Lodge Charity in Action

On Wednesday April 3rd our Worshipful Master and Past Masters presented Peace Neighborhood Center in Ann Arbor with a check for $1,200.00 also pictured is Executive Director Bonnie Billup

Peace Neighborhood Center has piloted and maintained programs for children, families, and individuals to promote self-sufficiency and positive community involvement. We are proud to report that since 1971, we have provided critical services and opportunities to more than 18,000 people in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. Through a wide range of comprehensive programs, Peace helps people discover options, enhance skills, and make choices that promote education, health, well-being, and fiscal independence.

Our services include: advocacy, emergency assistance, after-school programs, summer day camps, college and career preparation, individual and family counseling, and family enrichment.

They are an important part of the Ann Arbor Community and it was our joy to offer assistance

Master's Letter April 2024

Wednesday Mar 27th Master's Table at Metzger's 7pm

Wednesday Apr 3rd Regular Communication

Monday Apr 8th Solar Eclipse
Wednesday Apr 17th FC Practice
Saturday Apr 20th FC Degree at Detroit Masonic Temple
Sunday Apr 21st - Tuesday Apr 23rd MWPHGL in Kalamazoo
Wednesday Apr 24th Master’s Table at Grizzly Peak 7pm

Happy Almost April Brothers!

This Year is flying by and we have much to do!

I hope you all take time this month to go outside and make the world a better place. You can meet new people, help someone out, or simply plant a seed. There is always something we can do to try and improve and with Earth Day and Arbor Day both being in April, we should seize the opportunity to improve the world around us. We have our yearly trip down to the Detroit Masonic Temple for a Fellowcraft degree on April 20th. I am always excited to switch things up so that we don't get stuck in the same old routine. This master's Letter is shorter than usual but I want to make sure to remind you all to be nice to people and help out the planet because you could be the reason someone has a good day today. I appreciate all of you and hope to see you this month.

Fraternally,

Dakota Legge

Worshipful Master

Ann Arbor-Fraternity #262

Master's Letter March 2024

March is upon us! It is crazy how fast this year has flown by.

Calendar Highlights:

2/28 – Master’s Table at Blue Tractor

3/1 – Check Presentation at Hope Clinic 4pm. (518 Harriet St Ypsilanti, MI 48197)

3/6 – Regular Communication

3/16 – Past Master’s Roast (Buy your tickets here)

3/20 – Special Communication

3/27 – Master’s Table (TBD)

March is a very interesting month. March is war. March is a new beginning. March is luck. March is named after the Roman god of war, Mars, but I like to think of March as a fresh start. March is the month we associate with the beginning of spring. As this is a new beginning in nature, we should also look inside to see if we need a fresh start. Whether that’s a new routine, a new hobby, or a new book, we should use this opportunity to improve ourselves and shake off any of those New Year’s resolutions that we already forgot about.

March is also associated with luck. We will definitely need luck to make it through Daylight Savings time (March 10) or maybe your favorite team needs that luck for their run during March Madness. I feel the need to make some profound statement or quote about luck here… “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Panda Express Fortune Cookie.

I hope to see you all at our events this month!

Dakota Legge

Worshipful Master

Ann Abor Masons Raise over $700 for charity.

On Saturday February 10th Ann Arbor Fraternity Lodge had a booth at the Shrine Sportsman Raffle in Novi.  Worshipful Master Dakota Legge, Senior Warden Zevi Bareket, and Past Master Eric Bettner used the booth to run a raffle for the lodge’s charity efforts.  With raffle tickets and a brand-new chainsaw in hand we raised just over $700 for Hope Clinic in Ypsilanti.  Hope Clinic not only functions as a food bank, but also provides dental, physical, and mental services for people in Washtenaw County and beyond. 

Master's Letter February 2024

Brothers!

Calendar:

Jan 31st Burns Festive Board - Zal Gaz Grotto 

Feb 2nd Groundhog Day - Fingers Crossed!!! 

Feb 7th Regular Communication - Zal Gaz Grotto

Feb 10th Shrine Sportsman's Raffle - Novi Suburban Showplace (Come visit our table)

Feb 14th Valentine's Day - You've been warned!!!

Feb 21st Special Communication (EA Degree) - Zal Gaz Grotto 

Feb 28th Master's Table - Location TBD

Happy February and month of Love and Time.

February is the month of love thanks to Valentine's Day being right in the middle of the month. How you define love is up to you but whatever it is you love be sure to love unconditionally. Masonry teaches about Brotherly Love but what does it truly mean? To me, brotherly love means not only the love for my brothers but the love for humanity and compassion towards one another.

