Projects

Projects and Selected Committees

WGM/WGP SPECIAL PROJECTS:

INTERNATIONAL PEACE GARDEN
We have planned a pilgrimage to the International Peace Garden, August 11-15, 2011. We will be leaving Great Falls by bus on Thursday, August 11, 2011, overnighting in Williston, ND, and arriving at the Skydancer Hotel on Friday. Saturday is dedicated to tours, etc., with dinner at 5:30 and evening musical concert, and vesper service. Sunday we will have worship with lunch, leaving for Williston and overnighting there, arriving back in Montana on Monday. The cost of the bus is $130.00, registration fee of $90.00, and entrance to the park, $10.00. Rooms will be billed separately depending on the type of room you wish. Please contact PGM Betty Lockey for more information and reservations.
COFFEE MUGS
We will be selling O.E.S. coffee mugs to go towards the Masonic Home Program, ESTARL Scholarship Fund, and Electa's Cup Fund. The mugs will sell for $10.00 each. Each Chapter will be given 10 and more are available from the Unit Chairman. All monies are to be sent to Polly Gessele, 110 W. 8th Street, Anaconda, MT 59901.
MUG RUG COASTERS
Mug Rug Coasters will be sold to benefit the youth. they will sell as a set of 4 for $8.00. The money will be divided between the youth groups.

Each Chapter will be given sets of these to sell and more may be ordered from the Unit Chairmen. All monies are to be sent to Paulette Spaulding, 2957 Eastside Hwy, Stevensville, MT 59870.
APPEALS LETTER
The Appeals Letter will be sent to all out-of-state members to derive funds for our various charities. Members will have an option to direct their donations to the charity of their choice. All monies are to be sent to Sandi McIntosh, 2110 Lewis Avenue, Billings, Mt 59102.
RAFFLE
The raffle letter will be sent to all instate members to derive funds for our various charities. Tickets will be $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. Tickets will be mailed to members as well as being able to be sold to the public. Items donated for the raffle include: a homemade oak toy chest/bench made by Lyall Tesch, a large stained glass picture of a mountain sheep made by Roger Sherman, a large oil painting of a fall tree painted by Fran Thomas, and a homemade Star designed throw/quilt. All monies are to be sent to Sandi McIntosh, 2110 Lewis Avenue, Billings, MT 59102.
BASKET RAFFLE FOR YOUTH
This "FOURTH TIMES A CHARM" raffle is to raise a few extra dollars for our Youth. Chapters are again asked to bring one basket or more to Grand Chapter with drawings to be held throughout the session.
TRAVELING DOLPHIN
This project is to promote visiting other Chapters. At least 3 members, one of whom is an officer, will travel to a Chapter within their unit to give away the traveling dolphin. The object is for the traveling dolphin to travel to all the Chapters in the unit. The Chapter last receiving the dolphin will bring it to Grand Chapter.
BEACON OF HOPE TRAVEL POINTS
The travel points are to encourage members to actively visit other Chapters, attend and support their own Chapters, and to encourage working together in the Masonic Family as well as Public Relations by obtaining points. The first level will be a ribbon and succeeding points will earn "beacons". Points and miles can be recorded on a special form for this purpose.

Forms for recording your points earned for various meetings and miles traveled are available on the Montana Grand Chapter web site or from your local Secretary. The forms are available in both Word and PDF (Acrobat Reader) Format.
TESCH/HEDGES EDUCATION FUND
The Tesch/Hedges Education Fund has been established to provide educational loans to deserving students. Donations may be made to this fund. Forms and information may be obtained from Brad Huffman, 7763 US Highway 91 N., Conrad, MT 59425.
LIONS CLUB GLASSES/HEARING AIDS
We are asking the members around the state to send in their unused eyeglasses and/or hearing aids to John Mathis, 1025 17th Ave. S.W., Great Falls, MT 59404. They may also be given to the Worthy Grand Matron on the occasion of her visit.

