“SMILE A WHILE”
Grand Chapter of Louisiana
Order of the Eastern Star
Diane Smith
Terrie C. Castay, PGM
Worthy Grand Matron Grand
Secretary
P O Box 99
3211
Hyman Place
Mt. Hermon, LA 70450
New Orleans, LA 70131-7037
January 2008 - Newsletter
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Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Here’s
hoping that everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a
healthy and prosperous Happy New Year!
The
month of December was filled with many chapter Installations of which Brother
Roy and I have had the opportunity to assist with, which we have thoroughly
enjoyed and have appreciated the invites to participate. We wish all chapters and the new board of
officers throughout the State a wonderful year ahead of them.
I
was honored to have the pleasure of bringing the Response on behalf of the
Distinguished Guests at the Arkansas Grand Chapter held in Little Rock. Brother Roy and I were extremely happy and
excited to have 25 Louisiana members who also attended. It was great to see all of you there!
The months ahead of us now will be preparing for our Grand Chapter Session. It’s also near completion of closing the books for the year and I hope that our chapters, large or small, have made their contributions to the various charities selected this year. We still have some of our Personal Achievement Award “Clown Mobile Pins” left. Therefore, please see your secretary to purchase one if you haven’t already done so. Brother Roy and I hope to see all our Louisiana members wearing their Clown Mobile Pins at Grand Chapter – we will be looking! Please remember that the sale of these pins is for the transportation fund for the children. We are a charitable organization and that’s the news we have been trying to spread all year. Our “Community Service Project” which has been spread all over Louisiana through our OES Clown Patrol Unit has been remarkable and very much appreciated by all. A special thanks to our “Clowns” and all the hard working chapters and members for the beautiful newspaper articles.
I
know that everyone will be extremely busy working on their various committees
and I appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm in accomplishing all that is
required. Looking forward to working
with you!
Star Love & Miles of Smiles,
Diane Smith,
Worthy Grand Matron
Grand Representative Appointment:
DATES TO REMEMBER:
January 19 – Visionquest – Central Section – Natchitoches
Chapter No. 13, 110 Masonic Dr., Natchitoches
1-4 PM (Follow Highway 21 or Highway 6 into Natchitoches to Keyser
Ave., Go East on Keyser Ave. about 1 ½
miles to Masonic Dr. Take left, Temple
is on right. Ground floor.
January 22 – Courtesy Visit, Rising Star No. 21, 6:30 PM, Port
Allen
February 1-2 – Masonic Grand Lodge, Bossier City Civic Center
February 16 – Visionquest – Southern Section – Fairfield Lodge,
Baton Rouge, 1-4 PM (From Florida Blvd. (East on Airline) turn
left onto Monterrey Blvd. and proceed on Monterrey across Railroad tracks for 1
block. Landmark is City Nat’l.
Bank. Turn right onto Mammoth. Continue on Mammoth to Mammoth Circle
(end). Lodge is located on Mammoth
Circle. From Greenwell Springs Road
turn right onto Monterrey and proceed to Mammoth Dr. (last street before
railroad tracks) and turn left onto Mammoth.
Follow directions above. Ground
floor.
February 23 – Ladies, get
ready to dress up in RED or WHITE for our "Let Me Call You
Sweetheart" Banquet for our General
Grand Chapter Honorees on February
23, 2008 at the Best Western, Alexandria – 6:00 PM. Gents, can wear
red or white vests or cummerbunds with their tux if they choose. Lynn
Bankston, PGM, Chairman, 2895 McHugh Road, Zachary 70791. Price: $26.00 – Please send SASE.
March 1- Fish Fry & Auction – Community Center, 26356 Hwy
15, Ferriday – 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM
March 29 – April 2 – Louisiana Grand Chapter, Riverfront Center, Alexandria
APPRECIATION
Dear Sisters and Brothers
The WGM has given me permission to use this means to tell you how much I appreciate the many cards and phone calls I received while I was recuperating from surgery. I have one knee down and one more to go and I can only say that all of your prayers were what helped make the healing such a success. I am still in therapy, but am doing quite well and look forward to seeing all of you at Grand Chapter. Thank you for your love. It really kept me and James going. Lois Premeaux, PM, Alice #5
MILES OF SMILES PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD – Bonnie Johnston, PM, State
Chairman
District Chairmen should send a list of the chapter’s total
amount of money for pins sold to me at
9210 Bellegrove Place, River Ridge, LA 70123 by
January 31, 2008.
Secretaries should send a list of names to me
(not individual forms) of those members who earned the Achievement Certificate
only (part 2) by January 31, 2008. You may also send a list of those who
received the Clown Mobile Pin to confirm that I have issued the pins. All
monies for the Clown Mobile should be sent in to the Grand Secretary.
We still have some pins for anyone that would like
to purchase them. Send the forms to me and the money to the Grand
Secretary. Reports
may be sent to me via email: bjohnston15@ cox.net.
Thanks to
all who have participated in this project to raise money for Shriner’s
Transportation and to the District Chairman and Secretaries for their tremendous
support. Fraternally, Bonnie Johnston, State Chairman
INFORMATION FOR GRAND CHAPTER
We will need assisting Grand Warders, Grand Sentinels and also members to participate in our Grand Choir. If you are willing, able and interested in helping, please contact the following:
For Assisting Grand Warders
call: Brother Joe Cox, Grand Warder at
(225) 658-1776. For Assisting Grand
Sentinels call: Brother Al Frazier,
Grand Sentinel at (318) 797-8612. For
our Grand Choir call: Sister Rovenia
McDonald at (318) 949-1798.
Your help, assistance and
participation is greatly appreciated.
Diane Smith, WGM
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
July
18 and 19, 2008 – Eight State Exchange Visit – “Rolling on the Red”, Shreveport
Convention Center and Hilton Hotel, Shreveport. More information will follow.
August
8 – 10, 2008 – Pilgrimage to the International Peace Garden Chapel situated on
the international border between Manitoba, Canada and North Dakota. If you
would like a copy of the proposed schedule and registration form, contact the
Grand Secretary.
With
reference to the “Membership Contest” this year, I am asking that you
please advise me directly as to the number of “new members” that have
been brought in by your members (those signing the top line of the petition),
and also their “initiation date”.
This information is required by March 1st. Many thanks for your assistance. Diane Smith, Worthy Grand Matron. Home: (985) 877-4259 or Cell: (985) 515-2770
ROSTER CHANGES:
Page 39 – Mystic Star #108 –
Secretary Sue Howes – Email – sueshowes@cox.net
Page 48 – Rachel Jackson #241
– Judith Costanza, PM, WM – 70330 Seventh St., Covington 70433
NOTE:
If you have received a copy of
this newsletter and are not the current Worthy Matron or Secretary, please pass
this copy along to the proper officer.
FROM THE DESK OF THE GRAND SECRETARY:
Secretaries
–The ANNUAL RETURNS have been mailed. If you have not received your copy,
please let me know
as soon as possible.
When issuing dues receipts be sure to note the proper titles (WM, WP,
AM, AP, PM, PP).
Secretaries
please remember – it is ESTARL not
Estral!
Also,
please remember to send the names and addresses of the first five elected
and installed chapter officers including your phone number and email
address (if applicable) to the Associate Grand Matron, Grand Secretary, Grand
Conductress and the Chairman of the Committee on Credentials.
Reminder -
2008 Per Capita - $3.00
GGC Assessment - $1.00
$4.00
Fraternally,
Terrie
C. Castay, PGM
Grand
Secretary