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25th Masonic District of Ohio

1 month ago

Masons lodge changes

Brotherhood branching out to grab interest of young people

Masonic Lodges have had to close or merge as they face the reality of their older members dying and not being replaced by younger people.

Masonic Lodges have had to close or merge as they face the reality of their older members dying and not being replaced by younger people.

Masonic lodges in the Mahoning Valley opened their doors recently to showcase what they have to offer to the public, in an effort to recruit new members.

There are some lodges in Cortland, Warren and Canfield that are doing well as they look toward their future of brotherhood and fellowship, as well as community service.

Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest men’s fraternity.

There are 90,000 Ohio Freemasons from various political, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
CORTLAND LODGE

Cortland Masonic Lodge 529 recently included members from the Kinsman, Vienna and Fowler areas join, as their lodges closed.

Champion resident Tim Bauer, worshipful master for the Cortland Masonic Lodge, said the Kinsman Masonic Lodge and the Copper Penny Lodge in Vienna disbanded over the past few years.

“Their memberships were dwindling and they did not have enough participation to keep the lodges moving. It is not about funds, it’s about declining memberships,” Bauer said indicating in April every lodge held an open house for the public in an effort to try and recruit new members

“Everyone is so busy. It is all about time. We have had success in getting new members — we have 455 members. Anyone can join any lodge they want to. regardless of where they live,” Bauer said, indicating Cortland has members from Niles and Hubbard.

He said some lodges meet early in the morning before members have to go to work, while others meet in the evenings after work.

Bauer said the Masons are involved in their communities and work with various charities.

“We try to help as many charities that we can. The main key is to give back and help charities. We do four $1,000 scholarships a year for Lakeview, Mathews, Joseph Badger and Maplewood,” he said.

Bauer said the new members from other lodges are very active with the Cortland lodge, which he said has become a mainstay of the community.

“I don’t fear for this lodge,” Bauer said.

Bauer, who became a Mason in 2008, said he enjoys doing charity and helping youth groups, having been involved with Scouting for 20 years.

“People like the fellowship. We have a wide range of ages from younger members to older members … Merging together has become a necessity. We are glad others have joined with us but this lodge has always been very strong,” Bauer said.

He said a pancake breakfast each month is a major fundraiser benefiting Cortland Garden Club, scouting, and the Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Rainbow Girls and TNR organizations.

“We have a member who provides all the materials for the breakfasts. The other groups help work with us serving the breakfast, and all proceeds go to serving the groups,” Bauer said.

He said the average 80 to 100 meals per event generates $600 to $800. Bauer said in the past three years the Masons have raised $27,000 from the breakfasts to help charities and other organizations.

David Waite of Kinsman said he moved to the local area 10 years ago and worked from home, so he did not know many people.

“I was looking to spend time and fellowship with others who shared many of the same morals and values that I do — people who helped in the community, and the Masons did that. It has been a great experience,” he said.

Kevin Gircsis of Cortland said he enjoys learning the history of the Masons and the brotherhood. He said he became the lodge’s education officer with his interest in history.

The members said religion and politics are topics not discussed.

Alan Eggleston of Cortland said he likes the social element of the Masons, which he said gives him and others more meaning in their lives.

“It’s like having another family who are not blood-related,” Eggleston said.

Bauer said other Masonic lodges are located in Hartford, Niles, Newton Falls, West Farmington, and Garrettsville.

OLD ERIE LODGE

Old Erie Lodge 3 in Warren is one of the oldest in the state and one of the original founding Masonic lodges.

Chris Kiraly, worshipful master, said the building off Pine Avenue and East Market Street once housed three lodges at the same time.

“Through time the lodges consolidated and one moved to Cortland, and others merged in the early 2000s with Old Erie,” Kiraly said, noting the membership is 195.

The lodge was founded in 1803 and was among the first six Masonic lodges in the state that petitioned the Grand Lodge of Connecticut to create the Grand Lodge of Ohio in 1808.

Kiraly said the building was purchased by the Old Erie Lodge and the Mahoning Chapter of Royal Masons in 1903.

“Today’s society is a lot different than it used to be in the Masonic Lodge heyday. Part of the decline is our fault and too often traditions are held on to for the wrong reasons.

“There are some traditions that need to be updated. In today’s modern society and technology of instant gratification you lose being part of something that is bigger than yourself,” Kiraly said.

He said lodges try to not overlap meetings with Old Erie meeting on Tuesdays, Cortland on Wednesdays and Newton Falls on Mondays. Kiraly said once people become master masons and receive those credentials, they can go to any Masonic meeting anywhere in the state.

He said the Old Erie Lodge’s 225th anniversary will be marked in 2028.

Kiraly said plans are to have an annual open house that will allow for the Masons to reach out.

“This helps us to stay relevant and meet with the community,” he said.

Allen Briggs, lodge secretary and past master, said the lodge spends time seeking people who are interested in becoming new members.

“It was great to have an open house so people can come inside and look. We are the best-kept secret here, so we wanted to let people come and see what we are about,” Briggs said.

He said membership is a little younger with the average age of members at 64. In the mid-1990s, the average age was 78.

Briggs said the local Odd Fellows in Warren has been disbanded.

ARGUS LODGE

Russell Gillam, secretary with the Argus Lodge 545 in Canfield, said he has noticed younger generations are generally not part of Masonic lodges. Most demographics, he said, show the membership being older men with the average age mid to upper 60s.

“A lot of lodges are losing numbers because they are losing the older members and not getting a lot of newer members. The Grand Lodge is pushing for new members and has information on its website on being a member. We have had some inquiries that way. Out of 20 inquiries we were able to get in contact with five,” Gillam said.

He said the lodge is among the youngest around with the oldest officers in their late 40s. Gillam said membership is at 420 and once was near 1,000 in the mid-1990s.

“There will always be that appeal to men who want to be part of an organization like this. As the generation gets older they will see the benefits of Masonry and what it does for the community and how it builds character. The Masons have always said, ‘We take good men and make them better.’ There will always be a need for Masons,” Gillam said.

The lodge sits on 44 acres off Shields Road with a main building, pavilion and outdoor amphitheater.

He said the lodge used to meet on the square in downtown Canfield in the 1970s.

“In 1979 the Masons, including my father who was the grand master at the time, planned to build here. It was built solely by the members of the lodge. We had our own bricklayers and electricians,” he said,

The lodge hosts a car show, strawberry social, corn roast, fish fries and at one time Civil War re-enactments with members playing the re-enactors.

Ceremonies and events are held at the outdoor amphitheater.

“We would have big events there with buses from Pennsylvania and Canada coming here,” Gillam said.

Gillam said his grandfather, father and brother are Masons.

He said two lodges in Poland, the Poland lodge and Wickliffe lodge, merged into the Col. J. Hillman Lodge. Other lodges in the area are Western Star in Boardman, one in Leetonia, Sebring and North Jackson.

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