My Brothers,

Finally, spring may really be here. We have actually had some very nice and warm days and evenings. Also, tax season is now over. That is except for the many extensions I have to finish before October 19, 2011.

I just realized that my year as your Master is almost half over. Where has the time gone? There is so much I wanted to accomplish this year and so much left to do. It seems that our programs and refreshments have met with the approval of the brothers that attend our Communications on a regular basis. “However, it is disappointing to your officers that the average attendance so far is so small in numbers. My Brothers, we miss you and welcome your attendance in future months.” Those words express my sentiments but were actually written by WB Warren J. Hayden, Master of Moriah Lodge No. 15, Brooklyn, CT, in his Trestleboard Article of April 1971. So, it seems, history repeats itself over and over and Brothers, for whatever reason you still do not attend the Lodge’s Stated Communications or events. I hope that many of you will attend Lodge soon and support your Officers and your Lodge. Both need you very much.

On April 30, we sponsored a very successful CTCHIP event at the Hamden Earth Day. We registered about 80 youth. A big thanks to W.B. David Stern for organizing and running this event.

Also, on the evening of April 30 we had our first Easter / Passover Lodge at Table. We had Brothers from Cosmopolitan, Day Spring and Orange Lodges, their ladies, children and a few guests in attendance (a total of about 56 people). All that attended had a great time.

The Fellow Craft Degree that was to have taken place during the May 4 Stated Communication was postponed to May 18 so that some of our Brothers could attend a Torah rededication. Again, our JW Jason Morse will be in the East for the Degree on May 18. Please come and support him. Our District Deputy R.W. Charles H. Tirrell and our AGM W.B. Wayne G. Bailey, Sr. will attend the Degree.

The May 4 communication was a short business meeting with a Masonic Education piece given by our AGM. We then retired to the bowels of the institution and had a cook out. The Brothers that were in attendance, including our District Deputy R.W. Charles H. Tirrell and our AGM W.B. Wayne G. Bailey, Sr. partook of some wonderful steak and hot dogs, with all the trimmings. We also had a delicious three-layer birthday cake for the May birthdays. The cake was made by none other than Caroline Morse our JW’s wife assisted by daughters Evelyn and Eloise.

On May 21 we are sponsoring a CTCHIP event at the Cub Scout Famoree in Orange, CT. Please contact W.B. David Stern and Brother Jonathan Glassman to sign up to help. We also need someone with a vehicle with a hitch to tow the CTCHIP equipment trailer to the venue and return it to where it came from.

The last Communication on June 15 before the break will be a joint communication at 7:30 PM with Day Spring Lodge No. 30, located at 3732 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Connecticut 06518. The meeting will be a summer dress / Hawaiian shirt night with cookout to follow the meeting. The cost, which is being under written by Day Spring Lodge, will be $5.00 per brother.

The Lodge’s Community Service Committee food drive for New Haven’s food bank is continuing. I sincerely hope you all will donate preferably a non-perishable food item or $1.00 or $2.00 in lieu of a food item every time you come to lodge. I would appreciate those of you that do contribute to the food drive, to donate a non-perishable food item.

We are going to try to schedule a picnic / cook out during the month of July. So keep a look out for further information about this event. Also, be on the look out for information about the Fellowcraft Club’s annual picnic scheduled for August 7, 2011.

Keeping you all up to date on the progress we are making to become a Charter Organization for a BSA Cub Scout Pack. Representatives from the Connecticut Yankee Council Lighthouse District and the new Cub Pack’s Cub Master, Cosmopolitan Lodge’s Junior Deacon Brother Eliazib Rivera met with the Principal and staff at the New Haven Hooker Elementary School on 4 May. They also met with some boys in the third and fourth grades about becoming Cub Scouts. Several boys expressed interest and we hope they will complete their applications to become Cub Scouts in the new Pack. When we get five boys to register, the Lodge will be able to register as a Charter Organization and be issued a Charter from the Connecticut Yankee Council BSA.

At the September 7, 2011 Communication, the Lodge will discuss and vote on the lodge assessment for the 2012 Lodge year. I hope many of you will attend this communication to help set the assessment amount.

I hope every Brother and their families have a wonderful and relaxing summer. I do hope to see many of you at our summer events and again in September and beyond when our Stated Communications resume after the summer break.

Again, please come to Lodge. The more of you that attend will make our lodge strong, vibrant; allow us to support the good community work we have planned and to meet in the spirit of good fellowship, service to our community and fraternity.

Fraternally,

Steven J. Elzholz

Worshipful Master