Thunderbird Lodge No. 15 Free and Accepted Masons

Temple Talk

552 North 40^th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85008

Volume 13, Issue 12 www.thunderbird15.org December 2006

From the East:

Well, elections are over, our by-laws are signed, the Banquet is over, bikes have been given away at Valley View School and two first degrees have been completed since the last Trestle-Board. On October 21, Mr. J. David and Mr. Glenn Robbins became our newest Entered Apprentices. We welcome them into our Lodge, and hope to see our two new Brothers going through their next two degrees sometime in the near future. My thanks to all who participated in the ritual, especially to Steve Smith, SW from Chandler 34, who came over to give the lecture again. Articles on the other subjects are in this Trestle-Board. On December 12, there will be a Master Mason degree in our lodge room at 7:00 PM, and as usual, we need as many Brothers in attendance as possible, even if it is as a sideliner. This degree had been scheduled for Dec. 14, but the change in date for the stated meeting meant we had to change the day for the degree. On November 30 at 7:00 PM there is an Officer’s meeting to prepare officers or anyone else who will be attending the Leadership Conference in January. On December 9, at 10:00 AM is the Installation of our new Officers for 2007. And on December 16 we will be meeting in the parking at the Shrine to deliver Poinsettias to our Lodge widows. The more teams we can get the better. This was a very fulfilling experience for myself and the others who participated last year. I hope that all our lodge brothers and their families had a good Thanksgiving and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season this year.

Jim Drake

Worshipful Master

NOTICE

Our revised Bylaws have been signed by the Grand Master, and are now in effect. One of our revisions was to change the Stated Meeting to the second Thursday of the month, at 7:00 PM. Our Stated Meeting for December will be on December 14, at 7:00 PM, not at the previously scheduled time of December 12 at 7:30 PM.

REUNION BANQUET

On Thursday, November 9, we held our Reunion Banquet, with about 70 people in attendance. 50 year pins were awarded to Louis Neeb, Eugene Hodges, Les Weatherly and Eugene Terrel. Widows in attendance were Marcie Paris, Margaret Estes, and Barbara Hudson, and all received a widow’s pin from Grand Lodge and a Blue Slipper pin, and a short lecture about the Blue Slipper was given. Recognition was also given to brothers who received degrees during the past year. The Grand Secretary, MW George Stablein, awarded the Master, Jim Drake with a Masonic pocket watch in recognition of his work in the Lodge over the past year. All Brothers who attended were given a lapel pin, and all attendees received a Forget-Me-Not lapel pin, with a short lecture on the significance of this pin. Photos from Thunderbird 48, Tempe 15 and Thunderbird 15 were up on display around the room. After dinner and awards, everyone retired to the Lodge Room for a presentation of The Rose Upon the Altar, performed by the Scottish Rite. A good time was had by all who were there, and no one went home hungry. With almost 60 in the audience and 12 players, it was one full Lodge room. Just count the chairs next time you are up there. If we do this again next year, it will sure be hard to top the Altar performance, it was so well done. Thank-you, Rose Upon the Altar players! And thank-you to all who attended!

CAN YOU TELL ME…

If George Washington is the most famous American Mason, then Ben Franklin would have to be second. However, this famous Mason, who probably did more than any other man to bring our Constitution into existence, was buried without Masonic Rites. Why?

Elected Officers for 2007

Election of officers for 2007 was held on November 2, at the Stated Meeting, they are:

Worshipful Master: Jim Drake PM Treasurer: Bob Bell PM

Senior Warden: Chuck Bent PM Secretary: Bill Beatty PM

Junior Warden: Aaron Chamney Trustee 2010 Reza Farrokh PM

Masonic Birthdays for December:

Ali Farrokh, 12/28/2002, 4yrs Danial E Shank, 12/15/1988, 18yrs

Francis N Tucker, 12/10/1987, 19yrs Warren N Walker, 12/21/1972, 34yrs

Donald J Wilcox, 12/13/2001, 5yrs

A Stepping Stone Foundation Christmas Angels!

I am a past president of “A Stepping Stone Foundation” and together with Brother Gustavo Rodriguez we are very involved with them. The ‘A Stepping Stone Foundation’ is a family literacy and preschool program for families and preschoolers of “limited opportunities”, also known as “at risk” of school failure. Every year since we began funding preschool classrooms in 1990, A Stepping Stone Foundation has provided Christmas gifts for each of our preschool children and their siblings 12yrs old and younger. Over the last couple of years, the number of children provided for is well over 300. Thanks to our many angels throughout the greater Phoenix area, we have never disappointed a single one!

Here’s how the process will work. An “Angel Tree” will be placed in the Red Fez dining room (open at 4:00pm) at the Shrine on or about November 16^th. 20 Name Tags representing a portion of our preschool children will be hanging from a wooden Christmas tree. Each tag will have age, gender, clothing sizes and toy wishes printed on them. It is my hope that no one need spend more than $50 on a single child and that every child will receive a toy, a book and at least one article of clothing. Teaming up with another Brother or bringing your extended family together on a “Christmas Project” is a good match for a tag or 2, or more.

2 Very Important requests!

1. Please sign your name and home phone or cell phone number on the sign-out sheet. It will not be added to the foundation database. I personally need to keep track of the tags.

2. Wrapped gifts with the “Angel Tag” attached, will be due back under the tree in the Red Fez dining room no later than December 8^th!

For additional info on the A Stepping Stone Foundation, please visit the website at “asteppingstone.org”. I am honored to represent the children and families of A Stepping Stone Foundation, and our Lodge, in thanking you in advance for your support and generosity.

Brother Mike Gattorna

Calendar:

December 2006:

Thursday 7-Dec-06 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Saturday 9-Dec-06 10:00am Installation of Officers

Tuesday 12-Dec-06 7:00pm Third Degree, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 14-Dec-06 6:00pm Dinner Red Fez 6pm

7:00pm Stated Meeting (Now Second Thursday)

Saturday 16-Dec-06 TBA Poinsettias to Widows

Thursday 21-Dec-06 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 28-Dec-06 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

January 2007:

Thursday 4-Jan-07 7:00pm Fellowship/Prac, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 11-Jan-07 6:00pm Dinner Red Fez

7:00pm Stated Meeting, (Now 2^nd Thursday)

Thursday 18-Jan-07 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 25-Jan-07 7:00pm Trustees, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

February 2007:

Thursday 1-Feb-07 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 8-Feb-07 6:00pm Dinner Red Fez

7:00pm Stated Meeting

Thursday 15-Feb-07 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Thursday 22-Feb-07 7:00pm Fellowship, Dinner Red Fez 6pm

Temple Talk is Published by Thunderbird No. 15, F.&A.M.

Submit information for the next publication by the 15^th of each month to:

William D. Beatty, Editor

13409 South 40^th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85044-4503

or by E-Mail to: beattyw@msn.com

Direct questions or comments to me at 480-759-0253

Contact List

Master: Jim Drake PM: 480-756-1105 Home, jandvdrake@aol.com

Secretary: Bill Beatty PM: 480-759-0253, beattyw@msn.com

El Zaribah Shrine Center: 602-231-0300

Website: www.thunderbird15.org

Thunderbird #15 F&AM

552 North 40^th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85008