Punta Gorda Lodge No. 115 F. & A. M. Chartered January 21 1890 AD 5890 Al

December 2017 AD 6017 AL Volume 127 Issue 12 Stated Communications are held at 7:30 PM on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.

“This Trestle Board when received by a Master Mason whether he be a member of this Lodge or any Lodge recognized by

the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Florida, constitutes an invitation to attend any Stated or Called Communication".

www.puntagorda115.webs.com http://trowel.com/flamason/puntagorda115/ http://trowel.com/flamason/index.html

L o d g e O f f i c e r s

Worshipful Master Jonas Seda 941-373-5950

Senior Warden Steve Rizza 941-204-9634

Junior Warden David Summers 941-457-3536

Treasurer Paul Heavener PM 941-255-9435

Secretary Ron George (pro/tempt) 941-286-2646

Senior Deacon Sean Williamson 407-402-4290

Junior Deacon Rick Aiken 941-467-9969

Senior Steward Rick O’Donnell 719-339-9993

Junior Steward Rob west

Chaplin David Naples (pro/tempt)

Tyler Adam Saucier 941-218-3061

Marshal Stefan Antochi 941-623-3523

Committee Chairmen

District Deputy Grand Master RW Juan de la Rosa

Board of Relief Jonas Seda WM

Hospitality Chris DePass PM Finance/ Budget & Audit Steve Rizza SW Building and Property David Summers JW

Vigilance David Summers JW

Lodge Education Steve Rizza SW

Sickness/Distress/Funerals ( 941-204-2765) Ernie Rose PM

Publicity/Charity

Investigation Mickey Helbig

MAH 100/LYPMGS Ray Reuben PM

Child ID Program David Summers JW

From the East Brothers,

December is here, we have had our election of Officers for this upcoming year 2018 and I would like to congratulate all

of the incoming Officers and the Worshipful Master Elect Steve Rizza. I look forward to their year and many more to come. I could not have more confidence in these Brothers to continue the Labors for the Craft and the continual effort of improving our Lodge. The incoming Worshipful Master has set his date for installation for December 30th at 5:00 PM we would love to see everyone attend in support of his installation along with all the other Officers.

I would like to thank all of those that participated with the open house that we had for Founders Day that was held on December 3rd. The Sojourners along with some from York Rite commandery were present in uniform and looked great! We had some of the public visit our Lodge and we hope to have a better turn out from the public in years to come as we continue to engage within our community in the future. The best part was that we were able to fellowship with many Brothers from our Lodges and exchange in some great stories.

As this year comes to a close, I begin to realize how quick this year went by. I came to the enlightening realization that I have concluded my year in the East and I want to express my greatest gratitude for providing the honor of serving you as Master of Punta Gorda 115. It really went by fast and I still feel there is yet so much more to accomplish, which I know many Brothers will strive to do. I could not be more grateful for all of the support that many of the Craft provided me this year, because without your support it would have been difficult to accomplish the Labors that we have completed this year. I thank everyone for giving me this opportunity to be not only a better man, but a better Mason.

Finally, I wish everyone a happy and festive safe holiday. May you all be with those you love and enjoy the many blessings that comes with the gathering of friends and family.

Worshipful Master,

Jonas Seda

From the West

Hello Brothers,

Thank you, for your trust and confidence in being your next Worshipful Master. We have many events and social functions planned for a fun and prosperous year. I am very excited to put my plan into action and help continue to make Punta Gorda Lodge successfully grow.

The financial year of 2017 has come to a close and I will be presenting the end of the year financial reports at our next stated communication on 12/21/17 so please be there for the presentation. Unfortunately, the Lodge has suffered some unfortunate but inevitable financial burdens throughout the year which slightly decreased our bank accounts, but our operational budget was very close to our proposed target range. I will discuss further details at the meeting.

Brothers I need a Tyler. Anybody interested in being our Lodge Tyler please see me to discuss the duties involved. It is a very important part of the Lodge and a seat I need filled. If any Brother wants to help, now is a great opportunity to make my year a little less stressful and help make the Lodge the best it can possibly be. I have complete faith and trust in my line Officers and know they will continue to do a GREAT job!

