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March 6th      Adonbiram No 11 Festival
March 8         Tyrian No. 13
March 9         Point Pleasant No. 7
March 11        Beverly No. 23
March 12        Beckley No. 38
March 13        Tyrian No. 13    Festival
March 16        Jackson No. 48
March 19        Grand Chapter of DC
Martch 22      Wayne No. 18
March 25        West Virginia Conclave Red Cross of Constantine - Charleston
March 27        SRICF  in Martinsburg, WV

Companion and Sir Knight Woodruff Franklin Buckles is a  member of Elk Branch #93 in Shenandoah Junction, Bethesda Chapter #16 , Potomac Commandery #5 and Martinsburg Valley KCCH, AASR.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — America’s last surviving World War I veteran marked his birthday Monday with family and close friends, noting that he has much to be thankful for as he blew out 109 candles.

Frank Woodruff Buckles, who lives on Gap View Farm near Charles Town, was born Feb. 1, 1901, in Harrison County, Mo.

He’s often said that he knew he would have a long life, but he never expected to become the very last “doughboy” — after all, there were 4,734,991 Americans who served from 1917 to 1918 during the Great War. Now there is one left.

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By Sir Knight D. David Will, Jr.

The title stems from an old saying in the Craft, and I have come to realize that it is every bit as important today as it always has been. The Blue Lodge, or what we sometimes call “Old Craft Masonry,” is a splendidly beautiful expression of our Brotherhood in this holy order, but for many of us, we realize that it is not complete. There is much more to the journey through Masonry that we cannot find just through the three degrees alone. I personally discovered this when I was Knighted in January of 2010.

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All four heads of the West Virginia Masonic Bodies were present and received at the KCCH Investiture in the Scottish Rite Temple in Charleston on November 20, 2009.  Sixty-two brethren were invested with the Rank and Decoration of a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor.  This preceded the 100th celebration of the Valley Of Charleston in which 115 brethren elevated to the 32 Degree in a class honoring Edward Delano Layne, 33, who had been active in all Masonic Bodies.

6 of 8 men with 50+ years Chapter Service were recognized at a SPECIAL Convocation Saturday, January 15, at Tygarts Valley Chapter 39, Philippi.  Approximately 24 Companions attended including MEGHP Donald E Peterson; ME PGHP Lonnie Carpenter; RE Jeffrey O Schrader, Grand Scribe; E Marvin O Hill, Grand Lecturer; and E Orval L Perry, Grand Master 2nd Veil,  Comp Gary Runion also traveled with ME Carpenter.
One of the honorees was Comp Homer McDaniels with approximately 65 years service.  The Companions enjoyed lunch in the dining hall following the Convocation.

The honored 50 year companions seated, left to right in the group photo, are: Robert "Buck" True, Ken Fenstermacher, Homer McDaniel,
George Everitt, Byron Boyles, Don Frey. Two additional honorees live in Ohio and Arizona and were unable to attend.

Our many thanks to our inspecting officer,  Sir Knight Edward E. Ball, Eminent Grand Captain General, and his wife Sandy for their visit.
We at Mountain State #14 are happy to count them and the Grand Commander among our personal friends in the Commandery.

I want to thank the wives of Sir Knight Hubert E. Roberts, PC and Sir Knight Roland Knight, PC whose efforts to ensure none of us went hungry were a resounding success.
I would like to thank Debbie Lowe, sister of our Eminent Commander George N. Myers, PC for her advance support of the meal preparations.
For as long as I can remember, these ladies have been the cornerstone of the wonderful meal which has followed our inspections.
I would also like to thank Amy Witschey, wife of Sir Knight Daniel A. Witschey, PC for her efforts with the ladies program.

Most of all, I would like to thank our 10 newest Sir Knights in West Virginia:
They represent the future of the Commandery.
(named as shown in candidate photos from left to right)

Fred Fazalare
Billy D. Arnolds           (Father)
John D. Anderson
Nathan Kelley Nelsen
Mark E. Eller
Glen Edward Clark II    (Father)
Anthony E. Clark         (Son)
Jesse Mack Kiger II
Francis Lee Arnolds    (Son)
Robert Jay Yeager

Please excuse any photographic mistakes I made, as I am by no means a professional photographer,
and please remember the father of PC Witschey in your prayers as he undergoes brain surgery this week.

November 2009

Sir Knights and Ladies,

Thanksgiving Day is the day for family reunions and thanking God for his infinite blessings. May your hearts and home be full of divine blessings on this Thanksgiving!

“Let us now, this Thanksgiving Day, reawaken ourselves and our neighbors and our communities to the genius of our founders in daring to build the world's first constitutional democracy on the foundation of trust and thanks to God. Out of our right and proper rejoicing on Thanksgiving Day, let us give our own thanks to God and reaffirm our love of family, neighbor, and community. Each of us can be an instrument of blessing to those we touch this Thanksgiving Day -- and every day of the year.” Taken from - Thanksgiving Day Proclamation 1996 by: President William J. Clinton

All in a Word

Aileen Fisher

T for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.

