I am in the process of suspending 20 of our members for non-payment of dues. My brethren, this hurts, not only financially but emotionally. Financially we are now expected to operate the lodge with $1000 less in our budget. It’s already a shoe-string budget at that. All the fluff has been eliminated so we can make ends meet. We will all feel the effects of this deficit. Emotionally, we are losing contact with 20 brothers. For reasons known only to them, they have decided to drop their membership from the fraternity. We have made numerous attempts to avoid this situation but to no avail. I will be sending a Petition for Restoration to each brother being suspended in hopes of getting them back someday soon.

Now on to some lighter news. In a effort of help the Stewards with meals, some of us have offered to take on the duties of preparing a meal at one of the stated meetings.  WB Bob Stacoffe as stepped up and so have I. I (I guess I should say my wife and I) have volunteered to cook for the April 6th meeting. We will be preparing chicken pot pies. Those of you who have had these in the past know you’re in for a good meal. In the past, we have been averaging about 15 members for dinner, so I’m only going to cook 20 pies. So it’s first come first served! Come and get em while they last!

Gary Wehr, PM