District 4 Deputy Christopher J. Young and Grand Master Jeff Schoenfeldt recently presented Brother Tom Pinney his 70 year certificate.
Brother Pinney was raised December 22, 1955 in Henry S. Baird Lodge in Sturgeon Bay. He served the Lodge as Master in 1966 and 1992. Brother Pinney has served his Lodge in many capacities – including as Lodge Secretary for many years, retiring just this year – and has played a huge part in organizing and collecting donations for the annual Steam Boat Dinner each March.
More than 90 years ago, the annual Steamboat Dinner started when a large number of the members of the Sturgeon Bay Masonic Lodge, H. S. Baird Lodge No. 174, worked on the ships that sailed the Great Lakes. Their families wanted to have a special send-off meal together in March before they left for the upcoming season on the steamboats. It began quite simply with a free meal in one of the member’s homes and grew to the point where they needed to use the lodge building to have room for all the people.
Eventually, the dinner opened to the public. The annual Steamboat Dinner has evolved over the years and has donated and delivered over 17,000 meals to those in need over the past 37 years.
The Steamboat Dinner provides meals to over 1500 families in Door, Kewaunee and Brown counties.
This year’s 91st annual Steamboat Dinner will be on March 14 at 31 S. 3rd Ave., Sturgeon Bay.
Submitted by DD4 Christorpher J. Young
