FVNews Daily. 
No 48. Thursday, June 18, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action TeamFVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ (1)
• EDITORIAL. “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” So goes the old saying that hints about good manners and the way that we communicate with each other. A few years back, then-Grand Master Hillel Benedykt, in an Engage comment piece,correctly identifiedFreemasonry as a hobby. One dictionary defines ‘hobby’ as “an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure”.
• There will be some who want to argue the toss on that definition. But that’s not the point. The point is that members of Freemasons Victoria are here by their own choice, and that we are all volunteers. 

‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ (2)
• For at least the past decade, leading Freemasons have spoken about a clear need for ‘cultural’ change within our great organisation. Like any group, we make occasional policy statements about the abhorrence of bullying. We reject racist talk. We admonish ‘inappropriate’ discussions on social media. We advertise that our principles make a difference.
• The Communications portfolio often examines about HOW we say things (printed material, audio-visual, social media, etc). This Volunteer Action Team also believes we need a focus on WHAT we say. We need to mind our language. We need to carefully choose the words that we use.

‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ (3)
• Society has changed. An example: statistics tell us about 1-in-10 people are involved in same-sex relationships. (PS, for those who missed the memo, it’s legal.) Yet, our society’s language almost always assumes that a member will have a ‘wife’. A modern day prospective member may reject Freemasonry, because we choose words that come from another time.
• The COVID-19 times may produce a situation that as Dues Notice time approaches, we may well lose significant membership numbers because some believe they have carried on their lives just fine without Lodge in their lives.
• If we want to arrest that membership loss situation, if we really want to improve our membership development and retention, perhaps it is time that we recalibrate our own behaviours at the most basic level. Let us start with the small niceties such as the use of words such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. After all, we are talking about the work of volunteers. A ‘cultural change’ does not mean re-inventing our society. When every single membership is genuinely prized, a return to simple courtesies is likely to serve us well.
– Thank you, Bro. Ash Long

Grand Installation Countdown: 9 days to go
• We were wrong … again. Deputy Grand Master-Elect Anthony Bucca will not be wearing an apron of the late John Wilson at the Grand Installation on Saturday, June 27. Tony will be wearing a DGM’s apron belonging to Grand Lodge.

Thanks for enlightening talk
• Bill Lodge advises that an enlightening talk was given to members of St Andrews in the South Lodge on Tuesday night (June 16) about the trowel. The address was given by Nikolas Sakellaropoulos. “Thanks again for your time, commitment and contribution to Freemasonry,” Billwrote to Nikolas.

Zoom for VAT leaders
• The four Volunteer Action Team leaders now meet fortnightly to share news of the progress in their portfolios. Paul Brennand, Matteo Donato, Ian Buckingham and Ash Long spent 75 minutes yesterday (Wed.), sharing news of developments in the teams. There are some exciting times ahead.

Spring Vale goes online
• Arthur Rogers notes: “The Spring Vale Lodge will be holding an online meeting at 7.30pm on Monday, June 22. Purpose: General Business and accounts.”

Masonic Movie Moment
• “My name is Eddie Levey of the Mildura Lodge No. 170. I am a very keen Masonic philatelist and a great collector of Masonic stamps from around the world and famous Freemasons from around the world.• “Reading Your stories on Masonic Movie Trivia I thought I would send you this. Many of the John Wayne cowboy movies feature some part relating to Freemasonry. The one I like the most was the 1956 film called The Searches. In the movie there is one part when John Wayne comes across a burnt out wagon with dead Indians. One of the Indians is wearing a Masonic Apron which the camera clearly shows.”
• Editor notes: Bro. Wayne was a member of Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56 in Tuscon, Arizona. He would become a 32° Scottish Rite Mason, a member of York Rite and would join Al Malaikah Shrine Temple in Los Angeles.

What’s On: online meetings
• Thursday, June 18. 7.30pm. Central Highlands District 106. Guest Speaker: Bro. Dr David Waldron. “The Horseman’s Word – Another Fraternal Society.” LINK
• Saturday, June 20. 7pm. Earl of Dunmore Lodge. Guest Speaker: Brendan Kyne. LINK

Go to www.masonsconnect.com

Please advise us of online meetings, so we can publicise in FVNews.

Our $22,000 grows to $103,568
• Shepparton Foodshare’s annual fundraising campaign has been a resounding success, raising $103,568.17! Eight weeks ago the critical local service was set to cancel the event, Make A Meal Of June, as they were unable to hold it at a function centre due to COVID restrictions. 

• The food rescue service provides the equivalent of 600,000 meals to people who are unable to purchase their own food. Cancelling wasn’t an option. Foodshare cannot continue to operate without its own fundraising. so it set about identifying a new initiative, and ‘Make A Meal Of June – Takeout Style’ was born.

• The campaign was kicked off with a donation of $22,000 from The Freemasons Foundation Victoria, supported by the Shepparton, Mooroopna and Numurkah Freemasons. Freemason’s Geoffrey Thompson said, “We have a proud history of investing in our communities. Knowing that Shepparton Foodshare provides the equivalent of 600,000 meals annually, we believe this is a wonderful way to support people in need.”

World News: Brigham Young
• Richard Shelly writes: “In reference to Brigham Young. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saints church, was a Freemason, and it’ is believed he used Masonic influence in the development of some of the church’s practices. An interesting discussion on Smith can be found HERE

Masonic Trivia
• Famous Australian Freemasons have included:
• Sir Weary Dunlop, war hero• James Boag, brewer• Captain Matthew Flinders, explorer• Charles Kingsford Smith, aviator• Harry Melbourne, the inventor of the Freddo Frog.
• Fred Walker, the inventor of Vegemite• Thomas Mayne, the inventor of Milo• Graham Kennedy, TV entertainer

Masonic Wisdom
• “I have a conviction that it’s only when you are put at full stretch that you can realise your full potential.” – Bro. Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop

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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