washington amaranthian dispatch - amaranth washington

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Washington Amaranthian Dispatch FROM THE DESK OF THE GRAND ROYAL MATRON: Can you believe it is March already? Your Leadership team has been diligently working on logistics for Grand Court. There are so many things to think about beyond the “normal” planning that goes into having Grand Court. The trifold has now been posted and the registration forms are out. We are striving to perfection but in all things Murphy’s Law prevails. I apologize to Capitol Court for misspelling Capitol. Our proofreaders did not catch that before the final version. I have been working on my “chore” list and have been reminded of some tidbits of information for our courts. Thank you to all 20 of our Courts for getting their Annual Reports in to HL Kathy so that she can get Grand Court’s report and per capita into Supreme in a timely manner. I know the procedure was complicated this year and many of our courts are hurting due to the inability to fundraise. Kudos to all involved. Please consider checking your directory and sending changes to HL Kathy so she can update the Directory and have it ready for HL Heather and SK Gary’s term. Remember no elections or installations may be held until Grand Court is over. HL Heather is ready for the onslaught of Special Dispensation requests that will occur so that our Courts can get their leadership updated timely. A poll of members will have to suffice to request a Special Dispensation as these extraordinary times

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Page 1: Washington Amaranthian Dispatch - Amaranth Washington

Washington Amaranthian Dispatch

FROM THE DESK OF THE GRAND ROYAL MATRON:

Can you believe it is March already? Your Leadership team has been diligently working on logistics for Grand Court. There are so many things to think about beyond the “normal” planning that goes into having Grand Court. The trifold has now been posted and the registration forms are out. We are striving to perfection but in all things Murphy’s Law prevails. I apologize to Capitol Court for misspelling Capitol. Our proofreaders did not catch that before the final version.

I have been working on my “chore” list and have been reminded of some tidbits of information for our courts. Thank you to all 20 of our Courts for getting their Annual Reports in to HL Kathy so that she can get Grand Court’s report and per capita into Supreme in a timely manner. I know the procedure was complicated this year and many of our courts are hurting due to the inability to fundraise. Kudos to all involved.

Please consider checking your directory and sending changes to HL Kathy so she can update the Directory and have it ready for HL Heather and SK Gary’s term.

Remember no elections or installations may be held until Grand Court is over. HL Heather is ready for the onslaught of Special Dispensation requests that will occur so that our Courts can get their leadership updated timely. A poll of members will have to suffice to request a Special Dispensation as these extraordinary times

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prohibit us to meet to vote on requesting a Special Dispensation before a Special Dispensation can be requested of the Grand Royal Matron. “Catch 22”. Audits of subordinate court books will also need to be done. I know most of our courts have not had many changes in their books, but HL Heather will be reviewing your audits when her Official Visits resume.

HL Virginia Anicker has sent out requests to our court secretaries for their Philanthropic Reports. Please get these filled out and back to your court secretary ASAP. Remember all the volunteer work that you have been doing at home and all the donations you have made this past year. Kudos to HL Chris Werre for her blankets for dialysis project and all our other members who have contributed. She saw a need and organized our members to action. I do not know how many blankets have been donated in total, but I received a photo from her with HL Dorothy, SRM when they delivered 55+ blankets to the dialysis center. As you might know, diabetics often end up on dialysis in the later stages of the disease.

I hope you all took advantage of the Facebook opportunity to donate to our Scholarship program. This is a legitimate request for donations. The Scholarship Committee reports that they have received at least 9 applications for scholarships thus far. Please consider donating to help us reach our goal of fully funding all the worthy applicants. Donations can also be sent directly to HL Lori Hanson, Scholarship Co-Chair.

Opportunities to donate to our Diabetes Philanthropic fund have not fared well due to the pandemic either. HL Cathy Smith, Diabetes Chair, will also accept donations as well. She still has monkey pins to sell and don’t forget those beautiful handmade cards. Please contact her.

In preparing for Grand Court, please get your reports in to SK Blair Thisted, Addresses and Distributions at least 30 days before Grand Court convenes (APRIL 9th, 2021). Even if your Committee had no actions this year, please write an Addendum explaining that fact. HAVE YOUR REPORTS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES AT GRAND COURT. If you will not be attending Grand Court, your reports that must be read will be read into the record. Make sure someone from your committee or court has a copy. If your report contains Grand Court money it must be read at Grand Court.

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REMEMBER that we will not be over-ordering copies of Proceedings. If you want a hard copy of the 2019-2021 Proceedings, pre-order. Pass the word to other members as a reminder PLEASE.

