From the East
Joseph Wallach - Worshipful Master
Happy May to you all.
Spring is here, and it is time to shake off the last vestiges of winter and embrace the change of season.
I recently found myself in a place I would not normally be, surrounded by people that I would not normally encounter. It was in this moment, through the environment and my conversations, that I realized my normal existence is an insulated bubble that both protects and isolates me from the everyday life of our fellow man.
As I reflect back on this experience, I am reminded of the high and the low, the Brotherhood of man, and how easy it is to be caught up in one’s own world, oblivious to the struggles of those outside our everyday life.
This month, we will have a day of service to support Chicks in Crisis, an organization that helps women and mothers improve their lives and achieve greater well-being.
I hope you will be able to join us on May 31st to step outside your everyday bubble and help those who are striving to grow and create a better life.
In Fellowship,
Joseph Wallach WM
Thursday, April 10th, 2025 - Country Club Lanes
Bowling with Brothers!
A fun and enriching time was had by all in attendance!
From the West
William Workman - Senior Warden
"Being persuaded that a just application of the principles, on which the Masonic Fraternity is founded, must be promotive of private virtue and public prosperity, I shall always be happy to advance the interests of the Society, and to be considered by them as a deserving brother.”
George Washington – to the Brethren of King David’s Lodge in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790
Brothers,
Greetings from the West.
The view from the West is a beautiful and glowing sunset as the close of the day nears. As the long hours of vocation are ended, refreshment and repose are at hand. The garden is bursting with the blossoms of Spring, and birdsong is in the air, with newly made mothers and fathers scurrying about to care for their newborn.
The rebirth is in full form, and the promise that warmth and sunlight will return just one slumber away, to do it all over again, maybe even better! It is a time for renewing commitment and spiritual growth; a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future.
Spring offers an opportunity to reflect on past contributions to Freemasonry and plan for increased participation and service, both within the Craft and in the community.
Now is the perfect time to focus on personal growth as the season encourages self-improvement, including becoming better husbands, fathers, and men. A time to hone the practice of Masonic virtues and emphasize the importance of temperance, fortitude, prudence, and justice, which are foundational to Masonic values.
The season of renewal can be seen as a metaphor for the hope of resurrection and the continuous journey of self-improvement.
George Washington, again, comes to mind regarding this hope in this profound quote: “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”
Spring on Washington 20!!!
From the South
Brandon Jenkins - Junior Warden
Happy May, Brothers!
The month of May is traditionally observed as the gateway to summer, as the days grow longer and the temperatures begin to warm.
Our ancient Brethren celebrated May with festivals celebrating Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and that tradition has carried over into the modern era with May Day observances. The study of religious evolution demonstrates that many of the holidays we celebrate today have their origins in the “pagan” observances of the ancient world, and May Day is a prime example of this.
May is also National BBQ Month! As I grow older, the flavor of meat roasted over an open fire has become one of my life’s great pleasures, so I am happy to learn this practice has its own (unofficial) month. I, for one, look forward to many nights this summer spent in front of a grill.
We, as a Lodge, have an exciting charitable opportunity this month! We have partnered with Chicks in Crisis, a favorite charity of our departed brother Randy Brink, to provide a “Day of Service” to their worthy organization. Their facility sits on three acres of land in Elk Grove, and this property is in great need of general upkeep and maintenance. “C.i.C.” is run by three dedicated women who devote most of their time to assisting expectant mothers and children in need, so the labor of managing the physical maintenance of the facility is often put to the wayside.
Brother Bill Workman and I visited their location on Thursday, April 17th, to get a general assessment of what needs to be done, and we found that a group of brothers and their families could easily accomplish the goal in one day. Weeding, digging, and general repairs are all that are needed.
Some flower beds need to be filled in with bark, a greenhouse requires repair, and there are also storage sheds that need sorting. They have a large tortoise that likes to push against his enclosure, so some boards need to be reattached. A small fence blew down in the recent storms, so repairing its posts is also necessary.
As you can see from the included photos, the work generally requires low-skilled labor, which our Lodge can easily accomplish.
Please join us on Saturday, May 31st, at 10:00 AM to help this worthy cause. Bring shovels, weed-eaters (string trimmers), hoes, power tools, etc., to help. Gloves, eye protection, etc., are also highly recommended.
C.i.C. has also allowed us to use their facilities for food and refreshment, so a BBQ will follow immediately after! Bring the family! It’s going to be fun!
Chicks in Crisis is also in need of financial and physical donations. Their primary goal is to assist expectant mothers and families with education and supplies, so hygiene and baby items are always in high demand.
Please consider donating financially by using this link to their PayPal account, as well as donating the needed supplies listed on their Amazon Wishlist.
Please reference Washington Lodge No. 20 when donating so C.i.C. knows where the donations originated.
