FVNews Daily. 
No 77. Thursday, July 30, 2020
From the Communications and Marketing Volunteer Action Team
FVNews Daily is also available at www.FVNews.com.au
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Praise for Grand Treasurer’s Report
• Chris Formosa writes about yesterday’s report about lodge dues and fees: “Thank you to both the Freemasons Victoria Grand Treasurer Bro. Craig Head and FVNews for sharing this article. I know that the support and ideas that the Grand Treasurer has shared in the article will be very much appreciated and of great benefit to the Lodges within the Bellarine Otway District and throughout Victoria”. A detailed letter from the Grand Treasurer about Lodge Dues and Capitation Fees is available HERE.

Brothers helping Brothers
• Nick LeRay-Meyer yesterday asked for assistance with a projector. He writes: “I have had two replies already, one of which could be most useful. Another plus for the Newsletter.”Introduction to the Kabbalah
• Thomas Mikeska will present Introduction to the Kabbalah at 7.30pm on Thursday, August 13, as part of a Central Highlands 106 online presentation. It is open to all lodges and brethren. LINK

Gregorios Lodge Coffee Club
• The next Gregorios Lodge Coffee Club will be held at 4pm this Saturday (Aug. 1). Wor. Bro. Richard Skinner will present a short talk on one of his interesting hobbies. BYO drinks and snacks. LINK

Membership/Comms Meeting
• Peter White, one of the leaders of the Membership Volunteer Action Team, is organising a joint meeting of some of the members of both theMembership and Communications VATs next week to plan the marketing for the new mentor training program. The Membership VAT has 32 members in four separate committees.

COVID-19 case at Kangaroo Flat
• The Bendigo Advertiser today reports: “The Royal Freemasons staff member who tested positive for Coronavirus has not worked at the aged-care facility since Thursday, July 23. They have been self-isolating at home since receiving their test result today (Wed.). In a statement, Royal Freemasons Chief Executive Kerri Rivett said they would continue to work closely with DHHS. “We have activated our Emergency Management Plan, which includes ensuring there is enough personal protective equipment and staff on site to manage all infection control interventions and the needs of residents while supporting frontline care staff,” she said.” LINK
• “Royal Freemasons recently came under fire from families of aged care residents, as it reduced staffing to alleviate financial strain.” LINK

Freemasons Success Stories
• “Funding has been pledged to maintain Wirral Hospice St John’s garden, which will include an enhanced planting program,” saysInYourArea.co.uk• “The garden is a welcome addition as it provides a colourful and peaceful environment which delights visitors, families, staff and most importantly, benefits patients. The Cheshire Freemasons Charity initially helped to transform the Wirral, Merseyside garden, giving it a makeover, and have since made the pledge to maintain it.” LINK

Masonic Contacts
• The traditions of our fraternity are that we do not use it for business networking. However, occasionally there are stories that come to our attention of Freemasons doing good things for the community. We are happy to share their stories:
• “My name is Brian Pham and I am a Fellow Craft from the Old Melburnians – I’m emailing you via recommendation from our Wor. Bro. Andrew Burman.I run a tech company in Collingwood and we’ve created a solution for pen and paper contact tracing using QR code technology. We’ve made this free for all local businesses to support our local community and we plan to keep it free until the indefinite end of COVID-19.
• “Our motivation for this was that we’ve created similar projects before – and even if it costs us money over a few years but we can save businesses possibly $10-20 worth of sanitiser and office costs per day, we would have gladly bear . A lot of private hospitals and private schools have a paid version of something similar and we thought it would be true to the Masonic spirit to help out places that might not have the tools or resources to conduct proper contact tracing. Also, our contact tracing method doesn’t require anyone to physically sign anything and reduces physical cross-contact exposure which helps with efforts to stop the spread. Our solution is novel because it requires no download (unlike COVID Safe), we don’t collect or sell any personal information and it’s so simple it takes less than two minutes to get set up for any business. You can read more about our project atcovidtracer.org.au

World News
• “An Axminster Freemason has been rolling up his sleeves to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus lockdown,” reports the Midweek Herald (UK). Former military man John Middleton signed up to help a number of local groups including RE:ACT, which utilises the skills and experience of service veterans to offer support and humanitarian aid at home and abroad.
• “A member of Axminster’s Virtue and Honour Lodge, Mr Middleton also signed up as an NHS volunteer responder and joined the support group for vulnerable people in his home village of Marsh. His tasks have included helping to distribute PPE to care homes, GP surgeries, pharmacies, mental health organisations, hospices, dentists, private carers, health centres and podiatrists.” LINK

What’s On: online meetings
• www.masonsconnect.com

Famous Freemasons
• Beneš, Edvard (1884-1948) – Elected in 1935 as President of Czechoslovakia, Beneš led his nation’s government into exile after the outbreak of World War II and ran the country from offices near London (1940-1945). He resigned in 1948 when he was forced to yield to a Communistdirected cabinet, but died of natural causes the same year. Beneš belonged to Ian Amos Komensky Lodge No.1, Prague.
– Timothy Horton

More Famous Freemasons
• Eddie Levey of the Mildura Lodge writes: “Many great Australian cricketers were or are Freemasons such as Bro. Sir Donald Bradman, Bro. Bert Oldfield, Bro. Bill Lawry (1936) who was initiated in Manangatang Lodge No.705 in 1962, just to name a few. Many famous Englishcricketers were also Freemasons such as Bro. Leonard Hutton, Colin Cowdrey and Herbert Sutcliff also to name a few.”

Masonic Knowledge
• “Cairns COUCH Cancer Wellness Centre has renewed confidence in their capacity to create a sustainable future supporting Far North Queenslanders affected by cancer and their families, thanks to a $106,000 COVID-19 Emergency Grant from Hand Heart Pocket, the charity ofFreemasons Queensland.
• “The unrestricted funding from Hand Heart Pocket will fill a fundraising shortfall experienced as a result of the economic impact of theCoronavirus pandemic. The grant will also allow the centre to continue providing its telehealth services free of charge during COVID-19, ensuring critical support is provided, in a safe manner, for those who needed it most.” LINK

Masonic Wisdom
•  “I feel we did take some risks in that by-election by leaving the results to the electors.” 
–  Bro. Sir Henry Edward Bolte (1908-1990) was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria. Initiated into Lodge Meredith No 163, October 9, 1946.

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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