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FRONT ROW:  Rick Little, Josh Schrader (High Priest, Triplett #52),

Alan Cale (High Priest, Morgantown #30), Donald E Peterson (Most Excellent Grand High Priest), George Jackson (Right Excellent Grand King), and Tom Six (District Deputy Grand High Priest).

MIDDLE ROW:  Kent Pauley, Steve Junkins and Jim Swinler (Secretary, Morgantown #30)

BACK ROW:  Jerry Edens, Carl Flowers, Peter Turner, Bob Robinson and Bill Criado

Thirty-eight Companions attended the March 6, 2010 Royal Arch Festival in Clarksburg.  Most Excellent Donald Peterson, Grand High Priest, participated in the work.  Also participating were Right Excellent George Jackson (Grand King), Right Excellent Jeff Schrader (Grand Scribe) and Excellent Marvin Hill (Grand Lecturer).

Pictured (l to r) is:
Rodney Bolyard (Elkins), Vince Price (Elkins), Jeff McMillen (Morgantown), Derek Walker (Bridgeport), Roy Teter (Elkins), Jeff Stovrakis (Bridgeport) and Roger Rohr (Fairmont).  NOT PICTURED:  Gary Martin (Mannington).

March 6      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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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.

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.