Mahova on My Mind August , 2023

Greetings friends and fellow Masons from MAHOVA – Your Masonic Community!

We recently had the 15th Annual Stanley Johnson Golf Tournament and it was a tremendous success! Thanks to all that came out to support MAHOVA! We hope you enjoyed the day.

Family Day is rapidly approaching (October 7th) and we are asking any Ambassadors that wish to spend the night Friday night (October 6th) to please respond to Mrs. Joelle Schwartz at 804-237-6723 by September 26th in order to reserve a room. Remember you must be traveling from 100 miles or more to reserve a room.

This year at Family Day we are honoring all of our MAHOVA Ambassadors and would like for you all to participate in the parade!

• Masonic Family Day is coming up on October 7.

• The day starts with coffee & donuts in front of the Grand Lodge

  building at 8 am. The Library will be open for tours between 9-10

  am.

• Tours are available of the Village Units as well as Apartments inside

  the Main Home. Times will be in 30 min. increments beginning at 9

  am and ending at 10 am and resume at 1:00 pm.

• The Paratroopers from Ft. Liberty, NC will be jumping onto our front

  lawn about 10:40 followed by the parade.

• After the parade, a free Bar-B-Q lunch, cooked by our Brethren from

  Amelia Lodge 101, will be provided with ice cream for dessert.

• Youth activities will be included.

  We are busy planning ahead for the Grand Annual Communication. The MAHOVA Luncheon will be held again this year on Friday, November 13, at 12:00pm at the Hilton Hotel. We have a limited number of tickets available for lunch for $150 each. Please join us with a chance to mingle with the residents of MAHOVA.

  August is National Make-a-Will Month! Have you made yours? Please contact the office if you have questions. This is a great way to support MAHOVA!

Attention Secretaries, please remind the Brethren that MAHOVA offers an OUTREACH program for Brethren and their wives who may need in-home health care. MAHOVA will help with these expenses by working with the Area Agency on Aging depending on the needs of each family. For further information, contact Susan Berryhill at 804-237- 6795 or sberryhill@mahova.com.

IF your Lodge is interested in having a meeting at MAHOVA, please contact Joelle Schwartz at 804-237-6723 or Jschwartz@mahova.com. We can arrange a nice meal before the meeting at a special price for Lodge members, and provide the program for your meeting with information about MAHOVA.

SAVE THE DATE: Oct. 8, 2023 A Day of Thanksgiving

Please join the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia to pray and celebrate the Craft and ask for God’s guidance as we go forward.

This service will be held in the James Dean Cole Chapel beginning at 10:00 am.

Sir Knights will welcome you to the MAHOVA campus and direct you to the Chapel on Sunday morning.

Lastly, please don’t miss out on the opportunity for your Lodge to earn the Morlock Award. Remember the criteria is 15% of your Lodge membership that must contribute in order to earn the award.

2023 Reid James Simmons Academy for Masonic Ritual.

(To see original copy of this letter, click here)

My Brethren,

Your Grand Lodge Committee on Work is pleased to bring you the 2023 Reid James Simmons Academy for Masonic Ritual. This is a state-wide school, sanctioned by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, and conducted by the Committee on Work. It is open to all Master Masons, and I encourage all Master Masons to attend, especially Lodge Officers from Junior Stewards to Worshipful Masters.

The Academy is an opportunity to improve your ritual and to further your Masonic education. You can learn a catechism or learn to teach a catechism. You can learn or improve your parts as an officer in opening/closing Lodges or conferring degrees. You can work on a lecture or prepare for the Warden's Certificate examination. Silver and Gold Card examinations will be conducted. All three degrees will be exemplified by the Committee on Work. The Committee on Masonic Education will provide an opportunity for you to take one or more Correspondence Courses onsite.

This year the Academy is being held again at the Roanoke Scottish Rite Temple, 622 Campbell Avenue SW, Roanoke, Virginia 24016, on August 11-12, 2023. Go to www.risacademy.org to find more information and to register for the event and to see how you can donate to support this event. If you need a hotel room, you can book your own room at the event hotel, which is Hampton Inn & Suites, Roanoke Airport/Valley View. A link to this hotel is provided on www.risacademy.org to obtain a discounted rate.

The Reid James Simmons Academy for Masonic Ritual si one of the best schools for learning our beautiful Ritual. Come and be challenged. Come and enjoy the fellowship. Take this opportunity to improve yourself in Masonry! As Grand Master, I strongly urge you to attend.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Most Worshipful Donald E. Strehle

Grand Master of Masons in Virginia

The Secretaries Desk

Brethren, If you are behind on dues for 2022 or 2023, please get those in as soon as possible.