FVNews Daily. 
No 32. Tuesday, May 26, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Gather My Crew

• Neil Cripps advises: “Over the last few years, Freemasons Foundation Victoria has been supporting the development of an innovative online tool to enable individuals to be supported by their immediate network of friends and family.The tool is called ‘Gather My Crew’ – www.gathermycrew.org.au• Through the Foundation’s help, Gather My Crew has expanded to help community groups co-ordinate their volunteer support. Information sessions have been organised for Wednesday, June 10 at 7:30pm and Saturday, June 13 at 11:30am. To register your interest to attend please email hello@gathermycrew.org.au

Our Grand Lodge budget
• Craig Head, Grand Treasurer, and his Finance Committee colleagues, are looking for the 2020-21 budget to achieve what is best for the members and the long term viability ofFreemasons Victoria. They are looking to provide financial decisions that enhance the member experience/service. They acknowledge that members rightly feel they should get value for money. The organisation’s finances are not “broken”,  yet a sustainable base needs to be established, especially in difficult times. The organisation has a long term strategy – and that strategy is being followed. As with all strategies the budget is being rigorously reviewed, with tactical adjustments underway. More details of the budget process will be shared regularly inFVNews Daily.

COVID-19 theme
• “Taught to be cautious” will be a theme employed by the Freemasons Future Recovery Team in considering how Victorian Lodges will re-open over the coming months. The immuno-compromised age group that makes up our central demographic will be a chief focus for the team, and its advisors. All Lodge buildings in Victoria are closed until at least June 30. It is predicted that it will take some months to return to ‘normal’. In the meantime, some Lodges are meeting by Zoom, and some are organising social gatherings of up to 20 people from June 1 at restaurants. following State Government social distancing. The next meeting of the FFRT is to be held on Thursday (May 28).

COVID-19 action in Cambridgeshire
• Freemasons across the Fens (UK), including in Ely, Wisbech, March, Chatteris and Whittlesey, have helped provide vital personal protective equipment to air ambulance staff thanks to a generous grant. Cambridgeshire Freemasons granted £5000 to crew members at the East Anglian Air Ambulance as they work with coronavirus patients, enabling them to buy PPE such as high-protection masks, gloves, gowns and respirators. Last year, freemasons in the county received £9,000, with £2.75 million of funding being provided for projects across the country to help those affected by COVID-19, says the Cambs Times.

Peace and Loyalty Lodge Centenary
• The centenary of the Peace and Loyalty Lodge was observed last Friday (May 22). The Peace &  Loyalty Lodge was consecrated by 
MWor. Bro F.T. Hickford, Grand Master, on Saturday, May 22, 1920, at a function held in the Shire Hall, Ferntree Gully. It was sponsored by Lodge Sincerity No.179 with 10 foundation members, coming from far and wide to start the first Masonic Lodge in the hills. Foundation Master was Arthur Henry Baker, who was the WM of the Sandridge Marine Lodge No 21 Port Melbourne. It is believed that the namePeace and Loyalty stems from the end of World War I, when the word Peace was chosen because the Lodge was formed during a time of peace and the word Loyalty from the loyalty that is given to King and Country, but may have been Loyalty to Freemasonry.

Proud traditions over 100 years
• Peace & Loyalty Lodge has sponsored several daughter Lodges, and in turn granddaughter Lodges:
• Belgrave Lodge No. 439 on  April 14, 1928, which sponsored Lodge Devon No.595 on  October 21,1946. 
• Upwey Lodge No. 556 on  August 31, 1944, which sponsored Lodge Arboreal No.641 on  May 3, 1948; Bayswater Lodge No. 578 on  December 3, 1945, which sponsored North Bayswater No.793 on June 25, 1957. • Boronia Lodge No. 649 on July 15, 1948. 
• Brae Dale Lodge No. 936 on July 17, 2010. 

