Masters Message January 2021

Greetings Brothers,

Happy New Year to you and your families! The end of 2020 brought rays of hope for the end of this global pandemic as two vaccines received emergency approval from the CDC. I am hopeful that our shared sacrifices will no longer be necessary sometime in 2021 and we can once again meet without a computer screen separating us.

Despite the myriad restrictions and increases in Covid-19 cases since Thanksgiving, a small number of dedicated brothers and family members worked together to continue the tradition of providing Holiday Baskets. Because of the dedication of Brothers Hugo Adames and Tom Kumes, the small number of volunteers completed the boxes, unloaded the supplies from the truck and filled all 100 Holiday baskets before 9pm on Friday night. That allowed Saturday to be used to stage the boxes in the hallway so that cars could drive up to the door and have their basket loaded without entering the building or getting out of their vehicle. I want to thank the young men of DeMolay for their help, as well as all who volunteered for making this a great success for the Lodge.

January’s communication was meant to be a Special Visitation to our lodge by the Grand Master. The plan was to have a Table Lodge, but this also became another casualty of the pandemic. In lieu of an in person meeting, we will continue the virtual Zoom meeting format this month. Our December communication was well attended and the prerecorded lecture was well received. We were excited to receive the Grand Master and Grand Marshal virtually. I want to thank the brethren who voted to approve significant donations to charities working hard to mitigate the impacts of this global pandemic on food insecurity (Project Hand Up, RI Community Food Bank), housing/shelter insecurity (Westbay Community Action, Community Action Partnership of Providence) mental illness (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) and domestic violence (Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center). We also continued to support Special Olympics during this difficult time. I am inspired by the commitment of this lodge to the community and the tenet of Charity.

We will be working to determine how best we can aid and assist our Prince Hall Brothers after the fire that destroyed the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Rhode Island building on Eddy Street early on Christmas morning. Information will be forthcoming.

As always, I stand ready to help, aid and assist the brethren in any way I can and with all the resources available to me.

Stay safe and stay well, Brothers!

Fraternally,
Scott E. Miller
Worshipful Master