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Masonic Lodge membership on the increase
BY DAN EAKIN, Staff Writer
The Lewisville Masonic Lodge 201 has been serving the community for more than a century and a half.
There have been some lean years during the past few decades, but Larry FitzPatrick, master of the Lodge, said there has been a renewed interest in the last couple of years.
“Our Lodge has been an integral part of the Lewisville area for over 150 years,” FitzPatrick said, “although, for a period of time probably not as active as it could have been. The declining number and aging of the membership were the main reasons for our inactivity. Most fraternal organizations have suffered the same setbacks in recent years, primarily because there are so many other things to occupy a persons time.
FitzPatrick said recent movies and television programs about Masonic Lodge activities are not the reason for the recent increases in lodge members.
“In a recent survey of our membership, we discovered that it was not due to the publicity of movies such as National Treasure or documentaries on the Discovery Channel as we suspected, but more due to the fact that men were looking for a place to find help dealing with the issues of day-to-day life,” he said. “They were drawn to the Lodge because they had a friend or relative, often times their grandfather, who had been a Mason, and had a special admiration they felt stemmed from his being a Mason.
FitzPatrick said the mission of the Lodge is “to help good men become better men. Our unique ability to bring men from all walks of life -- different generations, religions, races and income levels -- together on a level field, is again gaining popularity.”
Five longtime members of the Lewisville Lodge will be honored in a special ceremony Thursday night at the Lodge location at 603 Minco Road.
They include Charles Mesnard, who has been a member for 65 years; Evan Thomas, Edwin McEver and Fred Kunz, who have been members for 60 years; and James Heath, who has been a member for 50 years.
The Lodge’s next major event, the 2008 Race for the Children, will take place Sept. 13. Registration will take place from 6:30-8 a.m. at the greenbelt next to Lewisville City Hall, located at 151 W. Church Street.
People of all ages will be invited to participate in a 1-mile fun run or in a 5K race. An awards ceremony will follow.
Proceeds will go to the support of the Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Galveston and the Lewisville Independent School District. Last year, the Lewisville Masonic Lodge gave $2,750 to the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital and $3,750 to the LISD for scholarships and to support the Learning After the Bell program.
“In March 2007, our Lodge celebrated its 150th anniversary,” states a brochure advertising the upcoming races. “This marked the beginning of a renewed emphasis on our charitable responsibilities and community involvement.”
For information about the Lodge or the race, go to www.lewisvillelodge.org or www.raceforthechildren.org.
Contact Dan Eakin at 972-628-4075 or at deakin@acnpapers.com. Comment on this story at scntx.com.
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