FVNews Daily. 
No 24. Thursday, May 14, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Speaker at Endeavour Virtual Lodge
• Matteo Donato advises that Dr Mike Kearsley, an internationally acclaimed masonic researcher and presenter, will speak on The Morgan Affair at the meeting of Endeavour Virtual Lodge at 7pm on Tuesday, May 26. Dr Kearsley is a New Zealander who now resides in Surrey, England, He is a Prestonian lecturer, a Kellerman lecturer, and a Quatuor Coronati Lodge Norman Spencer Prize winner. He also finds time to be the current editor of the globally read masonic magazine, The Square. Register your interest HERE

Board of General Purposes meets
• The Freemasons Victoria Board of General Purposes is due to conduct its monthly meeting today (Thu.) by Zoom. Peter Clark is Acting President.BOGP members include John Blyth, David Blake, Matteo Donato, Richard Elkington, Craig Head, Bill Lodge, Keith Murray, Harry Pitaro, Ian Upjohnand Graeme Wallace. Observers are Anthony Bucca and Myles King. Grand Secretary is Garry Runge.

Freemasons Cycling Club zooms
• Seven members of the Freemasons Cycling Club  Special Interest Group came together on Wednesday night for a social gathering. It was described as a “great chat, banter and general fun was had by all”.

Birthday wishes for Bob
• Past Grand Master Bob Jones was wished well by 40 participants of the Williamstown Lodge on Wednesday night, ahead of his birthday today (Thu.).Keith Murray sent an apology for his inability to attend, saying (via Anthony Bucca) that he (Keith) regretted he was unable to see people in person, laughing that as a Scot that he was sorry to miss out on a Scotch at someone else’s expense. The guest speaker’s presentation included some Zoom glitches – the irony was that his talk was about the Communications volunteer portfolio. In the gathering was Richard Elkington, who spoke on the challenges faced by lodges across the state, in the post-COVID-19 recovery.

From across the ditch
• The New Zealand Herald/Whanganui Chronicle reports that social aspects of Freemasonry was the first to be suspended, but the philanthropic work carries on: “Ruapehu Masonic District Grand Master Ash Williamson says Freemasonry New Zealand responded immediately to the pandemic.”We have suspended all Lodges until May 31, when it will be reviewed,” he says. “The Grand Master indicated we may go back under Level 2, but that is to be considered because the demographic of our members is such that many are over 70 and we don’t want to put anyone at risk.” Last week a directive was issued from Grand Lodge to District Grand Masters on how Freemasonry will restart, but the date was left open, pending Government and health requirements.”

Press releases underway

• Paul Brennand, Grand Superintendent of Membership, is encouraging lodges to submit media releases to local publications, explaining aboutFreemasonry. The Gippsland Lakes Lodge is doing that, supplemented by photos (with first names AND surnames of each person in the pictures, from left to right), as well as current news such as Zoom meetings, the youthful ages of some members, visits, and a list of community projects. At Gippsland Lakesthis includes the donation of a school bus, support for a ‘Mums and Bubs’ fitness scheme, a donation to the Lakes Entrance Surf Life Saving Club, co-operation with the Sikh volunteers during the bushfires, and school bursaries.

Free publicity opportunity

• Lodges are invited to submit items for publication in the FVNews Daily. EMAIL. Editor Ash Long extends the same invitation for free publicity for Lodges in his Local Paper (Mitchell, Murrindindi, Nillumbik, Strathbogie, Whittlesea, Yarra Ranges) weekly publications. Next week sees the launch of extra editions of The Local Paper: Diamond Valley News, Heidelberger, Northcote Budget, Preston Post-Reservoir Times, Whittlesea Post. EMAIL orWEB

What’s On: online meetings

• Friday, May 15. 7.30pm. Grand Lodge Ceremonial Team. Zoom Meeting. Call Alan Tyndall, Grand Pursuivant Designate, for details.
• Saturday, May 16. 3pm. Old Scotch Collegians Lodge. Innovation Day. First presentation is by Bro. David Donnoli. He is now moving between 500 and 1000 units of hand sanitiser each week. He will talk about creating a successful online business.