We are still working on safety protocols for Grand Court and will be asking for assistance from members. I know many hands make light work and cleaning / sanitizing the court room will be a priority. Volunteers welcome. Please get your registration in early so that we can plan ahead.

Greetings to all. February is traditionally the beginning of the Grand Court season, AKA March Madness. We would normally be packing and heading to California, then off to our NOB friends, Oregon and culminating in Washington Grand Court. However we will not be released to enjoy the travel, pageantry and renewal of our Amaranth friendship among the members of our nearby sister Grand courts at this time. This should not stop us from making the effort to keep those bonds of friendships fresh and viable by staying in touch with the members we are separated from. Hopefully we will not let the distance and isolation diminish the closeness of those relationships that we have built over the years and decades. It is my hope that the desire to nurture our connection with our close knit family of Amaranth sisters and brothers will allow us to in the near(?) future to reconnect through our ritual and traditions and to rebuild our order and make it strong enough to survive any future challenges we might face. I feel we can do just that if we apply sober thoughts and innovative ideas to strengthen our by-laws and constitution. And to put strong, dedicated leaders in place and help to guide those elected to lead, with wisdom and well-meant advice from our members who have the experience of leadership and compassion. Oh and have you heard of the latest variation of Covid? It’s called CoVIDEOitis. This new variation is sweeping the masonic world. The cause seems to have been narrowed down to attending multiple video(Zoom) meetings, with a sub cause being caused by binge

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watching Outlander, NCIS and anything else Netflix and Hulu throws at us… I do have it under good authority that they are working on a cure. It is a vaccine that they give you in your gluteus maximus ..uhh butt. It is administered in a series of once a week shots which makes your rear end so sore you can’t sit down, causing the recipient to have to get up out of the recliner and move about briskly. Perhaps it will be ready in time for us to head to Grand Court…? Hey, everyone be safe and do stay in touch please… Jus’ bill GRP

Hello everyone from the Associate Grand Matron - I hope that you enjoyed Valentine's Day in the best way that you could. I have heard that there are more zoom meetings taking place. I apologize as I am not one to organize that kind of meeting. Gary has been discussing the possibility of creating a meeting for all the ingoing Royal Matrons and Royal Patrons. Somehow, we will have a meeting with you all. We have also been gearing up for a hopeful Grand Court in May. It will not be a traditional Grand Court by any means, which will be unfortunate for all or our first time Royal Matrons and Royal Patrons. Precautions are being made that limit a great deal of the Installation portion of the wrap up of Grand Court. Please let me know if you have any themes for your own upcoming year if we can have your installations as well. I hope that you have come up with a list of officers and your own themes for your term. Remember that it is your term and your opinions matter. You can have any theme and any colors that you want to have. I even had a year celebrating Dios De Los Muertos with skulls and black dresses. What a year that was. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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If you need any help please let me know. I am asking all of you to also turn in your quilt tickets. I hope you have sold some so that we can have a great deal of competition for Joy's beautiful 50 Shades of Gray quilt. HL Heather Hughes

Honored Ladies and Sir Knights, I bring you greetings from the West.

I would like to start off by saying thank you to my wife HL Robin for 40 wonderful years of marriage. It all began for us back on February 29, 1980 a leap year. Now that the yearlong celebration is over, I’m sorry honey but it’s time to get back to work and get ready for Grand Court 2021 to be held May 9th – May 11th at the Olympic Masonic Center in Tumwater Washington. Our Grand Court Secretary, Kathy Thisted has sent out emails to everyone with the list of events and Proposed Amendments and Pre-registration Forms. If you have not seen it yet, then double check your email right away.

I am reminded of a couple of Bible verses; 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are doing”. We should encourage and edify one another. Instead of being dismayed as world events unfold, we should remind one another that a better day lies ahead.

And Hebrews 10:23-25 implores us to “hold fast the confessions of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the

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habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near”.

So, I encourage you to attend Grand Court if you can this year. It’s a good thing to that we are having Grand Court in May as I just received in the mail a “Summons for Jury Duty” beginning March 15-21 which would have been the normal week for our Grand Court session and I would have possibly missed out on coming.

So, I would like to leave you with this song. It is called Washington my Home.

Washington my home; Where ever I may roam; This is my land, my native land, Washington, my home. Our verdant forest green, Caressed by silv'ry stream. From mountain peak to fields of wheat, Washington, my home. There's peace you feel and understand. In this, our own beloved land. We greet the day with head held high, And forward ever is our cry. We'll happy ever be As people always free. For you and me a destiny; Washington my home. For you and me a destiny; Washington my home."

