National Masonic Trail

Pierre Verroye, Worshipful Master La France Lodge No. 93

On Saturday June 9, 2007 the D.C. Grand Lodge in cooperation with the American VolksSports Association (AVA) and the Shrine Clowns conducted the first ever National Masonic Trail Walk. The event drew participants from the local Masonic community and some Masonic participants coming from as far away as Indiana, Florida, and New Jersey to join in the historic event. The 7 mile / 12km course began and ended at Almas Temple Shrine Center, downtown Washington, D.C. Volksmarchers began queuing up for registration at 7am for an 8am start time. Between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. over 150 registered walkers took to the course. Some of the more serious AVA members walked the course both ways.

All walkers were treated to great June weather. The National Masonic Trail (NMT) course was approved by the US Park service and the DC government and featured some of the most prominent edifices in our city. The four check points included The White House, The U.S. Capitol, the Jefferson and the Lincoln Memorials. The course took walkers past a statue of Benjamin Franklin, printer, inventor and a Past Grand Master of Pennsylvania. Walking past the Mall, walkers viewed one of the greatest collections of American historic treasures, the Smithsonian Institute, named for John Smithson, a Mason. Smithson, a successful British chemist contributed $500,000 in gold sovereigns to a country he never visited but admired.

All of these structures contain Masonic influence and their history was explained by Masonic lecturers. Our presenters included Masonic brothers dressed as Ben Franklin, two Uncle Sams, Shrine Divan members, and a Masonic line officer. In addition, each check point was hosted by a Shrine Mason Clown making balloon sculptures for the children. Shrine Clowns drew the attention of thousands of tourist visiting our city, including some of the 60,000 Girl Scouts in town celebrating their 95th anniversary.

Tour buses sporting a Masonic logo provided transportation to attendees, who could not walk the course or wanted to attend the Masonic wreath laying ceremony at the memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. The 3:00 p.m. ceremony was attended by the Grand Master and other dignitaries honoring the nine signers who were Masons. The little known memorial features an inscribed stone for each of the 56 men who risked their lives by signing the landmark document. Each Masonic stone was adorned with a NMT logo on a sash.

Back at Almas, the Shrine Clowns were hosting the Klownfest featuring bratwurst, sauerkraut, beer, and clown juice. All participants who completed the course received the National Masonic Trail pin designed by our brother Roman Volsky, PM. Volksmarchers were also able to purchase Masonic gear and the special patch featuring a Shrine Clown holding a child in braces, symbolizing the founding goal of their hospitals to treat children with polio. The Shrine of North America’s philanthropy is their 22 children hospitals which have helped over 700,000 children since 1921. The Shrine funds these medical and research facilities at the cost of over $2 million a day. Shrine hospitals treat all children up to the age of 18 for spinal injuries, spine related birth defects, and burns. www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals

I would like to thank our Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Robert Heyat for allowing me to share his vision and serve on the Community Outreach Committee, and Right Worshipful Brother Akram Elias, our Deputy Grand Master for his wisdom and guidance in putting the walk together; and finally Mr. Tim Miner, of the American VolksSports Association Club for his

tireless energy and making everything happen as it was planned.

In the coming weeks, we will begin our planning process for next year’s NMT walk. I invite you to join us to bring awareness to our Craft. Visit our web site designed and skillfully maintained by our Grand Marshal, Worshipful Brother Jim Feezell: www.masonictrail.org .