By Grand Master Jeff Schoenfeldt
Every time I sit down to write these monthly articles, I think to myself, “where in the heck has the past month gone?” My father always told me that the older you get, the faster time goes. That adage seemingly grows truer with every passing day.
October was another busy month for Wisconsin Freemasonry! Since my last article, I visited Reedsburg to attend their Shed Lodge at Brother Dan Brylla’s house. This tradition began about a decade ago, I believe around the time I was District Deputy. It’s an afternoon of friendship, Brotherly Love — and amazing food, which is cooked up by Brother Leonard Pickett, a very talented chef.
From there, several members of the Wisconsin Freemasonry Leadership Team and I visited Brother Bob Ott in the hospital. He’s been battling some aftereffects of a knee replacement surgery, but he was all smiles during our visit! We wish him well in his continued recovery!
The next morning, I attended the monthly Linden Lodge Pancake Breakfast, where they served up hot cakes and cooked-to-order eggs with some delicious locally-sourced and butchered pork sausage patties. The proceeds raised benefitted Linden first responders.
From there, I headed over to Hollandale for the annual pork chop dinner hosted by Barneveld Masonic Lodge (Number 319 on the roster, but Number 1 in my heart!). There, in less than 90 minutes, we sold around 125 meals to go, which consisted of two pork chops, a generous serving of cowboy potatoes, coleslaw, bread and dessert. I forgot to grab utensils, so I literally ate the entire meal with my hands (I used the bone to scoop up the potatoes) on my drive to the next stop: Potosi, where Warren Lodge was holding its 12th Annual Car Show. The show had 116 cars and enjoyed over 150 spectators, their second largest ever!
The next weekend, I travelled to Bristol for Washburn Lodge’s Pork Chop Dinner. It was a great meal and fun to sit and talk about the Lodge and the Job’s Daughters’ Bethel. After that, I headed over to Kenosha Lodge for their prime rib dinner and cigar night. I had too many cigars when I was in Cuba in 2013 and honestly haven’t touched one since, so I just enjoyed the prime rib and fellowship, of which both were in plenty!
That next week, I travelled down to Springfield, Illinois for the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Over the past few years, we have done a lot to strengthen and support our fraternal relations with our neighboring states – and I am proud to call their newly-elected Deputy Grand Master, Jim Williams, a friend of mine. Interestingly enough, each Illinois Grand Lodge office is a two-year term, meaning your journey to the Grand East can be a commitment of 20-25 years! From there, I drove up to Monroe for Smith Lodge’s 175th Anniversary and Lodge Rededication. We had a very nice ceremony with nearly every member of the Wisconsin Freemasonry Leadership Team present. The Lodge had a nice meal of BBQ afterwards – and then Deputy Grand Master Joe Thompson and I enjoyed a couple of beverages with the Smith Boys at Baumgartner’s, just like we used to do when we both served as District Deputies for this area (no limburger cheese sandwiches, though).
From there, I went to the Grand Lodge offices and signed Masonic Anniversary Cards, usually around 750 per month. I think it’s important for all Brothers to know that the Wisconsin Freemasonry Leadership Team appreciates and values them being our Brother and friend!
The next day was back to Reedsburg for the 85th birthday party of Brother Richard Bennett, a 61-year Brother in Freemasonry and former circus clown who has travelled all over and met so many interesting people. It’s always fun to see Brother Richard!
Then, last weekend, we held a Day of Light in Marinette where we raised 6 new Brothers into our incredible fraternity. It was a fun day filled with fellowship and Brotherly Love – and DD4 Skipper’s famous chicken booyah! Later that week, I travelled to Green Bay to attend the Joint Table Lodge of Roosevelt and Washington Lodges. Brother Nic Schuh cooked up a great meal of steak tips and homemade mashed potatoes — and an amazing pumpkin pie crunch for dessert.
So far, I am averaging about 2,500 miles per month for Masonry, which is about what I had expected and basically the equivalent of driving from Peshtigo to Orlando and back every month. But I’m not complaining at all; I love the incredible opportunity I have been given to go to every corner of this state and revel in the Brotherhood we all enjoy so much.
As I say, “It’s not the miles, it’s the smiles!” – because no matter where I go, no matter how far I have to drive, the Brothers always treat me so well, it’s really like I’m at home. That’s one of the most amazing things about this fraternity: that feeling of not just familiarity with others, not even just friendship. But that feeling that the very moment you walk into a Lodge building, you are surrounded by family when you are surrounded by your Brothers. There’s really no place like “home”!
Keep being the good in the world, Brothers!
