo T. Sayco who is currently the co-chair of the Lodge's Temple Development Committee. 

HELP US BUILD OUR KING SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

Your generous donations are most welcome and can be deposited
at the following bank account:

Model Lodge No. 373 General Fund

Account No. 5870091307

BDO-Talavera Branch