Ill. Ralph C. Shelton II, 33°
Our Valley continues to thrive, and I am proud of our Valley Leadership for the work they’re doing. This month, a shout out to Matt Schrader, currently Second Knight of the Knights of St. Andrew. While our First Knight, Bro. Segerstrom, prepares for his year as the Potentate of El Bekal Shrine, Bro. Schrader has stepped up to assume the functions of that office and is leading the way handily. The KSA program has come together well, and under Matt’s leadership, we will see great things from this group.
Our September meeting (9/9) is very special. We will celebrate the Feast of Tishri, and are honored to have with us as a special guest one of our Valley founders, Ill. Donald Tapia, Grand Cross. Ill. Tapia chaired the formation committee and was the driving force behind the club that became our Valley, and we welcome him home warmly. We will have a few other members that we don’t often see, so you won’t want to miss this.
Other Valley events are covered elsewhere in this newsletter, but I am particularly excited that the Blue Slipper Club, our wives, ladies and partners group, has planned a trip for their members. In November, they’ll travel to Solvang for a weekend. It’s great to see them socializing; it bodes well for the future of our Valley.
We Masons so often plant the seeds of trees whose shade we will never enjoy, satisfied that our work today will benefit our fellows in the future. Once in a while, though, we get to see sprouts sooner than expected, and the Valley development of this past year has been such a time. I’d sure like to see more of you at a meeting, of course, and hope to see you soon. It is a joy to experience our members, new and old, see how much the Valley has to offer.