• The second presentation is by qualified Sommelier Jackson who works in the wholesale wine industry and has been exploring online sales during the restaurant closures. Attire: Casual. LINK

With thanks to www.masonsconnect.com
Please advise us of online meetings, so we can publicise in FVNews.

World News
• Freemasons who raided their own supplies of special projector film to help make much-needed visors for hospital staff are appealing for donations to make more. The medical staff at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough (UK) were using up their supply of see-through face visors quicker than they could get further replacements. One of the main problems was finding sheets of A4 size transparent film normally used for overhead projector slides which is what was being used to make the 3D printed visors at the hospital. Hearing of their plight Andrew Watson, Charity Steward of Ayton Freemasons Lodgedonated 150 sheets to Richard Robinson, Infection and Prevention Control Nurse. Staff at the hospitals infectious diseases team, led by Dr Richard Bellamy were so pleased they sent a special message of thanks, Coronavirus style. LINK

• Members of the Masonic Sons’ of Hiram (US) group distributed Maiden Street Sub Shop Sandwiches on Friday (May 8) to local first responders including Washington Fire and police departments and Washington County Ambulance and Chair Service. Group members range in ages from 18 to 39 and are from the masonic lodges in Washington and Green counties’ 29th Masonic District. Donations for the event came from Freemasons around the district.

Odd Spot
• A former Georgia Freemason (who started his own lodge after being expelled from the National Grand Lodge didn’t infringe the group’s trademarks because it wasn’t likely to cause consumer confusion, the Eleventh Circuit said. Craig Mitchell started United Grand Lodge GA, AF & AYM a month after being kicked out of the National Grand Lodge. NGL owns Federal trademarks covering “F.A.A.Y.M.”, which stands for “Free and Accepted York Rite Masons”, and “The Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Ancient York Rite Masons Prince Hall Origin, National Compact U.S.A.”

Masonic Mailbag
• James Nicolas thanked Trentham Lodge WM Darren Poinen for making its history available (FVNews Daily, May 13): “A good read again and loved the article on the Trentham Lodge. It is a town I have visited many times over a lifetime, and always been intrigued by the lodge here which as described is in the middle of the Victorian-era shopping strip, and accessed by an equally historic laneway. It gives that mystique and interest and I have seen this type of approach in some country towns around the country. It is a lodge I look forward to visiting. Thanks to Trentham Lodge for this informative history.”
• James Trigg liked yesterday’s paragraph about Old Worksop submitted by Jim Jolly. They have linked.

Masonic Trivia
• Established in 1889 Freemasons Victoria’s Board of Benevolence became one of Victoria’s oldest charitable funds. The Board of Benevolence was started with £500 donated by Grand Master of the Day, Sir William Clarke, the first Grand Master of United Grand Lodge Victoria. • Heather Lodge: At a meeting held by a number of Scotsmen – in Melbourne – in November, 1892, it was decided to form a Social Club, having for its Objects: “The uniting of Scotsmen and their descendants for mutual improvement, assistance and social employment, to exercise benevolence, to foster a love for, and the cultivation of, the music, literature, and poetry, of Scotland and to welcome Scotsmen and their descendants to Victoria and the name to be ‘The Scottish Thistle Club of Victoria’. The Lodge was opened on November 25, 1924 in their Lodge Room, the Carlton Hall, Princess St., Carlton at 4.15pm by the Wor. Master Bro. W. Callaghan. The Master of the new Lodge was Wor. Bro. Charles Scott Low.”

Masonic Wisdom
• “Masonry is Friendship, Love, and Integrity, a friendship which rises superior to the fictitious distinctions of society, the prejudices of religion, and the pecuniary conditions of life; love which knows no limit, nor inequality, nor decay; integrity which binds man to the eternal law of duty.” – A.C.L. Arnold

INFORMATION TO KNOW
FVNews is published by Bro. Ash Long, Chair of the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team of Freemasons Victoria. 
Phone: 0450 399 932.
Web: www.FVNews.com.au Email: editor@FVNews.com.au
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