MWGM/MWGP SPECIAL PROJECTS

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
This is a MWGM and MWGP Special Project. This committee will help each Chapter to speak about all of our Fraternal Order and their strength as they serve each other and humanity. This will promote the membership, the necessity to pay attention to the membership loss and work toward improving our efforts to stop our decline. The committee will be promoting the Rob Morris Membership Jewel. Please have Chapter Secretaries keep track and send in the papers so those getting new members may be rewarded. Our good deeds and good things can also be sent for publication in the Eastern Star Journal. ESTARL is a program already supported by our jurisdiction in a fine manner and efforts toward that should be continued.
CHAPTER RESTORATION COMMITTEE
This is a MWGM and MWGP Special Project directing efforts towards concern for the survival of our Chapters. A booklet titled "Cultivating Grass Roots for Growth" has been sent to each Chapter in hopes there will be ideas to help spark interest in membership and revitalize Chapters. One suggestion is to plan activities that all can attend and afford. Try reading a tip or more at each meeting or try suggested activities.
SERVICE DOGS
This MWGM/MWGP Special Project is to provide awareness and raise funds to purchase dogs to those who need them for survival - seeing eye, assistance, hearing, therapy, Search and Rescue and other jobs trained dogs may do. A cruise is also being planned to support this project.
GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER PINS
There is only one pin being sold by General Grand Chapter by our General Grand Chapter Committee Members. Pins are $10.00 each and $8.00 remains in Montana for the selected charities. See the General Grand Chapter Committee Members to get your pin: PGM Dorothy Brook, PGM Betty Lockey, PGM Susan Lane, and PGP LeRoy J. Hagen.

MASONIC HOME COMMITTEE:
This committee consists of 1) Masonic Home Program Committee; 2) Masonic Home Fund Committee; 3) Grounds Beautification Committee; and 4) Representative to the Masonic Home Board of Trustees.

MASONIC HOME FUND:
The funds collected by this committee are used for the Elder Sister and Brothers, for the Starlight Hours and Grounds Beautification. This budget is around $2,000. Actual costs depend on the number of residents. All donations to the Masonic Home are to be sent to Maripat Hagen, 3650 Decathlon Parkway, #5, Billings, MT. 59102, indicating the area where the donation is to go.
CINDERELLA SHOP:
The operation of the Cinderella Shop is made possible by the funding from Eastern Star. Monies derived from donations and fund raisers will help support the Shop. The guests at the Home appreciate shampoos, haircuts and perms. The budget for the Cinderella Shop is nearly $20,000. Actual costs depend on the number of residents and their use of these services.

FAIRY GODMOTHER'S CLOSET
The former Cinderella Shop changed its name to prevent confusion. This project takes your donated formals and sells them to someone else. The new slogan "Bibbidee-Bobbidee-Boo: Old to Us and New to You" has given lots of fun to this project. Funds derived from the sale of formals goes to support the "Cinderella Beauty Shop" at the Masonic Home. Bring those clean formals, Tux's, suits, beaded tops, skirts, jewelry, shoes and handbags and help put smiles on our Masonic Home Residents' faces with new do's.

AMERICANISM
As we face the involvement in Iran, Iraq and other places in the world we need to support and demonstrate appreciation for the freedom we enjoy and recognize and pay tribute to those serving and having served in the military to help keep our freedoms. Chapters are encouraged to have Americanism Programs and invite the community to also participate. Include youth groups, i.e. Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H, Rainbow Girls, Job's Daughters and DeMolay.

CANCER FUND
This has been an ongoing project of Grand Chapter for many years. Money raised for this goes to Cancer Research or the Cancer Society. Each Chapter is asked to have a fundraising project with the proceeds going to this fund. All donations are to be sent to Carol Schell, 2502 66th St. W., Billings, MT 59106.

CANCELED STAMPS
Proceeds from the sale of canceled stamps that are collected also go into the Cancer Fund (Cancer Research). Please cut the stamps from the envelopes and send them to Carma Sinerius, P.O. Box 98, Virginia City, MT 59755.

ESTARL SCHOLARSHIP
This committee awards the ESTARL Scholarship. It does NOT collect money.

ESTARL FUND
This fund raises money for ESTARL. Donations and memorials from Chapters, plus fund raisers provide money for the scholarships. All donations are to be sent to Ethel Heaney, Box 284, Pablo, MT 59855.

ELECTA'S CUP ENDOWMENT
This committee reviews applications for aid and determines how much money the applicants will receive. It does NOT collect funds.

