A Salute to Service

Staff Report

This was a reprise of a similar event originated in 1997 by Most Worshipful Robert F. Drechsler during his term as Grand Master, organized to recognize and express appreciation to those Masons who, through their years of devotion and dedication to their respective Lodges or to the Grand Lodge, have rendered outstanding service to Masonry in this jurisdiction and elsewhere.

It should come as no surprise, of course, that virtually all of these award recipients continue to give generously of their time and talents to their Lodges and to the Craft, and an evening such as the one at Almas Shrine Center was designed to say “thank you” for the countless hours of

Dean S. Clatterbuck, Secretary of Potomac Lodge No. 5 and Thomas Jackson, retired by these recipients.

Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, both recipients of the Valentine

Reintzel Medal, are greeted by Junior Grand Warden Akram Elias and Grand Secretary WB Roy P. Beyer, PM and Secretary of Mansour Hatefi. Arminius Lodge No. 25 and his Vienna

Most Worshipful Leonard Proden, having designated Strings musicians, provided outstanding Friday, September 23, 2005 as A Salute to Service music before and during the dinner. At the conclusion of Day, was pleased to host a banquet at the Almas Shrine the meal, the Grand Master offered his remarks and appreCenter honoring the living recipients of the several Grand ciation for all that those assembled have done, are now Lodge awards. Approximately 80 awardees, Grand Lodge doing, and will continue to do to advance freemasonry in officers and guests were in attendance, including several this jurisdiction and elsewhere. The honorees of the Valentine Reintzel Medal recipients from outside of this evening were then introduced according to the award they jurisdiction. had received.

dedicated service that had been rendered

First to be recognized were the holders of the Grand Lodge Distinguished Service Award, the highest award presented to a Mason in this jurisdiction. Recipients of this award are selected by vote of the Grand Lodge and only one medal per year is awarded. There are currently eleven living holders of this award and nine of them were present for the banquet. Reverend Brother David A. Balcom,

Grand Chaplain, and the 2004 recipient of the

Distinguished Service Award, responded on behalf of all DSA holders.

Music for the occasion was provided by Roy P. Beyer and his Vienna Strings. Those enjoying the pre-dinner reception included Dean S. Clatterbuck, listening intently to his wife and other ladies at his table. Next, the Grand Master recognized the Fidelity Medal holders. This award was established by the Grand Lodge in 1937 to recognize longevity, loyalty and faithful practice of the precepts of Freemasonry. Each Constituent Lodge possesses a Silver Fidelity Medal that is awarded by vote of the Lodge to one of its members. A Gold Fidelity Medal is awarded by

The Grand Master and the Grand Secretary confer with Brother Luigi Lino, holder of the Fidelity Medal for Italia Lodge No. 2001.

vote of the Grand Lodge to a single member of the Grand Lodge.

Recipients retain their Fidelity Medals during their lifetime or until they move permanently from the metropolitan area, but the medals remain the property of the Grand Lodge. WB Carl R. LeVine, recipient of the Gold Fidelity Medal was in attendance, together with holders of the Silver Fidelity Medal hailing from fourteen Constituent Lodges.

Four men who were elected this year by their Lodges to receive the Silver Fidelity Medal were specially recognized at this dinner: WB Dean S. Clatterbuck, Potomac Lodge No. 5; Bro. Gabriel Zambrana, Albert Pike Lodge No. 33;

The Reverend David A. Balcom, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in 2004, responds for the other holders of that award. WB Asadur Tufekci, Nur Lodge No. 2000; and WB Unal Bener, Azerbaijan Lodge No. 2002.

WB Charles C. Weaver, 1992 recipient of the Silver Fidelity Medal in Anacostia Lodge No. 21 responded for the Silver Fidelity Medal holders. WB Carl R. LeVine, 2005 recipient of the Gold Fidelity Medal, responded as the holder of that award.

The Medal of Freedom was established by our Grand Lodge earlier this year and is awarded by vote of the Grand Lodge to an individual in recognition of outstanding contributions to the furtherance of freedom for mankind in our cities, states, or nation. While not restricted to Masons, the first recipient of this award, the Honorable C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a United States Congressman, is a Mason and a member of Mt. Moriah Lodge 116 in Towson, Maryland. In his absence due to schedule conflicts, RWB Akram R. Elias, JGW, offered a response in his behalf.

Eugene H. (Dutch) Albert, Past Master of Anacostia Lodge No. 21, responds for the holders of the Silver Fidelity Medal.

The Valentine Reintzel Medal is awarded at the discretion of the Grand Master to not more than three Masons annually, one of who may be from a sister jurisdiction. The basis for the award is service to the fraternity and devotion, loyalty and zeal toward the Craft and his brother Masons. Two of the recipients from other jurisdictions, MWB Bennie Owens, the 2001 Grand Master of Maryland and RWB Thomas W. Jackson, now Past Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, represented the ten Masons from other jurisdictions who have received this award. WB Harold Grainger, a 1988 recipient, responded on behalf of these awardees.