February is also the month of Time as it is the shortest month of the entire year and as you can see in the calendar it is a very busy month for us. Make sure to use the tools given to you by masonry to take control of time and use it wisely and to your advantage. Time is defined as the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. Remember to divide your time and make use of it for those purposes you set because we only have a finite amount of time.

February is an exciting month for us and I hope to see you all at our events outside of regular meetings because the gatherings and fun we have is what makes us a fraternity, not just the business meetings about bills, communications, and By-Laws.

Fraternally,

Dakota Legge

Worshipful Master

Most Worshipful Brother Richard H. “Dick” Sands

Brothers,

It is with heavy heart that I report to you that Ann Arbor Fraternity Lodge #262’s  Most Worshipful Brother Richard H. “Dick” Sands died Monday evening at age 94.

Dick was truly a remarkable man and one of the greatest Masonic scholars any of us will ever know.  

Dick was initiated, passed and raised in Golden Rule Lodge in 1964, where he went on to become the Master of the Lodge.  He was installed as Grand Master of Masons in the State of Michigan on 1/1/1985. He was an honorary member to many lodges and received numerous awards but his greatest contribution to Michigan Masonry was writing Beyond The Northeast Corner  .

By trade Dick was a physics professor and was a Professor Emeritus from the University of Michigan where he had been the chairman of the Physics Department for many years.  Though Dick had been nominated for the Nobel Prize during his career, he was just “Dick” around the Lodge and at the Grotto where he enjoyed golfing, trap shooting and camaraderie—especially at Tom n’ Jerry parties.

Dick is survived by his wife Mary Sands, his sons our Masonic Brothers Bob Sands and Tom Sands and his two daughters Christine Sands and Karen Tinucci as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. Dick was predeceased by his wife Emma, who was the (national) Supreme Mighty Chosen One of the Daughters of the Mokanna.  

The family will be requesting a Masonic funeral sometime in the spring of 2024.

Thank you WB Rich Kinsey for putting together this wonderful passage about MWB Dick Sands.

Sincerely,

Dakota Legge

Worshipful Master

Ann Arbor Fraternity #262 

Master's Letter January 2024

Happy New Year Brothers!

Calendar:

December 31st New Year's Eve

January 1st Tom & Jerry party

January 3rd Regular Communication

January 17th EA Degree practice

January 31st Burns Dinner

As the new year is upon us it's a time for reflection as well as planning. We can reflect on the past year and all the good times we had as well as what we accomplished as a lodge together. As we plan our goals for the new Year we need to not only remember where we came from but where we want to go. I encourage everyone to think about what they want to see out of the lodge this upcoming year and how each of us can help achieve our goals.

According to the Chinese Horoscope 2024, the dragon represents authority, prosperity, and good fortune. The Wood Dragon year 2024, when combined with the nourishing Wood element, will bring evolution, improvement, and abundance; it is the perfect time for rejuvenated beginnings and setting the foundation for long-term success.

Let's start the year off strong with setting the foundation (bylaw updates) so that we can focus on our long-term success or goals(more brotherhood events).

Finally, I want to thank all of you for an amazing 2023.

Fraternally,

Dakota Legge

Worshipful Master 

Master's Letter December 2024

Thursday November 23rd Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday November 29th Movie Night Princess Bride 6:30pm movie starts at 7pm

Wednesday December 6th Regular Communication/Lodge of Sorrows 6pm dinner 7pm gavel

Thursday December 7th Start of Chanuka

Saturday December 9th Installation of Lodge officers

Wednesday December 20th, 2024, Officers Meeting 6:30pm

Thursday December 21st Joyest Yule

Monday December 25th Merry Christmas

Tuesday December 26th Start of Kwanza

Wednesday December 27th Grand Lodge of Michigan and Most Worship Prince Hall Grand of Michigan Joint table lodge Weber’s Ann Arbor

Monday December 31 NYE

Tuesday January 1st Tom and Jerry

This will be my last letter as Worshipful Master but fear not I was elected to the position of Secretary for next year, so there will still be many, if not too many emails and messages from next year.  I am thankful for my year in the East and look forward to seeing what Worshipful Master Elect Dakota Legge has in store for us next year. 

Back in May of this year I was challenged by a Past Master for our Lodge to put some skin in the game for a charitable cause.  Something more than just showing up with a check and a smile.  So, at our September Regular Dakota and I brought before the Lodge the idea of making 500 meal bags for Hope Clinic which we have been supporting since WB Eric Bettner’s year.  So, after a few months of begging for help from a few Grocery stores the Kroger on Plymouth Rd stepped up to help.  Julia the manager worked with me on getting the best deal, ordering the products for the least amount of waste, and she had the store donate a $500.00 gift card bringing us way under budget.  Wednesday night on the 15th many of us came together and bagged 500 individual meals, which is on average only a one-week supply for Hope Clinic.  And on the 16th with presented Hope clinic with bags.   It was a lot of work and I was happy to see brothers bring family members to help with work, and mostly wearing a smile doing it. 

