Master’s Letter | December 2011
Dear Brethren and Friends,
How quickly time passes! I now find it to be the end of my year as Worshipful Master of our Lodge. There have been times that were difficult, challenging, amazing and inspirational. As has been said, one’s time in the East as Worshipful Master is another degree in and of itself. I have done everything that I can to make this a year of growth and improvement with learning, fellowship and ritual. We’ve done quite a bit of work on the administrative end of the house as well - and I can assure you that AAF262 is in a very good state as I depart the East. Our new officer line, under the guidance of WM-Elect Clinton Bartholomew will be stellar! Our annual installation will take place at Zal Gaz Grotto on Friday, December 9th at 6:30PM. We hope to see you, your family and friends there to welcome them into office.
Our Food Gatherers annual benefit was a smashing
success. With the help of our friends, family, community, and matching funds from the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation, we were able to raise over $3700 in one evening for this worthwhile cause. Our evening at the Corner Brewery was full of fun!. We even needed to ask the amazing DJ to stop playing, as we surpassed our allotted time! I am proud that we are able to continue this tradition, and thanks to all that made this event possible. I think it was the best one yet!
Several of our members also made a day trip this month to the Michigan Masonic Museum & Library in Grand Rapids (PDF). This is an institution that our own W. Bro. Seymour D. Greenstone helped to create. While there, we were given presentations about what the Museum & 
Library does, examined many impressive artifacts and texts and took part in a detailed tour of the building. It’s truly an incredible resource for our Brothers across the state, one that I know we will be visiting again in the future.
I want to thank all of you. There is absolutely no way any of the accomplishments of this year could have happened without the hard work of our officers, Past Masters and the members of our Lodge. Always remember - this is YOUR Lodge. Your ideas, input and assistance are always welcomed and needed! Finally, I want to acknowledge the assistance, sacrifice and patience of my amazing wife, Debbie. She has lent many hours of support to me and the Lodge in numerous ways during these past 12 months. I am deeply indebted and truly thankful for everything that she has done during my time as Worshipful Master.
As I depart the East and my sun sets in the West, I wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and an incredible New Year!
Warmest fraternal regards,
Brian Cors
Worshipful Master
UPCOMING EVENTS - From our Trestleboard
DEC 7 - Regular Communication | Pittsfield Union Grange Hall
DEC 9 - Officer Installation | Zal Gaz Grotto
DEC 28 - Master’s Table Dinner | Location TBA
JAN 4 - Regular Communication | Pittsfield Union Grange Hall
JAN 11 - Degree Rehearsal [FC] | Bro. Erik Harclerode’s House
JAN13 - Family Game Night | Zal Gaz Grotto
JAN 18 - Special Communication [FC] | Pittsfield Union Grange Hall
JAN 25 - Robert Burns Birthday Dinner | Zal Gaz Grotto
Master’s Letter | December 2010
Well, to quote Porky Pig, “Tha Tha Tha That’s all Folks!” My year in the East has come to an end. Being installed as Master was once considered something of a “4th” degree. Having passed through it, I now know why. There have been real pleasures, challenges, and, yes, occasional aggravations. I have learned and experienced a lot. “Thank you,” brothers, by honoring me with your trust and support. We have accomplished many great things and grown as a lodge – numerically and fraternally – this year. I have no doubt that your new officers, lead by WM-elect Brian Cors, will continue this work. We are indeed a blessed lodge.
November saw our last meeting at Hathaway’s Hideaway. During it, we passed two more brothers to the Fellowcraft degree. I must say that Hathaway’s served us well over the past two years and I will cherish many memories of our work there. From now on, however, we will be meeting at the Grange. Brothers Bob Hospadaruk and WM-elect Brian Cors also pulled off another successful fundraiser for Food Gatherers in November at the Ann Arbor Brewing Co. in downtown Ann Arbor. Quite a crowd gathered and besides a barrel of food, they helped AAF 262 raise approximately $2,200 with another $1,500 on the way from the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation - all to help feed our hungry neighbors. Congratulations Bob and Brian!
November was also a particularly sorrowful month for AAF 262. W.Bro. Seymour Greenstone, a more then 60 year member and our Secretary, passed. Seymour’s funeral, including the Masonic service, was beautiful. He was indeed a pillar of our lodge and will be sorely missed.
December 1 was our annual meeting. We reviewed and discussed our lodge finances. There is a intender/ mentoring leadership session for Dec. 8 at Hathaway’s Hideway. If you are or would like to be an intender, please do try and attend. Installation of 2011 officers will take place at the Zal Gaz Grotto Club on West Stadium on Dec. 18 at 6:30 p.m. This event is open to the public. There will be heavy appetizers following. The following morning, we meet again at the Grotto for breakfast prior to our yearly rounds of poinsettia delivery to the lodge widows. Lastly, the December Master’s Table, which will also 
be honoring the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, will take place on Dec. 29 - details to follow.
Thus my sun sets in the West. With the year I’ve enjoyed, it feels kind of hard to set down my gavel. But I’m ready to retire to the sidelines too. I plan to continue my ritual study and lend a hand when and where asked. Becoming a past master, for me, doesn’t mean I won’t be a familiar face at lodge.
Lastly, I want to wish you all a very Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Robert Blackburn, WM
UPCOMING EVENTS from Our Trestleboard
- December 8, 2010
Intender Training - Hathaway’s Hideaway - December 18, 2010
Installation of 2011 Officers - Zal Gaz Grotto Club - December 19, 2010
Poinsettia Delivery to Widows - Zal Gaz Grotto Club - December 29, 2010
Master’s Table / St. John the Evangelist Evening - TBA
Masters Table | December 2009
Sabor Latino - Ann Arbor, MI
Master’s Letter | December 2009
Brethren:
As the year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all of their help, contributions, hard work, and support this year. I was lucky to have an excellent officer line that made sure our rituals, social events, and meetings were successful. We also had many members who regularly attended the events, helped with setting up the lodge and cleaning up afterwards, and who showed an interest in degree work. I am proud to have had the chance to sit in the East, and although I wish I could have had more time to devote to the lodge this year, it was still an amazing and fulfilling experience. I wish the best of luck to the incoming officer line, who are all excellent, enthusiastic brothers.
We were privileged to have many eager candidates for Masonry again this year, but what was even more rewarding was to see how many of the new members participated throughout the year. It was a pleasure to see the new members advance through their degrees.
At the end of October, Worshipful Brother Seymour Greenstone organized the annual formal dinner at the Huron River Hunting and Fishing Club, where he is a member. This dinner, or feast as it is more appropriately called, gives the members of Ann Arbor – Fraternity a chance to treat their significant others to a nice dinner as a “thank you” for all of the nights we spend in lodge throughout the year.
In October we raised three new Master Masons; brothers Colin Aycock, Erik Harclerode, and Ted Mawson. It was a special night for all including such highlights as having Erik’s father travel all the way from New Jersey to personally raise his son and to see Ted, a native of the UK, be raised by a past officer of the Grand Lodge of England.
We will have our annual election of officers at the November regular meeting and installation will be a closed (Masons only) event this year. More information is forthcoming on the date and time of the installation.
Please remember to bring donations of books, magazines, toiletries, and clothes for our veterans at the VA hospital. Please contact Art Davidge, PM for specifics about which items are most needed at the VA.
For further details on scheduled lodge events, please check the trestle board. Please keep in your thoughts our brothers and family who may be in sickness or distress.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Chris Fultz
