Tag: bulletin

Opening Comments from the Editor

In discussion with the officers of Bytown Lodge, the publication of this bulletin will change from four times per year to three times per year to allow for more substantial issues to be produced.

The new dates, starting in 2023 will cover the following periods:
September to December – Published in February
January to April – Published in June
May to August – Published in September

Wishing You and Your Families a Very Happy, Safe, Healthy and Prosperous 2023

Lodge News

June 6, 2022

The annual meeting for Ottawa District 2 was held under the direction of District Deputy Grand Master (2019-2022), RW Bro. John Hawkins. Minutes from the virtual district meeting held on September 21, 2021, and various correspondence was read, the district financial update was presented, and various changes to district bylaws were also presented. Of these, the nomination for DDGM had to be submitted by May 31 annually and voting would occur by electronic ballot by June 15, annually. A revived Mentor Program was presented by RW Bro. Peter Harbert. W Bro. Robert Sullivan’s name was put forth to Grand Lodge to become the new DDGM for Ottawa District 2. The next district meeting was scheduled for August 22, 2022.

June 12, 2022

On Sunday, June 12 at the home of Mrs. Jan Fraser (mother of W Bro. Brodie Fraser) in Constance Bay along the beautiful shore of the Ottawa River, members of Bytown and their family held our annual summer BBQ. Despite the day being under the threat of tornado watches and heavy rains, the members of Bytown enjoyed the many delicious dishes brought. The highlight was W Bro Fraser BBQing in the rain with many members joking to give him a golf club or a longer set of metal tongs to ward off possible lightning strikes.

During the day the members also had the opportunity to meet with a couple of prospective candidates for masonry. After the rain had parted some of the members ventured down to splash along the shores of the Ottawa River before venturing home.

Thank you to Jan for opening your doors and once again being gracious and charming hostess.

June 23, 2022

Members of Bytown along with potential or interested candidates met for an evening social gathering at Local Heroes Restaurant and Pub on Merivale Road.

July 20-21, 2022

The Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario was held at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites in Richmond Hill on July 20 and 21, 2022. Brothers from Bytown Lodge attended, and W Bro. Robert Sullivan was confirmed as the new DDGM for Ottawa District 2.

August 18, 2022

The final summer social event was held at MacLaren’s on Elgin Street, the downtown core of Ottawa. The many televisions, pool games and various food items kept everyone well entertained.

September 15, 2022

Bytown Lodge returned to regular meetings after our summer break. The night began with a Festive Board prepared by the Junior Warden consisting of a smoked beef brisket, cooler corn, and potato salad.

The Lodge was opened for ceremony at 7:30 p.m. and after the general business, opened up to the Third Degree, and then back to the First. Committees of Inquiries were established for the petitions of Mr. Corto Soulas–Nallet and Mr. Charly Olanga–Ondaka. Bro. Randy Nanjad from the Beaches Lodge No.473 of Toronto was a visitor this evening. A report was read regarding Bro. Roger Needham’s continued decline in health and that he remains hospitalized. VW Bro. Jeff Hawkins was invested as Senior Warden. Bro. Howard Schwartz presented masonic education on the topic of Living Masonic Values inside and outside of the Lodge.

October 20, 2022

October is our anniversary month and celebrates the formation of Bytown Lodge No. 721 AF & AM, a lodge of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. We are proud of the history that has been made since 1969. Our celebratory night began with the Junior Warden preparing a traditional thanksgiving meal consisting of “Trash Can Turkey,” mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots, homemade stuffing, and gravy.

The lodge opened at 7:30 p.m. and, after the regular order of business, the lodge was opened in the Second Degree where Bro. Colin Bosche proved his proficiency in that degree. The lodge was then opened in the Third Degree with Bro. Bosche being raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason.

October 29, 2022

A brunch social was held at Al’s Diner in Ottawa and was well attended. During this social gathering we met a couple of prospects interested in masonry.

November 17, 2022

Bro. Junior Warden was not able to be present this evening during our Regular Meeting, so with the help of a few Brothers, the Festive Board consisted of a ‘deconstructed chicken pot pie’ and desserts.

The evening’s work consisted of welcoming the District Deputy Grand Master of Ottawa District 2, RW Bro. Robert Sullivan, receiving the Travelling Gavel from The Builder’s Lodge No.177, and a Remembrance Service in honour of those sailors, soldiers and aviator’s from the past and present.

The main work of the evening was the double initiation of Bro. Charly Ondako–Olanga and Bro. Corto Soulas–Nallet into masonry.

