As you may know, I've been running a trap shoot tournament for the last nine years, which benefits our local Masters & Wardens Association scholarship fund. This year we raised over $1,300 from the event. While I'm well known for the trap-shoot, I began to get calls from other Brothers who owned handguns for a pistol competition. At a Masters & Wardens meeting held earlier this year, I asked what the general interest was for such a competition, Frankly, I was surprised by the overwhelming response to the idea.
Consequently, I contacted the current sitting master of Sutherland Lodge No. 174 (my old lodge) who I knew was actively involved with a local gun club. He and his officers are all very active in the club and the idea of forming a Masonic pistol competition appealed to them greatly and they readily volunteered to help out.
We scheduled the first competition for Halloween, October 31st, from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Frankly, we didn't know what to expect in terms of registration but we were fortunate to get approximately 30 Masons, friends, and family register for the event.
The competition went off as planned this past Saturday and everybody had a great time. In the process, we collected $411 for the Association's Scholarship Fund, which was given to the Association President who attended the shoot.
For more information on the shoot, click HERE.
CONCLUSION
Years ago, the Association's main fund-raising event was a fish dinner which we held at the Masonic Home in St. Petersburg. This was a lot of work; tents and tables had to be erected, deep-friers brought in; and a lot of cooking, presenting, and cleanup was required. It was an all-day affair that was rather tiresome. After all the work we did, our profits totalled no more than $400. This is why I suggested we start trap shoots, golf tournaments, and now the pistol shoots; they are relatively easy to organize, and brings in a lot more money. Heck, we even have fun doing it.
So, what's wrong with this picture? Nothing actually. However, the older Brothers were initially skeptical of such fund raisers as they had done fish fries, pancake breakfasts, and spaghetti dinners for years. Their resistance to these new fund raising venues eventually broke down as they grew in acceptance (and started to make some good money). The point is, every once and a while you have to break with tradition and try something new. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it just plain flops. Nonetheless, we would make little progress if we didn't at least try to do something different.
Consequently, I contacted the current sitting master of Sutherland Lodge No. 174 (my old lodge) who I knew was actively involved with a local gun club. He and his officers are all very active in the club and the idea of forming a Masonic pistol competition appealed to them greatly and they readily volunteered to help out.
We scheduled the first competition for Halloween, October 31st, from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Frankly, we didn't know what to expect in terms of registration but we were fortunate to get approximately 30 Masons, friends, and family register for the event.
The competition went off as planned this past Saturday and everybody had a great time. In the process, we collected $411 for the Association's Scholarship Fund, which was given to the Association President who attended the shoot.
For more information on the shoot, click HERE.
CONCLUSION
Years ago, the Association's main fund-raising event was a fish dinner which we held at the Masonic Home in St. Petersburg. This was a lot of work; tents and tables had to be erected, deep-friers brought in; and a lot of cooking, presenting, and cleanup was required. It was an all-day affair that was rather tiresome. After all the work we did, our profits totalled no more than $400. This is why I suggested we start trap shoots, golf tournaments, and now the pistol shoots; they are relatively easy to organize, and brings in a lot more money. Heck, we even have fun doing it.
So, what's wrong with this picture? Nothing actually. However, the older Brothers were initially skeptical of such fund raisers as they had done fish fries, pancake breakfasts, and spaghetti dinners for years. Their resistance to these new fund raising venues eventually broke down as they grew in acceptance (and started to make some good money). The point is, every once and a while you have to break with tradition and try something new. Sometimes it works well, and sometimes it just plain flops. Nonetheless, we would make little progress if we didn't at least try to do something different.
Stay tuned!
Until next time.
All the Best,
Tim Bryce, PM, MPS, MMBBFMN
timb001@phmainstreet.com
Dunedin Lodge No. 192 F.& A.M.
http:/www.dunedin192.org/
Dunedin, FL, USA
"For the Good of the Order"