The 10 Foundation Members:
• Wor. Bro A. H. Baker. Foundation Master W/M Sandridge Marine Lodge No 21 Port/Melbourne. 
• Wor. Bro T.M. Neil. IPM. Broadford Lodge No 174. Broadford.
• Wor. Bro W.M. Thomas. SW. Victory Lodge No 201. Foster.   
• Wor. Bro S.S Smith. JW. Fiery Creek Lodge No 157. Beaufort 
• Bro W.C. Gosney. Secretary. Sandringham District Lodge No 220. Sandringham.
• Bro G. Campbell. Duke of Abercorn Lodge No 137. Bacchus Marsh. 
• Bro. L. Coiffie. Yarra Valley Lodge No 11. South Melbourne.
• Bro. C.H. Round. Sandringham District Lodge No 220. Sandringham Melbourne.
• Bro. W.M. Owen. Kensington Lodge No 77. Flemington.
• Wor. Bro J. G. Henderson. Moira Lodge No 155. Nathalia.
(Many thanks to Russell Hicken for this information.)

Board of General Purposes to meet
• An important meeting of the Board of General Purposes, led by Acting President Peter Clark, is to be held on Wednesday (May 27).

More on Max
• Dick Clark, Secretary of Cosmopolitan Lodge No 9, went through the  records and found details of the Masonic career of Wor. Bro. Maxwell Kent, mentioned in FVNews Daily (May 22). Max was initiated into Cosmopolitan Lodge on January 9, 1952, along with another member Stanley John Ling. He was subsequently passed on July 9, 1952, and raised on November 12, 1952 . Each of the degrees were doubles. Wor. Bro. Max resigned from Cosmopolitan Lodge on October 14, 1987.

Masonic Benevolence
• The Changing Nature of Masonic Benevolence will be the subject of the fourth online forum of the Blue Lounge Social Club Tasmania to be held at 7pm on Wednesday (May 27).Kent Manwaring will present the discussion. LINK

What’s On: online meetings

• Tuesday, May 26. 7pm. Amicus Lodge. Online meeting. LINK Password: 357753. Meeting ID: 894 8213 0726

• Tuesday, May 26. 7pm. Endeavour Virtual Lodge. Guest Speaker: Dr Mike Kearsley, The Morgan Affair. EMAIL for Summons

• Tuesday, May 26. 7pm. Richmond Lodge. online weekly meeting. LINK
• Tuesday, May 26. 7.30pm. Eric Williams. ‘The Way Our Lodge Works. LINK
• Wednesday, May 27. 7pm. Mordialloc Lodge of Charity. Virtual Table Lodge. LINK
• Wednesday, May 27. 7pm. Masonic Education Network (NSW). The Sir Walter Scott Lodge Lectures. LINK
• Thursday, May 28. 7pm. Blue Lounge Social Club. Educational Forum. LINK

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

World News
• A ‘wheelie’ kind cyclist helped local Freemasons raise almost £1,500 for a local charity. Marcus Humphrey House (UK) has benefited after David Bain, a member of the province ofRenfrewshire West, took on a sponsored 115-mile trek on his bike – from the comfort of his own home. The virtual journey – which David called the Lockdown Century Ride – raised £1450 in sponsorship from fellow freemasons and supporters. David’s stay-at-home trek replaced the lodge’s annual meeting, hosted by Lodge Sir Michael 989, which raises money for the Bridge of Weir facility. LINK

Masonic Mailbag
• “Let me say a huge thank you for your informative paper each day, we in  the west of the state are not as close to the action but to have this form of communication coming to us each day makes the country folk feel very much a part of the organisation. On behalf of the South West and indeed from country Vic, thank you for keeping us informed in these difficult times.” – ‘Bro. Patto’

Masonic Trivia
• Music written by Brother John Stafford Smith (1750-1836) of Inverness Lodge No. 4 in London was, at one time, used by an Irish Masonic Orphans’ Home as their song. Later it became a popular drinking song for many years known as To Anacreon in Heaven.  Then, some years later, the music was adopted by Francis Scott Key to which he wrote the words to the US national anthem,  The Star Spangled Banner. 

Masonic Wisdom
• “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do” – Henry Ford
Bro. Ford was initiated into Palestine Lodge No. 357 and was raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in 1894. He kept up a Masonic career throughout his lifetime, no easy feat when his many accomplishments and innovations are considered.

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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