December 8, 2022

As is customary of Bytown Lodge, our Regular Meeting in December was on the 2nd Thursday of this month to separate it from the craziness of the Holiday Season. The Festive Board consisted of smoked ham and roasted butternut squash prepared by the Junior Warden, and scalloped potatoes prepared by VW Bro. George Ingraham and VW Bro. Scott Macdonald. Dessert was cheesecake prepared by VW Bro. Scott Macdonald in honour of Bro. Colin Bosche who would later prove his proficiency in the 3rd Degree.

Opening Comments: 

Lodges have for the most part in the Province of Ontario, and the rest of Canada have returned to regular meetings once again. While we are still under various pandemic protocols, we must all continue to act and meet in an environment that is safe for all brethren. Some Lodges, however, have not returned due to the pandemic, and that is fine as they have weighed the need over the want and found that the want outweighs the need. We will together get through this, or live with it, either way it may be a while yet before we are able to return to normal—whatever normal is. 

As Bytown returns to regular meetings and gatherings our members begin to slowly return as well. We are pleased and happy with this and look forward to seeing familiar faces that have been either absent or virtual.

Lodge News
On April 7th an Emergent Meeting was held to pass Brother Colin Bosche to the Second Degree.

The evening began with a social from 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. with a Festive Board beginning at 6:30 p.m.  The Festive Board was prepared by Bro. Peter Ruttan and consisted of toasted chicken salad and Swiss cheese sandwiches along with a hearty, homemade beef and barley soup.  A new tradition will be introduced to our festive Boards when a candidate is the guest this evening was New York Cheesecake topped with glazed strawberries.

April 21 was our Lodge Step-up night and Elections of Officers for the upcoming Masonic year. The evening began with a social from 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. with a Festive Board beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Festive Board was prepared by Bro. Peter Ruttan and consisted of Chili and Hot Dogs which was in tribute to the late W. Bro. Cal Bellamy, as this month would normally have been our annual chili cook-off contest for charity. This was Bro. Ruttan’s first time ever making chili and it was quite good.  Lodge was tyled at 7:30 pm with everyone in their “possible” new positions within Lodge. 

Installation Night – May 19 
The evening began with a social from 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. with the Festive Board beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The Festive Board was prepared by Junior Warden Elect Bro. Peter Ruttan and consisted of a smoked and roasted top sirloin roast, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, California vegetables, and gravy.  Dessert was a cake designed by Mrs. Olive Nelson and decorated by Miss Natalie Nelson, the wife and daughter (respectfully) of W.Bro Ernest Nelson.  Assisting the JW with serving the meal was Tamara MacDonald (Scott), Julie Hawkins (John), Elise Farrell (Robert) and Rose Osborne (Don).

Lodge was tyled at 7:30 and under the direction of the Installing Master, W. Bro. Brodie Fraser the Lodge was raised to the 3rd degree and Worshipful Master Jean-Francois Legault was installed as the 51^st Master of Bytown Lodge #721.

Bytown Lodge Officers, 2022-2023 

• Worshipful Master W. Bro. Jean-François Legault
• Immediate Past Master V.W. Bro. George Ingraham
• Senior Warden V.W. Bro. Jeff Hawkins 
• Junior Warden Bro. Peter Ruttan 
• Chaplain V.W. Bro. Don Osborne 
• Treasurer V.W. Bro. Scott Macdonald
• Secretary W. Bro. Brodie Fraser 
• Director of Ceremonies W. Bro. Ernest Nelson 
• Senior Deacon Bro Jon Orazietti 
• Junior Deacon
• Tyler Bro. Sandy Mackey

A Special Thank You to Those That Assisted in the Ceremony:

Installation Team
Installing Master W. Bro. Brodie Fraser, Bytown Lodge 
Director of Ceremonies V.W. Bro. Wayne Keech, The Builder’s Lodge 
Immediate Past Master W. Bro. Ernest Nelson, Bytown Lodge 
Senior Warden W. Bro. Mikey Reiach, Ionic Lodge c
Junior Warden W. Bro. Brian Pepper, Bytown Lodge 
Senior Deacon R.W. Bro. Mike Negrodski, Madawaska Lodge 
Junior Deacon W. Bro. Jason Solomon, Ionic Lodge 
Inner Guard R.W. Bro. Charles Singh, Ionic Lodge 
Senior Steward R.W. Bro. Ken Brinston, The Builders Lodge 
Junior Steward W. Bro. Scott Ritchie, Prince of Wales Lodge 
Secretary R.W. Bro. Richard Loomes, The Builders Lodge 
Chaplain V.W. Bro. Don Osborne, Bytown Lodge 

Assisting 
Bro. Jon Orazietti, Bytown Lodge 
Bro. Colin Bosche, Bytown Lodge 
Bro. Peter Ruttan, Bytown Lodge 
W. Bro. Jean Lteif, The Builders Lodge 
V.W. Bro. George Ingraham, Bytown Lodge 
R.W. Bro. Sam Kalinowsky, Defenders Lodge

Bytown Summer BBQ
On Sunday, June 12th at the home of W. Bro. Secretary Brodie Fraser’s mother Jan, Bytown held its annual summer BBQ.