H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.

A for autumn's frosty art, and abundance in the heart.

N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.

K for kitchen, kettles' croon, kith and kin expected soon.

S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that abounds.

That spells - THANKS - for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.

God bless you and your family at Thanksgiving and always!

G. Ray Baker

Right Eminent Grand Commander

2009 - 2010 Inspections*

Clarksburg #13, Nov. 7, 1 PM open at Clarksburg, Ladies invited with meal following, Inspecting Officer – P. Davis, GJW

Pennsboro #20 – Nov. 14, 1 PM open, Ladies invited with meal following, Inspecting Officer – R. A. Leach , GStB

St. Johns #8 – Nov. 14, 1 PM open, Ladies invited, meal to follow, – Inspecting Officer, P. Davis, GJW

Mt. State #14 – Jan. 16, 1 PM open, Ladies invited, meal to follow – Inspecting Officer, E. Ball, GCG

Grand Officers Meeting Schedule

March 2010 - TBD date, time, location, (S. Wilson, VEDGC, Chair)

May 2010 – at Grand Conclave, (R. Baker, REGC, Chair)

Happy Thanksgiving!

News Items

Warm Springs Chapter No. 53

Warm Springs Chapter No. 53 is the newest Chapter in West Virginia and they received their Charter at the 139^th Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of West Virginia. There to accept the Charter were Lewis R. Youngblood, High Priest and Chester Paul Lutman, King. The Chapter was originally formed Under Dispensation by a group of Companions from the Eastern Panhandle area of West Virginia and the Dispensation was granted by Most Excellent Paul V. Cottrell who was the Most Excellent Grand High Priest at the time. The original officers of this Chapter were Larry J. Field, High Priest, Lewis R. Youngblood, King, Chester Paul Lutman, Scribe, Marshall C. Gurson, Treasurer, R. Lyn Dunham, Secretary, Edward D. Brown, Captain of the Host, Lewis O. Braithwaite, Principal Sojourner, John Allen Swaim, Master of the Third Veil, John F. Bassford, Master of the Second Veil, William C. Baun, Master of the First Veil, and Robert J. Boyle, Tyler. These Companions worked hard to qualify this Chapter for a Charter, which was granted upon the recommendation of the Charters and Dispensations Committee Report. The addresses for the High Priest and Secretary can be found under the Chapter listings. Our heartiest congratulations to the Companions of this new Chapter.

Changes to the Laws and Regulations
At the 139th Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of West Virginia several changes were made to the Laws and Regulations as permitted by Paragraph I.2
Paragraph III.B.5 was changed to realign the Chapters in the several Districts and to eliminate Districts 9 and 10, which contained only 2 Chapters each.  The purpose of the realignment was to make it easier for the Districts to come up with candidates for the DDGHP position and to give the GHP some latitude in the selection of Companions to these positions.  The new alignments Changes District 8 to include Tyrian Chapter No. 13, Sewell Chapter No. 24, Beckley No. 38, Montgomery No. 47 and Admiral No. 50.  Logan Chapter No. 41 will join those Chapters in District 5 and Warm Springs Chapter No. 53 will be added to District 2.
Standing Resolution 5 was modified to clarify the cost of the Perpetual Memberships as well as to authorize the Grand Chapter to recognize these individuals and to present them with a Perpetual Membership Card and Certificate in recognition of their contribution.  It further specifies that the Trustees are to pay o the Chapters the interest earned on the Perpetual Memberships in March of each year.

New District Deputy Grand High Priests
The New District Deputy Grand High Priests appointed for the 2009 – 2010 Capitular Year are:
District 1:    Carl E. Quinn of Hancock Chapter No. 14
District 2:    Chester Paul Lutman of Warm Springs Chapter No. 53
District 3:    Clayton Faber of Point Pleasant Chapter No. 7
District 4:    William Umbright of Bigelow Chapter No. 4
District 5:    Walter L. Gilleland of Tri County Chapter No. 51
District 6:    James Floyd of Ronceverte Chapter No. 21
District 7:    Thomas Six of Bobbie D. Triplett Chapter no. 52
District 8:    Kenneth Messer of Sewell Chapter No. 24

The District Deputy Grand High Priests will be making their official visitations to their assigned Chapters and will be looking at the Chapter’s By-Laws, Rituals as well as their equipment and paraphernalia.

By-Laws
The Grand High Priest is asking each Chapter in the State to send a copy of their By-Laws to the Grand Secretary as soon as possible.  There may be some cases where the By-Laws cannot be found and if this is the case, new ones need to be adopted.  Some Chapters have commented that the last time their By-Laws had been updated was in the early 1900’s and they haven’t been changed.  If you need help with new By-Laws, contact the Grand High Priest, the Grand Secretary or Excellent Companion Seba T. Anderson, Chairman of the By-Laws Committee.