Our last gathering was at the same parking lot on June 10th, the second Weds of the month. We had so much fun at our “Unmeeting” that we decided to do it again! People stayed in the car or pulled out a chair for these events and they stayed 6 feet away!!!
April updates: Well, we have the Worthy Matron’s theme. No date of when we can get back together yet. Online updates will be posted as soon as possible.
The month of March was the last meeting for Lindy Bretsen as Worthy Matron.
In January, our chapter held the meeting at our new home William Renton Masonic Lodge#29 on Bainbridge Island. Mary Ann Confar was announced as the Grand Representative to South Dakota!!! Our members were dressed in sparkles for the New Year.
December 11th was our time to join in the festivities of Christmas.
Lindy handed out envelopes with numbers written on the back. Members and visitors brought wrapped ornaments. When your number was called you were given that ornament. Nobody picked their own number!!! We had a fun time.
November the Heartsong Grand Family musically appeared! We had a fun celebration to honor the Grand Family. WGM Pamela Lee and WGP Charlie Tewalt greeted our WM Lindy Bretsen and WP Charles Yankosky i n grand fashion.
Get Ready for October!
Our Worthy Matron Lindy Bretsen announced that our meeting in October will be for showing off our Halloween Costumes at the Warren G Harding Masonic Lodge in Poulsbo. Later in the month, on Sunday, Oct. 20th our chapter is hosting a Murder Mystery dinner at the William Renton Masonic Lodge on Bainbridge Island. Family and friends are invited.
If you know of teenagers looking for fun activities, refer them over to the Job’s Daughters #20 group in Bremerton. Contact Heathere C. for more information.
September is Here
We have had our first meeting after the summer break. We also had chapter instruction with Mary Ellen Hailey’s first educational event as a Noteworthy Deputy Instructor! On September 25th we will be having our next initiation.
Scholarships that are available:
Job’s Daughters International recently held their Miss Washington Job’s Daughters Pageant and awarded $2,500.00 in scholarships. OES Grand Chapter and JDI Grand Session, both held at the end of June gave out additional funds for students. The Royal Order of Amaranth visited the JDI youth organization and handed out scholarships for students with a masonic relationship. DeMolay recently handed out scholarships in 17 different states. Please contact Heathere C. for more information. Some of the scholarships listed on our website do not require masonic relationship.
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Lindy and Charles are the new Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron as of March 16th!
We will have fun with the farmyard theme and pink roses. She chose Coffee Oasis and Make a Wish Foundation as her charities. We will continue to sew for Shriners Hospitals for Children. More to come in the following weeks.
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Last year was finished with Irish Laces and the Job’s Daughters visiting
Our February meeting was all about the laces of Ireland. Irish laces were a saving grace to the starving women and children in the mid 1800’s during the potato famine. After visiting nuns and dignitaries returned from Rome, Italy when visiting the Pope they brought home to Ireland pieces of Venetian lace. The women then reversed engineered the hand sewn items and created their own laces in a similar fashion. The women and children in work houses were taught to make these laces and were paid for their work. Most Irish needle laces are started with either 1) a flat piece of white fabric and then embroidered. or 2) a machine netting piece with embroidery on top of the netting.
Some beautiful examples are Carrickmacross, Kenmare, Limerick, and Youghal.
OES and Masonic Scholarships
Recently finish your FAFSA? There are several scholarships available in the local area. Please contact each of the coordinators for application forms.
William Renton Masonic Lodge #29 Academic Scholarship, Bainbridge Island, WA. Contact: Bill Biscomb, Student does NOT need to be affiliated with the masonic family.
Reliance Chapter OES #70 has a scholarship that was established in the name of PGM Florence Waggoner, from Bremerton, WA. Student needs to be related somehow to the Masonic Fraternal Community and be a current resident in any one of the Kitsap/Mason/Peninsula Districts Contact: Chuck Compton
EASTRL Eastern Star Training for Religious Leadership, Contact: PGM Linda Runyan. PGM Gloria Schwartz is our local area. Student who is seeking ministry as their life’s mission.
Alexandra Schencking Memorial Nursing Scholarship through Grand Chapter of Washington OES. Chris Bippes, Chairman, Magnolia Chapter. Must be full-time nursing student and have completed at least 1/2 of their course of study to apply.
OES Grand Chapter of Washington Scholarship, Contact: Denice Tewalt, Chairman. Student must be full-time undergraduate, a resident of the state of Washington AND one of the following: 1) member of OES in WA; 2) member of the Masonic Lodge of WA; 3) child or relative of an OES or Mason who has membership in WA; 4) member of a Masonic affiliated youth group in WA.
Esther Chapter OES #19 Scholarship, Port Angeles, WA. Current Chap Sec Virginia Elliott
These are the scholarships that I am aware of in this area. WM Heathere Cericola
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On December 12th we had our TRIVIA night and Holiday Party. Members names were written in ancient Irish Ogham language and calligraphy.