The afternoon was spent for the most part inside as the weather did not want to corporate for most of the day.  In fact, severe thunderstorm warnings were in place where we had gathered.

W. Bro. Fraser did the BBQing of hamburgers and hot dogs, while inside the members of Bytown brought to the table various salads, wings, meat and cheese platters, snacks and many great desserts.  Hot and cold beverages of many types were also graciously available.

While the company inside was enjoyable some brave souls ventured down the river’s edge (Ottawa River) and enjoyed the sandy beach and the extremely cold water.  It must have been their attitude of “a little rain isn’t going to stop us” that allowed the clouds to part enough that the rain stopped and more of the gathering made their way outside.

A great afternoon was had and eventually it was time to depart.  Good-byes exchanged with promises and hopes to be able to see each other again throughout the summer.

Thank you very much to the hospitality of Mrs. Jan Fraser.

Happy to meet, sorry to part, happy to meet again.

There has been a long hiatus in the publication of the Bulletin. A number of factors have contributed to this: first has been illness of the Editor, but the severe and prolonged flooding of the Ottawa River in the spring also took its toll. Fortunately, the absence of issues of the Bulletin were not a reflection on the health of Bytown Lodge, as can be seen by what follows.  

Lodge News 

Following the Installation of our WM and officers for the 2019-2020 Masonic Year, which took place on May 16, 2019, the new WM organized a very special weekend event. On Saturday, June 1, 15 Bytown members, together with 3 visitors from other lodges, attended an Emergent Meeting in the historic lodge building at Upper Canada Village. Following the meeting, we raised a glass at the historic inn next door, and then adjourned to the MacIntosh Country Inn in Morrisburg for a celebratory dinner. In addition, the usual family summer BBQ took place at Bro Dave Baker’s home in Cumberland on July 27.

At the summer convocation of Grand Lodge, RWBro John Hawkins was invested as our DDGM for the coming Masonic Year. Our first meeting in September was an unusual double first degree held on Saturday, September 14 at the Westboro Temple. At the first Regular Meeting of the Lodge on September 19, the WM was invested with his Grand Lodge Regalia. Then, at another Emergent Meeting on October 3, Bytown welcomed another new Mason into the Craft. At our Regular Meeting this month, we will be celebrating Bytown’s 50^th Anniversary. To mark the event, the following evening there will be a gala dinner for members, guests and their ladies. The Grand Master will be in attendance. Bytown is back! 

Regular Meeting, April 18, 2019

This was our Election Night. The meeting began with a Festive Board in the Banquet Hall downstairs. The JW, Bro Jon Orazietti produced a delicious meal featuring glazed, sliced ham, roast potato boats and salad, and the Secretary, WBro Scott Macdonald baked no less than four fruit pies, to finish the feast.  For the Festive Board, we hosted a number of visitors, including three potential petitioners and two potential affiliates.  

The Lodge opened upstairs with 16 members present and 4 visitors.  With WBro Timothy Denton, the SW of Ashlar 564 and Bro Jason Solomon, the SW of Ionic 526, acting as scrutineers, the following officers were elected by ballot: WM: WBro George Ingraham; SW: Bro Jon Orazietti; JW: WBro Brodie Fraser; Secretary: WBro Scott Macdonald; Treasurer: WBro Robert Farrell. The Tyler, Bro Bryan Wright, was elected by show of hands, as were the auditors, WBro Pound and Bro Bryan Wright, and the Examining Board for the new WM, WBros Macdonald, Osborne and Farrell.  

Among the reports presented was the welcome news by Bro Orazietti that Bytown has completed all of the requirements to maintain its status as a Cornerstone Lodge. Also welcome was the Secretary’s report that he had no less than three applications for affiliation and two applications for membership. Committees of investigation were struck to investigate these applications. 

The meeting concluded with a period of Masonic Education, featuring one of the Sunday Masonic Papers. No. 857, which explored the symbolism of the Masonic apron.  

