On Saturday, December 13, 2008 I had the honor and privilege of watching my younger son, Lucas, join DeMolay. We journied to Elizabethtown, PA for the degrees. I had not been there in over 20 years and boy has the place changed. Patton Campus hosts the Masonic Conference Center and is the headquarters for the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation. The Patton Campus sports a state of the art multimedia center and facilities that would be jealousy of any other youth organization in America.

The class was named in honor of the current Right Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania, “Dad” Stephen Gardner.

The day’s events brought back many wonderful memories as a young DeMolay in the 1980s. I was surprised that I could recall most of the ritual work from memory, including major parts from both the Initiatory and DeMolay Degrees.

Looks like I’m going to be the new ritual advisor for Tenleytown-Chevy Chase Chapter in the District of Columbia. I’m really looking forward to it because ritual was “my thing” in DeMolay. Hopefully, Lucas will enjoy DeMolay and learn the valuable lessons that helped shape me over the years.

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