November we had a Shepherd’s Pie Bake Off!!! Prizes were handed out to several people who brought in their version of the yummy Irish food. We talked about other common favorites on the Irish table, such as: Boxty, Nettle Soup, Bangers & Mash, and Champ.
October brought Traditional Irish Music Night! A brief story of the edict against the harpists and their instrument from 1650 until 1660 was described. When the edict was revoked, the Irish then took the symbol of the beloved harp and used it for a national symbol. Jane Landstra and Ken Embrey from Country Capers visited our chapter and played Irish music. Jane spoke about the Irish culture a little bit. The songs were so enjoyed they were requested to play an encore. Music is an important aspect of Irish life. Even during the dispora of the Irish people, their music went with them. The Irish jig is so well known it was a major influence on American music and dance. You can see Country Capers perform at Tizley’s restaurant above Sluy’s bakery in Poulsbo. http://www.countrycapers.net
Our September meeting we went over some of the more commonly used symbols of Ireland. Each officer read a blurb about the symbol on their card. The symbols are listed further down on this page. Please read through our fun page here, because at our December meeting we will have a TRIVIA night of OES questions and Irish items! Check back here to study up.
The Blarney stone is located in the southern region of County Cork. If you kiss the blarney stone, you will be gifted with an ability to speak eloquently.
April was Irish Poetry Reading night. Poems were read from the famous Irish poets: William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, & Eilean ni Chuillenain. One of our WM’s favorite quotes about poetry “I can’t think of a case where poems changed the world, but what they do is they change people’s understanding of what’s going on in the world.” -- Seamus Heaney
In May we discussed Irish Sports. The top 3 sports in Ireland are: Soccer, Hurling, and Horse Racing -- Lots of Running! Comparitively, the top 3 sports in the US are Football, baseball, basketball -- heavy on the arms. Soccer is called football in Ireland or just Gaelic for GAA, the Gaelic Athletic Association. Many of the thoroughbreds here in the US are descendants of Irish sport horses. Hurling is a lot like field hockey or a combination of lacrosse and rugby
We shared yellow roses and the legend of the Claddagh ring. Claddagh rings are from the small fishing village of Claddagh right near Galway on the western side of Ireland. The hands are for friendship, the heart is for love, and the crown is loyalty. Let love and friendship reign! The WM told the story of Richard Joyce on friendship night in June and the WP told the story of Margaret of the Bridges. If the heart is worn facing you, the signficance is that you are indicating your heart is taken, If you wear the heart showing outward, then you are open to a possible relationship. Find out more by visiting http://www.claddaghlegend.com
Irish dancing is very well known. The step dancing in large groups that you see choreographed is not the original style, but it is was spread world wide during the potato famine of the mid 1800’s. Sean-nos (old style) dancing is a more traditional style of dance. This is when an individual will show an improvisational, unique interpretation of the music. The Seattle Irish Dance Company visited our chapter on March 17th. See their website: http://www.seattleirishdancers.com
Waterford crystal is from the SE portion of Ireland in the town of Waterford of the region of Munster. They have created beautiful crystal there since 1783. The company did have a brief time of economic hardship and went dormant until 1947 when it was revived after WWI. The factory is still producing some of the most well known and luxurious crystal available today. Shop at http://www.waterfordcrystal.com
In County Antrim of Northern Ireland you can find the “Giant’s Causeway.” These strange looking rocks are a geological wonder. You must see to believe.
Symbols frequently used in Ireland County Clare is home to many ancient ruins. Symbols are carved into the stone ruins as a way to teach people who could not read at the time. Antique relics are lent to people who are sick and at home. These antique items are known to help someone get over their illness. These were not necessarily in the order presented at our meeting:
Tree of Life--the branches reach for heaven, the roots are grounded to earth. Trees are thought to communicate with the spirit world.
Triskelion -- symbolize the 3 stages of life: maiden,/mother/wise woman
Irish Cross -- also called the sun cross, used to teach the pagans about Christianity
Awen -- the three rays represent harmony, the left ray is for male, the right ray is for female and the middle ray is for balance between the two
Harp -- symbol of the nation and immortality of the soul.
St. Brigid’s Cross -- wards off hunger, fire, and evil. you will see these in many homes.
Shamrock -- used by St. Patrick to teach the trinity of father, son, and Holy ghost
Square(dara) -- stands forfamily and protection, also represents the 4 seasons, 4 directions, 4 stages of learning -- literal, experiental, progressive, abstract
Celtic Knot -- connecting and reconnecting
Green Man -- rebirth & humans connection with nature. the natural world is to be respected.
Spiral -- the flow of nature.
We have a wonderful map of Ireland in our ode book for 2018-2019.