Our public Installation of Officers is Saturday, December 30th, 2017. Dinner will be served at 5:00PM with the public Installation starting promptly at 6:30PM. I am honored to say that RW Ed Lanham will be the installing Officer and PM Ernie Rose as the installing Marshal. Our District Deputy Grand Master Juan de la Rosa has also emailed me and told me that he will also be present for the ceremony. So please come out and support your Lodge for this important event. I need RSVPs as soon as possible so that I can get an accurate food count for dinner. Please email me at stevrizza@gmail.com with your head count. Thank You Brothers,

Senior Warden,

Steve Rizza

From the South Brethren,

I want to start off with a huge thank you for allowing me to have the honor of serving this past year as your Junior Warden. We had a very busy and productive year with so much needed work being done around the lodge for the betterment of the craft and so that we could set an excellent 1st impression for all that come to visit. The lodge looks absolutely stunning with so much help from several brothers. Worshipful Seda, Senior Warden Rizza and myself worked together like a well-oiled precision team to assure that you are as comfortable and feel as welcoming as possible.

We have lost a few brothers to that celestial place who were, and still remain very near and dear to our hearts. Together we as a band of brothers have lifted each other’s spirits to get past such deep loss. Thank you one and all who are always there for those that needed a shoulder to lean on in those times.

For our returning brothers, you can see the labor done by many of our hard-working brothers immediately as you first drive up to the lodge as it is no longer faded blue. A huge thank you to brother (Doc) Joe Ravid for his continued generous donations! As some of you are already aware and for our returning brothers, we also had some unexpected repairs; a serious roof repair, a lift station pump (Thank you Brother S.W. Rizza) that gave out with no notice. And yes, the church paid their fair share. A new office updated with new drywall, paint, LED lights, new computers and internet so that our awesome Treasurer brother Paul Heavener and outstanding secretary brother Ron George can serve you better and have 2017 technology communication with grand lodge. I would like to also thank worshipful Seda’s wife Vernessa for the awesome labeling and organizing the kitchen; made everything so much easier to work with, my wife thanks you also. The property as a whole looks amazing and I thank each of the brothers that came out help cut and trim trees.

Our Officer line as far as I am concern is second to none! We have received many praises from other Lodge Brothers for the hard work with degrees. Lastly and publicly, I want to thank the one person that always has my back and without the support given, this year for me would not be as effortless; my brothers, my wife Amy has expressed the joy she had helping (leading me in the kitchen) and has felt warm generous love and support from my brothers. Each of you are like brothers to her also and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart! This year has absolutely flown by and I am excited for what the future has to offer in 2018. Fraternally yours,

Junior Warden,

Dave Summers

From The Secretary

Greetings Brothers, Nothing at this time, thank you.

Secretary

Ron George (pro/tempt)

From The Chaplain

Greetings Brothers, Nothing at this time, thank you.

Chaplain, David Naples (pro/tempt)

Congratulations!!!

Please congratulate our newly elected and appointed line Officers

Worshipful Master – Steve Rizza Senior Warden – David Summers Junior Warden– Sean Williamson Treasurer - P.M. Paul Heavener

Secretary – Ron George

Senior Deacon – Rick Aiken Junior Deacon – Rob West Sr. Senior Stewart – Alex Lukasek

Chaplin – Dave Naples Marshall - P.M. Jonas Seda

Good Luck Brothers!!!

M Masonic Education submitted by Brother Steve Rizza

WHY FREEMASONRY SURVIVES

Institutions do not survive through the ages by accident; they live only through the possession and operation of everlasting principles. When an organization runs back beyond historic

records, and relies upon tradition for the story of its origin, its career during a known period either justifies or falsifies the tradition. An ancestry of virtue and good works is a liberal

education. The power of the accumulated wisdom of the past is a resistless impelling force upon the present.

The architects, the decorators, the draftsmen, the woodcarvers, the workers in precious metals and the Masons who were building the famous Temple of King Solomon came from

every nation in the then-known world. Their union of mutual help, protection, society and improvement was the marvel of an age when all navies were pirates and all nations enemies.

Masonry, marching under the leadership of God and the

banner that bears the motto, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," with the peasant and the prince, the mechanic and the

merchant, the learned and the unlearned following in equal rank and common step, knows neither race nor nationality,

neither caste nor condition, as it proudly and beneficially moves down the centuries.

Chauncey M. Depew (1834-1928)

Financier, U. S. Senator

Freemasonry is founded on the immutable laws of Truth and Justice and its grand object is to promote the happiness of

the human race. WASHINGTON.