Lastly, I want to say happy holidays to all my brothers and their families.  May we all find a little peace on Earth.

Master's Letter November 2023

Wednesday October 25th Master’s Table Session Room 7pm 3685 Jackson Rd Ann Arbor 48103

Tuesday October 31st Happy Halloween

Wednesday November 1st Lodge Annual Communication. Dinner at 6pm Gavel at 7pm

Wednesday November 8th Brother’s of Literature/Masonic Workshop 7pm TBD

Wednesday November 15th Special Hope Clinic Food Pantry 630pm Zal Gaz

Thursday November 23 Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday November 29th Fellowship to be discussed

Wednesday December 6th Regular Communication/Lodge of Sorrows 6pm dinner 7pm gavel

Saturday December 9th Installation of Lodge officers

Wednesday December 27th Grand Lodge of Michigan and Most Worship Prince Hall Grand of Michigan Joint table lodge Webers Ann Arbor

tickets can be purchased here

November in America is synonymous with the idea of being thankful.  Many of us think of being thankful for the things they have.  But rarely do we think about being thankful for the things we have done, and by extension the things that our friends and family have accomplished.  On Wednesday October 18th I preformed my last degree as Master of the Lodge, and the fact that I will only have two more regular communications before I am relieved of my scared trust.  I think every Master whether its his first, second, or fifteenth time starts to reflect on his year around this time. Every Master faces challenges but not every Master can be truly thankful to his officers. 

I’m thankful that each of my line officers have done more than expected and often without being asked.  How proud and thankful I am when I get an email from an officer when they know they can’t be at a degree, but the next officer is ready to step up.  Even more thankful when there is no notice, and each officer is ready to jump up to do the work.  And I am thankful that your work has been exemplary.  Few lodges in Michigan or anywhere else can measure up to the our degree work, while not always word perfect the intent has consistently been delivered with both enjoyment and conviction that a hoodwinked man can feel.  Your passion for learning and improvement has not gone unnoticed.

I am thankful for Lodge coming together every couple of weeks, it has been a source of strength and energy for me.  And I am thankful for the less traditional things you have participated in.  Our lodge Seder was an enjoyable event. 

I’m even thankful to as Worshipful Master have to call on members who are going through tuff times.  Especially knowing that if I too am in a situation where I need support I can count on many to be there.

I am looking forward to being proud and thankful on November 1st when we as a lodge elect next year’s officer line, knowing that I will be proud of my current line for years to come.

Our Brothers at St. Mary’s #4 MWPHGLoM are hosting a Black and White Gala at Phoenix 13 in Ypsi.  The event will be hosted by none other than our very own honorary member Worshipful Master Hernando Flowers tickets can be purchased here

Master's Letter October 2023

Wednesday October 4th Regular Communication.  Chilie Cook Off at 6pm Gavel at 7pm

Wednesday October 11th Brothers of literature/Masonic Workshop 7pm  TBD

Wednesday October 18th Master Mason Degree dinner at 6pm gavel at 7pm

Wednesday October 25 Master’s Table Metzger’s (third time is a charm)7pm

TBD Lodge Certification

Wednesday November 1st Regular Communication dinner 6pm Gavel 7pm

Wednesday November 15th Hope Clinic Sack Meal building night.  6:30pm

My two favorite tropes about Autumn in Michigan are a crock pot full of chili, and change.  Halloween isn’t a trope it’s a holiday and the best one all year.   As our leaves have started changing into brilliant fall colors, our days are getting shorter, our nights are getting cooler, we have a few changes to our lodge schedule of events as well.

We will still be having our annual Chili Cook Off at our Regular Communication.  But due to scheduling conflicts with the facilitators of the Masonic Book Club/Masonic Workshop the day has been moved to the second Wednesday of the month.  The Book Club is not an official Masonic Body, nor is it controlled by the Lodge and the scheduling of their meetings is under their purview.  The Lodge Certification which was to be Held on October 18th is currently being rescheduled.  Phoenix 13 in Ypsilanti will be hosting us a date and time will be announced soon, and I will be sending a summons to the officers to attend once the date has been confirmed.  We are doing this to fit in one last degree before my terrible reign as Master is over. So, October 18th will be a Master Mason degree.  Dinner at 6pm Gavel at 7pm

Speaking of my year as Worshipful Master coming to an end.  November 1st will be our Annual Communication where we will be conducting business that will affect the lodge for the coming year.  Officer Elections, Budget, and Continuing Resolutions will be taking place. 

I hope to see you all in Lodge soon