SK Gary Lewis GAP

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Hello Washington Amaranth Now that we have a plan and a date for Grand Court 2021 The real work begins. We are looking forward to advancing and taking on our new roles. It feels like life might someday feel normal (not that any of us are normal). Martin and I will be contacting the people that we have already asked to be officers or committees to see if you are still interested or if you would be willing to help us during our year 2022-2023. I hope everyone is doing well and that you are staying healthy. I want to thank everyone who prayed for my best friend’s husband. He is doing better but we don't know what the long term effects are going to be. Hope to see you all soon . Amaranth love HL Katey Lanning, Grand Conductress

From the desk of the Grand Associate Conductress: As we continue in these times of uncertainty, my hope for each of you is that you are moving forward for the betterment of your Court and our Grand Court. My responsibility to Grand Court is to promote membership. To encourage and present tools or ideas that you can draw upon to help you and your Courts. With

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all the zoom meetings being held, I encourage you to reach out to the youth organizations that meet at your temple or in your area and join one of their meetings. The youth and their adults are the ones that we can search out to become active members in our Courts. You may even find adults that are already members, who are actively working with the youth that may come back to Court if befriended. Below is our membership incentive for the coming year. MEMBERSHIP VACATION OPPORTUNITY Drawing for a 2 Bedroom Condo, Seaside, Oregon. One week, July 2022 Help your Court be stronger and healthier. Start now, have petitions ready when we reopen, be the lucky one drawn at Grand Court 2022 New Petition: First line signer 2 chances Second Line signer 1 chance Masonic Recommendation 1 chance Initiate 2 chances Member Returns: Bring back member 2 chances Returning member 2 chances (absent at least 1 year prior to Covid) Dual Membership: New to Washington Jurisdiction 2 chances (New and Returning Members Must stay active through Grand Court 2022) Contact: HL Joy Peters, Grand Associate Conductress [email protected] 425.488.0712 206.699.9830

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Greetings from the Office of the Grand Secretary,

On Feb 20th we had our smallest Zoom meeting of the Sec, Treas. & Trustees. I know everyone had a busy January, because as of Feb 16th I had received Annual Reports from all the Subordinate Courts. Thank you to everyone responsible for getting these in. Our Grand Court Annual Report is complete and ready to be sent in to Supreme. When we don’t meet in person much of our required business needs coordination between the Secretary, Treasurer and the Royal Matron. Its great to see we can communicate and take care of the needs of our courts even when we can’t meet in person.

A big part of maintaining our non-profit status relies upon all of our members getting their Philanthropic report to their Court Secretary to compile and sent to our Grand Court Philanthropic Chairperson (Virginia Anicker). With all the covid restrictions, we aren’t getting reminded to get our various reports in when they are due. If you are getting this newsletter you get email and I would like to recommend that you email your Philanthropic reports to your secretary and that she also use email to notify Virginia. In order for me to send the Grand Court Report in to Supreme by our due date, I need the info by mid to late March. Please send in your reports ASAP. I will ask HL Camille to attach the form to the newsletter for those that need it.

I hope to see many of you at Grand Court this May unless the governor and Grand Master let us meet sooner.

If you have a question you want your Secretary to ask or get more info on- please let him or her know and we can discuss it at the meeting.

We had a snowy Jan & Feb, let’s have a green Spring!

Kathy Thisted, Grand Secretary of WA

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Continued Amaranth Commitments

There are Masons who know about Amaranth and some of you have never come in to contact with the charitable work that our members do for the Community.

A little bit about Amaranth.

The Order of the Amaranth is a co-educational, fraternal organization for Masons and female relatives. It promotes and encourages the practice and principles of Truth, Faith, Wisdom and Charity in everyday life, through traditional rites handed down through the generations. We share time and friendships through some traditions as well as today’s modern functions, adventures in travel and participation in community events throughout Washington, the United States and many countries around the world.

Our “Courts” work together to raise funds for the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation to support research in finding better management of Diabetes, improved treatments and to find a cure.

We also provide scholarships to our Masonic children.

Occasionally, we also have had other projects that we bring awareness to like Autism Speaks and The Red Shoe Fund.

During the Covid pandemic, we have been unable to meet or have the same fund raising events.

One of our special members, Chris Werre, decided to create a new fundraiser in memory of her husband Joe Werre. Joe passed away during 2020 during this pandemic. Her husband was a member of Bremerton Court and they had been married for 40 years. Chris originally made blankets for people that she knew or sold them at craft fairs.

At the beginning of December, she decided to create a new tradition and a way to keep her memories of Joe alive. She was no longer going to the Dialysis clinic with her husband and noticed there were a number of individuals who were there with no one.

