Page 24 - April May 2024 MFM.indd

JEFFERSON LODGE No 33

CELEBRATION & FESTIVE BOARD

‡ ›‡ƒ” ƒ‰‘ǡ ‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡ ‘Ǥ ͛͛ ƒ† ‹•™‘”–Š That visit began the numerous messages and calls between
Lodge No. 201 consolidated under the name and number of Montana and Oregon. On September 30 and October 1, 2023,
‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡ ‘ ͛͛Ǥ ‡ Šƒ† ƒ ”‡“—‹”‡‡– –‘ Ƥ † ‡™ ”‹• ƒŠ†”‹ Š ƒ† Š‹• ™‹ˆ‡ǡ ƒ–ǡ ƪ‡™ –‘ ‡Ž‡ƒǡ Ž‘ƒ†‡†
furniture for the Lodge because some of the old furniture the furniture into a U-Haul truck with the help of Helena
was thought to belong to another body. ‘†‰‡ ‘ ͛ „”‘–Š‡”•ǡ ƒ† †‡Ž‹˜‡”‡† –Š‡ ƒ”‰‘ –‘ ‡ơ ‡”•‘Ǥ
‡ ƒ••—”‡† –Šƒ– –Š‡ ‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡ „”‘–Š‡”• ƒ”‡ ‡š–”‡‡Ž›
In September of 2023, MWB Tom Valente, a Montana PGM ‰”ƒ–‡ˆ—Ž ˆ‘” –Š‡ ‰‹ˆ–Ǩ
who had moved to Oregon 13 years ago, RWB Jason T.
ƒ„Ž‡ǡ ‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡ •‡ ”‡–ƒ”› ƒ† ‹•–”‹ – ‡’—–› ‘ˆ ‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡ Šƒ• ƒ†‘’–‡† ƒ –”ƒ†‹–‹‘ ˆ”‘ ‹•™‘”–Š
the Grand Master for District 10, and their wives traveled Lodge of hosting an annual British-style Festive Board. This
to Montana to visit Masonic sites and events. They visited formal dinner is similar to a Montana Table Lodge, which
RWB Daniel L. Gardiner, the Grand Secretary of Montana, includes a ceremony and several ceremonial toasts. On
who is a long-time friend of the Valente’s and the curator of February 27, 2024, the Lodge held the Festive Board, which
the Montana Grand Lodge Museum in Helena. While on the MWGM Craig A. Sipp and numerous Oregon Grand Lodge
tour, RWB Gardiner showed them a complete set of Lodge ƥ ‡”• ƒ––‡†‡†Ǥ —” ‰—‡•– •’‡ƒ‡” ™ƒ• ƒ‹ƒŽ Ǥ
furniture that once belonged to Yellowstone Lodge No. 26. Gardiner, who gave the history of the furniture now occupying
‡ơ‡”•‘ ‘†‰‡Ǥ • –Š‡ ”‹–‹•Š ™‘—Ž† •ƒ›ǡ Dzƒ Œ‘ŽŽ› –‹‡ ™ƒ•
Yellowstone Lodge had received a Dispensation to open ‡Œ‘›‡† „› ƒŽŽǨdz
as Miles City Lodge U.D. in 1881 and was chartered as
Yellowstone Lodge No. 26 in Miles City on October 4, 1882. Š‡ ’‹ –—”‡ „‡Ž‘™ ‹• ƒ‹‡Ž ƒ”†‹‡” –ƒ‹‰ ƒ •‡ŽƤ ‡ ™‹–Š
Unfortunately, the Lodge charter was revoked on June 23, all Festive Board attendees in the background.
2023. The lodge furniture is believed to have been purchased
circa 1920.
by Thomas E. Valente, PGM

At Festive Board: L to R: WB Kris Fahndrich (who drove the Newly acquired Lodge furniture.
ˆ—”‹–—”‡ ˆ”‘ ‡Ž‡ƒ –‘ ‡ơ ‡”•‘Ȍǡ ƒ‹‡Ž ƒ”†‹‡”ǡ
and WB Johnny Edwards, Grand Historian, GL of Oregon.