Thank you for your help with this, Brothers. Your assistance will benefit many deserving families.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MAY
• 01 Stated Meeting Dinner (Banquet Room) Thursday 6:00 PM
• 01 Monthly Stated Meeting (LR1) Thursday 7:30 PM
• 08 Officers' Practice (Third Degree) (LR1) Thursday 6:30 PM
• 15 Officers' Practice (Third Degree) (LR1) Thursday 6:30 PM
• 17 Masonic Funeral Service - Wor. John Knox, PM
(Scottish Rite Masonic Center) Saturday 2:00 PM
• 21 Officers' School of Instruction (LR3) Wednesday 7:00 PM
Topic: Third Degree - Second Section
Host: WLN20
• 22 Officers' Practice (Hiram Award) (LR1) Thursday 6:30 PM
• 24 Hiram Award - Worshipful Phil Hardiman (PM) Saturday 11:00 AM
• 29 DARK
• 31 Charity Drive (Chicks in Crisis) Saturday 10:00 AM (Details)
JUNE
• 03 Executive Committee Meeting (Zoom) Tuesday 6:30 PM
• 05 Stated Meeting Dinner (Banquet Room) Thursday 6:00 PM
• 05 Monthly Stated Meeting (LR1) Thursday 7:30 PM
• 15 Officers' Practice (LR1) Thursday 6:30 PM
• 19 Officers' Practice (LR1) Thursday 6:30 PM
• 26 DARK
MAY
BIRTHDAYS
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05 Washington Lodge No. 20 (173 Years)
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05 Jesse Solis-Jacques (Past Master)
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07 Prezell Harris (Master Mason)
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08 Richard Pullen (Past Master)
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11 Douglas Pope (Master Mason)
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12 Walter Santwer (Master Mason)
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15 Richard "Smokey" Stover (Master Mason)
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19 Mauro Lara (Past Master)
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19 Jonathan Brizuela (Master Mason)
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20 Michael Quinn (Master Mason)
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23 Stephen May (Entered Apprentice)
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24 Joshua Valentin (Entered Apprentice)
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25 Colin Quinn (Master Mason)
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26 Paul McNamee (Master Mason)
MASTER MASON ANNIVERSARIES
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01 Prezell Harris (15 Years)
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08 Charles Moore, Jr. (56 Years)
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08 Dallas Calmes (11 Years)
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11 Joseph Mayo, IV (30 Years)
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11 Martin Buff (Tiler) (8 Years)
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12 Ronald Forsberg (48 Years)
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14 Thomas Goodwin (68 Years)
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15 Terry Cooley (11 Years)
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16 Joseph Wallach (Worshipful Master) (12 Years)
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16 Scott Van Wagner (27 Years)
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17 Ko Chang (24 Years)
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18 Robert Brooks (53 Years)
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20 William Dillon (61 Years)
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20 Ernest Owen, Jr. (43 Years)
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21 Phillip Richards (55 Years)
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21 Albert Lazare (12 Years)
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22 George Morrow (67 Years)
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22 Emad Sweidan (15 Years)
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25 Brian Jones (21 Years)
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31 Thomas Weary (13 Years)
Washington Lodge No. 20 F. & A. M.
Mission Statement
To practice and promote a way of life that binds like-minded men in a worldwide
brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social and educational differences.
Through Masonic principles and tradition, and by the outward expression of these
through its fellowship and compassion, Washington Lodge No.20 Free & Accepted Masons provides ways in which to serve God, family, country, neighbors, and self in an environment that contributes to the enrichment and betterment of its members, mankind, and its communities.
Freemasonry is
Kindness in the home,
Honesty in business,
Courtesy in society,
Fairness in work,
Pity and concern for the unfortunate,
Resistance toward evil,
Help for the weak,
Forgiveness for the penitent,
Love for one another and,
Above all, reverence and love for God.
Freemasonry is many things but
Most of all:
Freemasonry is a way of life.
Washington: A Life
by Ron Chernow
Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life of Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.
In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow dashes forever the stereotype of a stolid, unemotional man. A strapping six feet, Washington was a celebrated horseman, elegant dancer, and tireless hunter, with a fiercely guarded emotional life.
Chernow brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods. Probing his private life, he explores his fraught relationship with his crusty mother, his youthful infatuation with the married Sally Fairfax, and his often conflicted feelings toward his adopted children and grandchildren. He also provides a lavishly detailed portrait of his marriage to Martha and his complex behavior as a slave master.
At the same time, Washington is an astute and surprising portrait of a canny political genius who knew how to inspire people. Not only did Washington gather around himself the foremost figures of the age, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, but he also brilliantly orchestrated their actions to shape the new federal government, define the separation of powers, and establish the office of the presidency.
In this unique biography, Ron Chernow takes us on a page-turning journey through all the formative events of America's founding. With a dramatic sweep worthy of its giant subject, Washington is a magisterial work from one of our most elegant storytellers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ron Chernow is the prize-winning author of five previous books. His first, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award. His two most recent books, Alexander Hamilton and Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, were both nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award in biography. Chernow lives in Brooklyn, New York.
ISBN-10: 0143119966
ISBN-13: 978-0143119968
George Washington: Groundbreaking Leadership Style
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Washington Lodge No. 20 F. & A. M.
2025 Officers
Joseph Wallach
Worshipful Master
William Workman
Senior Warden
Brandon Jenkins
Junior Warden
Eric Hixson (PM)
Treasurer
Francisco Marques (PM)
Secretary
Ramey Packer
Chaplain
David Cameron (PM)
Assistant Secretary
Kevin Hall
Senior Deacon
Nicholas Johnston
Junior Deacon
Christopher Hamilton
Marshal
Maury Hicks
Senior Steward
Carlos Brusel-Casals
Senior Steward
James Dimmitt
Organist
Martin Buff
Tiler
Matthew Mason (PM)
Junior Past Master
D. Edward Entrican (PM)
Treasurer Emeritus
Matthew Mason (PM)
Officers' Coach
William Workman
Head Candidates' Coach
David Lagala (PM)
Inspector 414th Masonic District
