Florida Grand York Rite

The 2009 Grand York Rite Convention Schedule and Registration forms are now available from the Session Information page.

The November, 2008 issue of “Rite Notes,” the Membership Development newsletter for the Grand Commandery of Florida is available for download from our web site as a PDF, or, you can view it online.

The latest edition (Volume 2, Issue 3) of the Florida York Rite Mason Magazine is now available online!

The members of your Grand York Rite Communication Committee want to thank all our Companions and Sir Knights for their continuous support since our inception in 2007. Our main product is The Florida York Rite Mason Magazine. We have published six issues, number seven is in production. We hope the format and content are of your liking. The success of our magazine is due to your support and articles submitted.

In appreciation of that support, the Committee wants to honor a member of your local York Rite Masonic Bodies as part of the York Rite Masons of the Year recognition issue which will be published prior to our 2009 Grand York Rite Convention. The objective is to recognized one Companion / Sir Knight that have gone above and beyond his regular duties and made a significant impact or contribution for their local York Rite Masonic Bodies. Your local York Rite Masonic Bodies is instrumental for us to accomplish this.

The instructions are simple. First, the local York Rite Masonic Bodies need to nominate just one Companion or Sir Knight. Second, fill out the attached nomination form signed by the Head Dais Officer of each Body and the Secretary/Recorder. Third, the form needs to be accompanied by a photo or a disk with a digital photo of the Companion or Sir Knight nominated.

Remember, the Companion or Sir Knight nominated must meet one requirement: must have gone above and beyond his regular duties to help his local York Rite Masonic Bodies.

Please hand or send in the nomination form to any of the members of the Grand York Rite Communication Committee on or before JANUARY 15, 2009.

The success of this enterprise depends on you Companions and Sir Knights. The Committee is just a conduit for this enterprise. Please contact a Committee member if you or your local York Rite Masonic Bodies have any questions or to hand in the nomination form.

The GYR Souvenir Program Book committee is again seeking ads for the 2009 book.

This program has been very successful the last several years, and the revenues collected have helped with the expenses incurred running the GYR session, and the increased educational programs for the various grand bodies.

We hope that all the Florida YR bodies will participate again in this year’s program, and we encourage you to get ads from local symbolic lodges, and other appendent bodies as well.

You can download the cover letter, and the ad form from our web site.

The York Rite presentation developed by Excellent Companion Richard Wolfe, and Illustrious Companion Dayle Schrock is now available online.

We have linked the presentation from the “What is the York Rite?” link under the York Rite menu. From the this web site you can view the presentation, both in full-screen and reduced size, and you can download the presentation for later use.

If you have questions about the presentation, please contact Excellent Companion Richard Wolfe

The Grand Secretary/Recorder has prepared new forms for the Monthly Membership Reports for both the Chapter and the Council, and you will find these new documents in the “Forms and Files” section of the web site.

The forms can be downloaded, completed on your local computer, and then emailed back to the Grand Secretary/Recorder at gyr@flgyr.org, saving on postage, and allowing the information to be updated more quickly. This is the first step towards more automation for the local York Rite Bodies and the Grand York Rite.

For more information, contact Steve Steele: gyr@flgyr.org.

The 41st Annual Voluntary Campaign for the Knights Templar Eye Foundation launched on October 1st.

The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. is a charitable foundation founded in 1956 to aid those who need help in the preservation of sight.

Assistance is available to any citizen of the United States of America in need of surgical treatment without regard to race, color, creed, age, sex, or national origin provided they are unable to pay or receive adequate assistance from current government agencies or similar sources and provided they are within the financial guidelines of the Foundation. A letter of denial from a social or government agency is necessary for assistance.

The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. is a co-sponsor of the EyeCare America Seniors EyeCare Program, a public service of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, please visit www.eyecareamerica.org. Persons 65 years if age or over may receive help by calling 1 (800) 222-EYES.

So, please, consider becoming a Life Member of the KTEF, and if you are already a Life Member, consider purchasing a Life Membership for another member of your Commandery who is not able to do so. Every Commandery should have a goal of 100% Life Membership in the KTEF.

For more information, please contact the Chairman of the KTEF Committee, SK William Schuck.