She created “Project Joe’s Blankets”. The object was to provide blankets to patients while sitting in the dialysis chair. These blankets are a way to show

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someone who is alone in the world, that someone is thinking about them and that they matter. One small act of kindness has turned into a much larger act.

Chris Were is a member of the Order of the Amaranth. She has donated 85 blankets to date and hopes to have 100 donated by St. Patrick’s Day. I am humbled by the sheer act of grace and kindness that she has started. Many of us have donated blankets to her cause. She credits being part of the order of the Amaranth for her generous work.

It is the other way around. The Order of the Amaranth is a much better organization because of Chris. Anyone who comes into contact with her learns what a wonderful and generous person she really is. I am very fortunate to know Chris and am very proud to call her my friend.

If you would like to donate fabric or donate a blanket to her cause, it only takes (two) two yards of flannel. One for the front and one for the back. Even if you don’t sew, you can certainly donate to the project. If you would like to get in touch with her, we will help you do so.

Chris Were is a leader and proves that kindness has always been one of the principals of Amaranth and she exudes the calling to help others.

Thank you Chris for your kindness and thoughts of how you can help others realize that everyone matters, even if you don’t know the person at all.

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Washington Masonic Charities - Masons Care, Today, Tomorrow, Forever! Thank you! Because of support from generous Masons – our annual donors, and especially those who came before us and left a legacy through their estates, Washington Masonic Charities has had the resources to help hundreds of people in need on behalf of the Fraternity. This includes distressed Masons, widows, members of our Masonic family such as OES and Amaranth members, and hundreds of school age youth experiencing homelessness.

This past year, our Outreach Services case managers have been extremely busy helping people facing challenges by providing information and referral resources, Masonic relief, addressing urgent needs, independent living assistance, and help with long term care coordination for 230 individuals. Our team has also provided support to meet the basic needs of more than 330 youth experiencing homelessness – 94% of the support going toward things like food, clothing, transportation and supplies.

The Brethren have donated and pledged more than $160,000 for these efforts since May! Much of this support has been used to support dozens of people suffering hardship due to COVID-19 related unemployment or income loss, as well as the fires in the Malden area. In Malden we’ve been able to assist approximately 50 individuals and collaborated with the Innovia Foundation to provide holiday meals for 45 families affected by the fires. This is what Masonic Charity looks like – thank you!

Here are just a few of the comments we’ve heard from clients this past year.

"I love talking to you because I know you are there to listen to me when I need it. And you don't just say 'no' and move on. You try to find an answer and that means a lot to me. I know I can call you and someone will help."

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"The new scooter runs and looks great! Thank you all for your charity of purchasing this scooter it will give me my legs back!"

"I don't know if I've sufficiently thanked you for all of your efforts on my behalf. You make me feel safe. I've never known anyone who has worked so energetically on my behalf, and for that I want to make sure that you know how much it means to me. And by the way, I'd like you to share this email with your boss, so he knows how special you are."

Again, thank you! Our work is your work, and we cannot do it without the support of dedicated and committed Masons who care today, tomorrow, and forever!

Washington Masonic Charities Scholarships Available – Deadline March 31, 2021!

Open to Washington resident high school seniors who are children, grandchildren, and dependents of Washington Masons in Good Standing, or Washington members of Masonic Youth Orders.

Applications are due online March 31, 2021. Scholarships amounts:

$3,750 Masonic Legacy Scholarship - 4 available statewide

$3,000 Masonic Youth Order Scholarships – 1 for each Youth Order.

For more information and to apply: https://www.wa-masoniccharities.org/program-and-services/scholarships/scholarships-2021/

Covid-19 Hardship Relief Available

If you are struggling or if you know of a Brother who is facing hardship because of COVID-19-related unemployment or loss of income, please contact us. We can help find resources to assist during this tough time. Thanks to the generosity of Brother Masons, we can also offer limited financial assistance with basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, utilities, medicine, communication, or transportation.

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Contact Byron Cregeur, 253-267-8625 or [email protected] To reach any of our team Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM or Friday until 3:30 PM, call us at (253) 442-2505.

There is a mistake in the tri-fold. Sue Gibbs zip code should read 98121.

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Grand Court Group Meeting Time: March 13, 2021 09:00 AM Line Officers.

10:00 AM All Members Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82837060986?pwd=dlhIOVJUYlgrS3dZdG01dWFtTzNqdz09 Meeting ID: 828 3706 0986 Passcode: 182730 Meeting ID: 828 3706 0986 Passcode: 182730 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbwXQHFk41