What a wonderful idea. Lodges need more community involvement. All it takes is a few brothers to have an idea and drive it forward. A good lodge would actively support such endeavors.
Yeah, I think that we sometimes make the idea of community involvement too complicated. Just as we often complicate our charitable endeavors. This is a superb idea, that everyone in the Lodge can participate in, and it's simple. No complications needed.
I really like this idea and am wondering if there was any donation jar or something to bring in some income? While many lodges can handle this financially with ease mine would need some help.
I don't remember a donation jar, but can't say 'no' for certain. I've been there once with my family for my Granddaughter to have her photo taken with Santa, and once to help with a Lodge installation, but I'm not sure that I was really looking either time.
I don't think that there are many costs though. I believe that most of the decorations were donated or purchased at after Christmas sales. I also think that the wives make the cookies and such. Assuming that a brother had a good camera with a tripod and a photo printer, I imagine expenses would be extremely low.
Sounds like a great way to spread the holiday cheer and do something for the community!
Before I conclude that it is a great avenue to attract new Masons I guess the analyst i me would ask ‘how many new Masons has this lodge initiated because of this function?’
Don’t get me wrong. From my perspective, that number might be zero. By itself it is a cool idea…and that’s what community events are for me. They are something you do to make your corner of the world a better place. Unfortunately I’ve seen many lodges get involved in community events with the expectation it will attract new members.
Zane, I don’t think this Lodge has gained that many members due to this annual event, if at all. That being said, as you noted, I think this is an excellent Public Relations event for this Lodge.
One thing that might spark a discussion is the local folks who bring their children to this event, think it’s really nice of the Freemasons to do this, and have a totally favorable opinion of the Lodge, but still won’t join, either because they don’t believe they are up to Freemasonry’s standards, either financial or otherwise, or because they erroneously believe Freemasonry is invitation-only. I’ve seen both of these reasons first-hand. There might be other reasons as well. Question is, how do we educate these folks that they can indeed join our ranks, all they have to do is ask?
I don't know for certain, but I seem to remember when I was last down there that they had gained membership from this event. As I recall I was there for an Installation, and I think we installed at least one Brother who came to the Lodge after bringing his kids for pictures.
As a side-note to the Christmas event in the Woodland Lodge, they also install their officers in December, and I’ve been honored to be on a few of their more recent installing teams. It was quite an adventure as the Installing Marshal to bring the Lodge officers through the Christmas trees to the East to be installed. And it was really fun.
From what I recall, almost all, if not all of the trees were donated, being extra trees owned by the families of the Brothers when they ‘upgraded’ to newer ones. Then I think they started getting new ones on purpose until they simply didn’t have enough room, so they compromised to a good balance.
The Lodge looks wonderful. Too bad I can’t share pictures here, but I think I’ve done so on Facebook.
It would be cool if the substack folks made it possible to share photos in the comments. They keep improving things all the time, so that functionality is probably on the way.
What a wonderful idea. Lodges need more community involvement. All it takes is a few brothers to have an idea and drive it forward. A good lodge would actively support such endeavors.
Yeah, I think that we sometimes make the idea of community involvement too complicated. Just as we often complicate our charitable endeavors. This is a superb idea, that everyone in the Lodge can participate in, and it's simple. No complications needed.
I really like this idea and am wondering if there was any donation jar or something to bring in some income? While many lodges can handle this financially with ease mine would need some help.
I don't remember a donation jar, but can't say 'no' for certain. I've been there once with my family for my Granddaughter to have her photo taken with Santa, and once to help with a Lodge installation, but I'm not sure that I was really looking either time.
I don't think that there are many costs though. I believe that most of the decorations were donated or purchased at after Christmas sales. I also think that the wives make the cookies and such. Assuming that a brother had a good camera with a tripod and a photo printer, I imagine expenses would be extremely low.
Sounds like a great way to spread the holiday cheer and do something for the community!
Before I conclude that it is a great avenue to attract new Masons I guess the analyst i me would ask ‘how many new Masons has this lodge initiated because of this function?’
Don’t get me wrong. From my perspective, that number might be zero. By itself it is a cool idea…and that’s what community events are for me. They are something you do to make your corner of the world a better place. Unfortunately I’ve seen many lodges get involved in community events with the expectation it will attract new members.
Zane, I don’t think this Lodge has gained that many members due to this annual event, if at all. That being said, as you noted, I think this is an excellent Public Relations event for this Lodge.
One thing that might spark a discussion is the local folks who bring their children to this event, think it’s really nice of the Freemasons to do this, and have a totally favorable opinion of the Lodge, but still won’t join, either because they don’t believe they are up to Freemasonry’s standards, either financial or otherwise, or because they erroneously believe Freemasonry is invitation-only. I’ve seen both of these reasons first-hand. There might be other reasons as well. Question is, how do we educate these folks that they can indeed join our ranks, all they have to do is ask?
I don't know for certain, but I seem to remember when I was last down there that they had gained membership from this event. As I recall I was there for an Installation, and I think we installed at least one Brother who came to the Lodge after bringing his kids for pictures.
As a side-note to the Christmas event in the Woodland Lodge, they also install their officers in December, and I’ve been honored to be on a few of their more recent installing teams. It was quite an adventure as the Installing Marshal to bring the Lodge officers through the Christmas trees to the East to be installed. And it was really fun.
From what I recall, almost all, if not all of the trees were donated, being extra trees owned by the families of the Brothers when they ‘upgraded’ to newer ones. Then I think they started getting new ones on purpose until they simply didn’t have enough room, so they compromised to a good balance.
The Lodge looks wonderful. Too bad I can’t share pictures here, but I think I’ve done so on Facebook.
It would be cool if the substack folks made it possible to share photos in the comments. They keep improving things all the time, so that functionality is probably on the way.