Any Brother interested in submitting an article or anything related to Masonic education with permission of the

Worshipful Master, please email stevrizza@gmail.com

Past Masters of

Punta Gorda Lodge 115

Past District

1965 Elmer Lawrence**

1972 Ray Gugui**

1977 Carl Peden***

1980 Willie Hofer**

1981 Charles Lewis Sr

1984 Donald R. Allen**

1985 Michael Youseff**

1986 Carl Powell

1988 Duane Galbraith

1988 Chris Keuker**

1989 Paul Heavener

1989 Wayne Engbrecht**

1990 Bernard Haines

1993 Douglas Jewell

1994 Fredrick Quinn<

1995 Kenneth Moore**

1996 Donald Moore**

1996 Donald Sutter

1996 Charles Williford***

1997 Michael Schneider

1998 John Bittner Jr.

1998 John Bittner

2000 C. Trent Lewis***

2001 Michael Cullen

2002 Edward Stepp****

2003 V. Thomas Yonts

2004 John Brake

2005 McKinley Mayes

2006 Ernie Rose

2007 Duncan MacDougall

2008 John Degnan

2009 Richard Bayly****

2010 Richard Bayly****

2011 Ernie Rose

2012 Raymond Rubin

2013 Christopher DePass 2014 Glen Purdy

2015 Raymond Rubin

2016 Stefan Antochi

Deputy Grand Master**** Past District Instructor*** Affiliated** Dual Member<

Our Perpetual Members Richard Bayly PDDGM Hank Beaudoin PDDGM John Bittner PM John Brake PM Phillip Burgess Stefan Antochi Michael Cullen PM Jerry Gordin Ronald Hewlette Willi Hoffer Thomas Howell Hamdy Ibrahim Walter Jones Charles Lewis Jr. PM Michael Tirpak Scott Mathias McKinley Mayes PM Julio Miranda Tommy Yonts PM Carl Powell PM Richard Purington Raymond Rubin PM Donald Sutter PM Charlie Williford PDI Sean Wilson PDI Ed Lanham P.D.D.G.M.

Blue Lodge Boosters

Lloyd Smith Nancy Hackman McKinley Mayes PM Jeffrey Taube Don Sutter PM Norman White E. Glenn Arnold Pattie Arnold Robert Wyatt Micky Hilbig

Richard Bayly PDDGM Lore Bayly Raymond Rubin PM Pat Rubin Bill Riddel Harold Twente Donald Kapp Gail Kapp Hank Beaudoin PDDGM Ernie Rose PM

John Bittner PM Sue Bittner Hamdy IIbrahim Ross L. Dorrer Harry Horn Tippy Burgess William Bromwell James Rose Wayne Engbrecht

These Individuals are recognized for their continued and generous support of Punta Gorda Lodge No. 115!!!

Meetings of Other Lodges

Tropical No. 56 (10868 Metro Pkwy Ft. Myers, FL 33966) 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 7:30

Moore Haven No. 61 (2nd Str. Moore Haven, Fl 33471) 2nd and 4th Thursdays 7:30

Peace River No. 66 (909 North Oak Arcadia, Fl 34266) 2nd and 4th Tuesdays 7:30

Sugarland No. 281 (524 E. Sugarland Hwy Clewiston, Fl 33440) 1st and 3rd Thursdays 7:30

Lehigh Acres No. 344 (1110 Ashlar Ave Lehigh Acres, Fl 33936) 2nd and 4th Mondays 7:30

Noah No. 357 (41 Willis Road North Ft. Myers, Fl 33917) 2nd and 4th Mondays 7:30

Englewood No. 360 (265 Pine Street Englewood, Fl 34223) 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 7:30

Cape Coral No. 367 (244 Santa Barbara Blvd, Cape Coral, Fl 33991) 2nd and 4th Thursdays 7:30

Labelle No. 379 (180 Jaycee/Lions Dr. Labelle, Fl33935) 2nd and 4th Tuesdays 7:30

Venice No. 301 (118 East Venice Ave, Venice, Fl 34284) 1st and 3rd Mondays 7:30

Sarasota Lodge No. 147 (2160 Main Street Sarasota, Fl 34237) 2nd and 4th Tuesday 7:30

Please keep the Lodge informed of any changes in address, phone numbers or email address,

we would hate to lose track of you so please keep us up to date!

"A Mason is a man who,

does all the good he can,

in as many ways as he can,

in as many places as he can,

to as many people as he can,

for as long as he can."