MASTER

To Jan Miller and all of the office staff for all that you do to support our Great Fraternity and to all those who run our charities your efforts are most appreciated.

To my Deputy Grand Master Mike Jackson and all of the Grand Lodge Officers for their support and assistance. Then to Gary Fisher who has served as my Administrative Assistant for the past two years and then to MWPGM John Louden who gave me my first Grand Lodge appointment as DDGM of the 5th Southern District, MWPGM Noel Dicks who appointed me as the Southern Area Deputy Grand Master and MWPGM Richard Swaney who appointed me as the Jr. Grand Deacon, but these men were only the tip of the iceberg because without the support and help from so many of you I would not have made it. For all the Grand Master’s I served and for all of the Grand Lodge Officers who lifted me up and inspired me I say thank you. But my real heroes are you the everyday Masons, the guys who give of yourself freely to manage our lodges, to do our degree work and to serve our communities, you are Masonry. By your example, each new generation of Masons are inspired to rise to the needs of our fellow Masons and of our communities. To all of you that serve on our committees, without your assistance we could not operate.

As we move out of pandemic mode, we will all need to remember why we went to lodge and why we should return to lodge. This is a Fraternity based on fellowship, a hand shake, a pat on the back and genuine concern for our fellow man. Only through personal contact do we achieve the fraternalism that makes us what we are.

Again, I thank you all,

Steve

Stephen F. Oakley Grand Master Grand Lodge of Illinois