Maine Masonry Today

Two Grand Masters

 The Bangor Masonic Center is finding many avenues for uses and for community service in its new location at the former Bangor Theological Seminary Center.

On February 20th the dining area in the former Wellman Commons was made available to North Star Lodge No. 22, F. & A.M. of Bangor, under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Massachusetts.  The occasion marked the lodge's celebration of Black History month with a potluck supper which was attended by some 70 people including ten members of the Grand Lodge of Maine and their wives.

A year ago this past December, Wor Scott Boyington, Master of Benevolent Lodge 87 in Carmel, Maine instituted a community charitable program called “Bikes for Books”.   This unique idea was embraced by the Brothers and all thought that this would be a great program to get behind.  As the initial planning took place, it was decided that we would have the following 3 area elementary schools participate; Etna - Dixmont Elementary, Carmel Elementary and Levant Elementary.   It was to be open to grades K through 5.  It was our intent to have a minimum of 3 bicycles and 3 helmets available per school. .  

This program would work by promoting an interest in reading by offering bicycles as an incentive.  It was purely voluntary and would work through teacher cooperation by placing a student name into a “drawing bucket” per school as a chance to win one of the bikes.  The student would read a grade appropriate book and have a chance to be awarded a bicycle.  The students would receive one chance per book.  We set a start date of March 1 and an end date of May 15 for the students to read books.