Fundraising efforts by...
As told to Geoff Ludowyk
Our Brethren at the Lodge of Truth Braidwood No. 26 have been busy on a number of fronts and ain’t that the Truth! RW Bro Geoff Bunn PJGW, the Master of the Lodge, has provided a comprehensive account of their doings for the next edition of ‘Columns – the Region 10 Newsletter’. As that won’t be published until September, your editor thought that this news is just too good to wait that long to be made known. Their efforts are unbelievable, so read on and enjoy…
Victorian bushfires
Farmers, W Bro Phil Shoemark and Bro Tim Raynolds of the Lodge of Truth, left Braidwood
early on a Wednesday morning last May in their ute loaded with fencing equipment and towing Phil’s Kanga. Phil and Tim travelled to Victoria to help farmers in the Myrtleford area erect fencing that was destroyed during the devastating fires that ravaged Victoria earlier this year. Their work was greatly appreciated and they were well looked after by the local communities. The Masonic community is very proud of the efforts of these two men and all those of our community that have helped the victims of the fires in so many different ways.
The Lodge of Truth also sent a $4,000 cheque to Grand Lodge of Victoria. In particular to the Grand Master of Victoria’s Appeal for funds that were to be made available to assist in any future projects relating to the reconstruction and restoration of facilities in fire affected areas. The money was proceeds from a wood raffle held in the Main St of Braidwood specifically for victims of the Victorian fires.
Brumbies jumper
The Lodge of Truth was given a signed CA Brumbies Rugby 2009 team jumper by local
identity Vince Crosby. Beautifully presented in a glass frame, it is indeed a collector’s item which would have appealed to both Brumbies supporters and collectors alike. The jumper was on display at the Braidwood Bendigo Bank prior to the auction.
The Lodge of Truth auctioned the jumper at the Braidwood Servicemen’s Club on Friday 22nd May following their Friday night raffle. The auction raised $650 for the Masonic Youth and Welfare Fund to assist in the education and welfare of the youth of our community.
The members of the Lodge of Truth thank the community for its support and are proud to be supporting their community.
Monster wood raffle
At the recent Lodge of Truth Annual Wood Raffle and Auction, the Braidwood Masons raised $4,611 for the Braidwood Community. Congratulations to Steve Kidd who was the lucky winner of the raffle, which raised $1,401. Twelve loads of firewood were then auctioned, the top priced load of Araluen red gum returning $450, with an average price of $267.50 per load.
The generosity of the Braidwood community enables these proceeds to be directed to our community to assist those in real need. The Lodge of Truth wishes to thank the people of the Braidwood community for their support, which enables them to continue to support our community. The Lodge also thanks the Braidwood Mobil Service Station for the use of their driveway for the auction, Braidwood Sawmill and Vision Concrete for the load of wood for the raffle prize and the hard workers who cut and split the loads for the auction.
Supporting our community
The Braidwood Masons were pleased to make presentations to both Braidwood Care and
Braidwood St Vincent de Paul. Pictured at left are Jim Warman from Braidwood Care and Barry Dowell from St Vincent de Paul accepting cheques of $400 each from Geoff Bunn (right).
The Braidwood Masons have placed all the proceeds from the annual Wood Raffle and Auction back into its community. Along with these presentations, $2,000 was presented to the Braidwood Preschool, $500 to the Braidwood Education Foundation, $860 towards the Defensive Driving Course for young drivers of their community, $350 to the Braidwood MPS and $100 to Braidwood Community Radio. It is the wonderful support of their community that makes the Wood Raffle and Auction such a success. The Lodge of Truth thanks thanks the community for its support and generosity by placing this money back into the community where it is needed.
Pictured: (Above left) Steve Hockey making the presentation to the Braidwood Preschool. (Above right) Phil Shoemark (right) with Martin Pitt of the Braidwood Education Foundation.
Going to the dogs…
The members, families and friends from the Lodge hold a social outing each year at one of the Canberra Greyhounds race meetings. The Lodge hires a bus and they all travel to Canberra from Braidwood. It is a fun night, no one knows much about greyhounds or the trainers, but plenty of serious and heavy betting takes place based on the names of dogs and hot tips floating around the betting ring. The competition amongst the brethren and families off the track is just as strong as the competition on the track.
The Deputy Grand Master Designate, RW Bro Derek Robson and the RGC Region 10 Designate, RW Bro Graham Charlton joined the Worshipful Master of the Lodge of Truth, RW Bro Geoff Bunn, brethren, family and friends at the Canberra Greyhound races.
The late Wor Bro Graham Gourlay started training and racing greyhounds some six years ago and suggested that a night at the races would be a great social outing for the Lodge. The Lodge of Truth was invited to sponsor a race and the Lodge of Truth Stakes was born. This year the Lodge sponsored the Graham Gourlay Memorial Stakes in remembrance of the late W Bro Gourlay who passed to the Grand Lodge above in July last year.