2019 Cal Bellamy Memorial Chili Cookoff 

The Second Annual Bytown Chili Cookoff for charity was this year renamed in memory of the late WBro Cal Bellamy. It took place on Friday, Apil 26, 2019 with 11 teams vying for the trophies. About 54 guests showed up to support the event, including several families with children. Everyone had a good time tasting the various chili offerings. Jon Orazietti was the big winner, with the “People’s Choice” best overall chili, with Olive Nelson coming second and Julie Hawkins coming third. Jon also won the “Most Creative” chili and Mike Nagrodski won the “Best Traditional” chili. Our DDGM, RWBro Ken Brinston was one of the judges. A good time was had by all and we raised $1,350 for the District 2 charity “Do it for Daron”, which was more than we raised last year. Well done organizers!

Regular Meeting, March 21, 2019

With many members unable to attend the Regular Meeting in March (Move-up Night), there was quite a lot of Irish stew left over after the festive board. At the invitation of the SW, we were pleased to have Linda Meyer, the Worthy Matron of Hope Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, as a guest for the meal.  She was accompanied by her Son Matthew and her brother, Bro David Norrish. 

When the Lodge was opened upstairs, we were joined by Bro Sandy Mackie of Mosspark Lodge No. 1329, our only visitor for the meeting. The work of the evening included balloting on the application for affiliation of Bro Peter Ruttan, who has been a frequent and welcome visitor to Bytown in recent months. The ballot being favourable, RWBro Harbert presented Bro Ruttan with the Book of Constitution and Bylaws and escorted him to the Secretary’s desk to sign the register. He was then formally welcomed to the Lodge by the WM, SW, and the enthusiastic applause of the brethren present. Bro Ruttan then assumed the chair of the SD. 

As a period of Masonic education, the Treasurer read an interesting Sunday Masonic Paper No. 877, entitled “Free” in Freemasonry, which discussed several theories why Masons call themselves free.  

At the conclusion of the meeting, the brethren adjourned to the hall downstairs for coffee and dessert. 

Traveling Trowel

The Traveling Trowel is a trophy awarded at each official visit of the DDGM in Ottawa District 2 to the lodge with the largest visiting delegation. Bytown swept every meeting in 2018 and only gave up the trophy at our own official visit in January 2019, where, of course, we were not in the running. Four nights later, we won it again at the official visit to the Builders, and on March 6, 2019 at Defender’s, we again had the largest visiting delegation. On March 12, we sent a 10-member delegation to Cobden’s official visit. Pembroke also had 10 members, but the tie was broken in their favour because they had more MMs than we had. On March 26, we once again had a strong 10-member delegation. This time there was a tie again, with the Builders also appearing with a 10-member delegation. Sadly, we lost the tie for the second time, this time on a count of Past Masters present. But, what a record year this was! We won every possible traveling trowel, except for two, where we lost on tie breakers! WBro Jeff Hawkins said it best: “ Brethren, it has been a busy traveling year and I want you all to kick your feet up, crack a cold and give yourself a hearty pat on the back. Bask in the glow of this amazing achievement. You’ve earned it. Rest up, we are going to get back at it next fall and continue to work at this new reputation we have earned ourselves. Congratulations Brethren of Bytown Lodge!” 

In Memoriam – Charles Alexander 1931-2018 

We only recently discovered that one of our Life Members passed to the Grand Lodge Above last summer. His obit follows:

Alexander, Charles Maxwell, AFC, CD, BA Commercial Bank of Scotland 1949 to 1953, RAF 1953 to 1956, BA Carleton University 1977, RCAF/CF 1956 to 1976 

Born May 5, 1931 in Denny, Scotland; died August 7th, 2018 in Perth, Ontario, Charles was predeceased by his father William and his mother Elizabeth Somers (Maxwell) Alexander both of Scotland and his first wife Barbara (Parliament) Alexander Schaldemose. He is survived by his second wife Frances (Arbuthnot) Alexander of Perth, Ontario and his sons Geoffrey of Delta, B.C. and David of Trenton, Ontario and his daughter Katherine of Richmond, Ontario. Charles is also survived by his grandsons, Shawn Michael, Jason Sean, Ryan Mathew and Jonathan Blair. As Charles wished there will be no visitation or memorial service. His cremated remains will be scattered off the coast of Kintyre in Argyll, Scotland. Charles started off his military career with five years service in the RAF which included national service and eventually received his training as a long range navigator in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1953. In 1956, he enrolled in the RCAF as an airborne interceptor navigator with service that included 433 Sqn in North Bay, 408 Sqn in Rockcliffe, 425 Sqn in Bagotville and 414 Sqn in Ottawa. For those wishing to honour his life with a memorial donation, a contribution to the Masonic Foundation of Ontario would be appreciated by his family. Arrangements are in the care of Blair & Son Funeral Home, 15 Gore St., West, Perth, Ontario.