ELECTA'S CUP FUND
This is the fund raising committee. Money from coffee mugs, mug rug coasters, raffle and appeals letters as well as donations supports this fund. All donations are to be sent to Elarian Nichols, 756 Three Mile Creek Rd., Stevensville, MT 59870.

HEART FUND
The funds donated to this project go to Heart Research. Each Chapter should have a program and fund raiser to educate members on Heart Disease and its prevention. Money from coffee mugs, mug rug coaster, raffle and appeals letters as well as donations supports this fund. All donations are to be sent to Dorie Heimbigner, 213 Poplar Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715.

VOLUNTARY PREPAID LIFE MEMBERSHIP (VPLM)
This program of Grand Chapter is explained in the Statutes, Article XXXV on pages 87-89 of the Blue book. (Word or PDF) Encourage members to purchase a VPLM to help support their Chapter financially long after they move to that "city not made with hands".

PRESS
This committee is responsible for sending the pictures of the WGM and WGP to the Subordinate Chapters along with a general press release. The Chapters are encouraged to publish the press release and pictures in the local paper preceding the Official Visitation. Also publish your Chapter events, activities and service projects in the local paper. This is one way of letting people know that OES exists and is active in the community.

ADDRESS UPDATES
The goal of the committee of one is to keep an updated record of the members and their addresses. It is very important that Secretaries send up-to-date records of membership lists, deaths, new members, name changes, demits and address changes to this committee frequently or as soon as possible. Wrong mailings cost Grand Chapter money. We all need to keep the Chapter Secretaries informed of changes to keep their records of membership up to date. Chapter Secretaries, please send a new, corrected membership list to Sherry McGuire, P.O. Box 515, White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645, as soon after the annual returns are sent to the Grand Secretary, so changes can be made over the summer - then send any changes as they occur (or quarterly) to Sheryl using her e-mail address which will be in the Roster.

CENTRAL SERVICE
This committee of one keeps track of the movement of our members from town to town, and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Chapter Secretaries are asked to notify the Chairman when a member relocates to another community with an Eastern Star Chapter in the community or nearby. The Chairman will then inform the Chapter of the member who has relocated to the area. The Chapter should contact the member with a phone call or visit and encourage and invite them to attend Chapter meetings. Let's keep our members in the loop and in the Family.

TELLERS
This committee has a Chairman and Co-Chairman. It functions on Saturday morning of the Grand Chapter session for balloting and election of officers. Members will receive instructions from the Chairman and Co-Chairman and then proceed to collect and count all ballots cast. The ballot results are reported to the delegation by the Chairman.

VENDORS
The vendors committee arranges for vendors to bring their wares to Grand Chapter. The General Fund is the recipient of a percentage of the vendor's sales. Supporting the vendors helps our Grand Chapter funds.

GRAND HISTORIAN
Our Grand Historian summarizes the Grand Chapter Session for updating our history book.

GRAND LIBRARIAN
The Librarian is a great resource for the Chapters. The Library accepts programs, materials and other information that can be used by Chapters and members. Pep up your meetings with some new program ideas. Members and Chapters are encouraged to send programs for others to use.

COURTESY
The Courtesy Committee has a two-fold job. They extend thanks and appreciation for the courtesies provided at Grand Chapter and also the courtesies extended to visitors to our Chapters, to members in nursing homes or shut-ins and other acts and deeds of kindness in the community.

INSTRUCTORS/ADVISORS
Sometimes questions come up or some help is needed. The Instructors/Advisors Committee is to be there if you have questions or need some help in instruction of ritualistic work. I have added two Masons who I feel are qualified to answer or direct to the right person any Masonic inquiries that may need to be addressed. The Instructors/Advisors are helpers for me if I am not able to be in your area to answer questions. Their experience, knowledge, and information helps greatly.

REQUESTS
If you live in or near a town that does not have a Masonic youth group, please support any youth group in your community (4-H, Boy and Girl Scouts and other group programs). Assist the Masons in their Bikes for Reading, Shoes for Kids and other programs used to encourage our youth to get better grades, have better school attendance and general reading programs. Donation of a book or books to School and Public Libraries is suggested also.

Music Playing: "You'll Never Walk Alone"