March 2007
MADISON LODGE RECEIVES MARK TWAIN AWARD
FOR INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF FREEMASONRY
Contact: Richard Fletcher, Executive Secretary, Masonic Information Center
301-588-4010, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Silver Spring, MD, DATE, 2007 – Madison Lodge #93, Madison, NJ has been awarded the Masonic Information Center’s prestigious Mark Twain Masonic Awareness Award in recognition for its exemplary work in constructing a positive Masonic identity within the lodge and throughout the local community.
Lodges nationwide participated in the 2006 Twain Award competition as part of the growing network of lodges that are working together brother by brother, lodge by lodge to achieve the goals expressed in the report, It’s About Time; Moving Masonry into the 21st Century. The network includes a dedicated Website, listserv, blog, and teamboard.
“The Mark Twain Award celebrates a new enthusiasm among Masonic lodges to reclaim our prominent place within our communities,” says Richard E. Fletcher, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Information Center, “Members of Madison Lodge are to be applauded for raising their own personal standards of performance and for reaching out into the Madison community to broaden and strengthen the identity of Freemasons. Their activities and energy demonstrate a new commitment to self-improvement and education that is sweeping through lodges across the country.”
“The ‘It’s About Time! Moving Masonry into the 21st Century’ report is a hard hitting reality check for the fraternity,” says Robert J. Giudice, presiding officer of Madison Lodge. “It is Freemasonry’s version of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. Since receiving the report we’ve placed a strong emphasis on generating energy and visibility in the community.”
“As we demonstrate the relevance of Masonic values to ourselves and our community, we just naturally create a positive environment for personal growth, “says Fletcher. “It’s an exciting time for us.”
Most historians believe Freemasonry arose from stonemasons’ guilds in the Middle Ages and began to flourish in the 1700’s in Europe and the American Colonies. Many of our nation’s founders were Masons including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere. They helped spread the ideals of the Enlightenment such as the dignity of the individual and public education. Today North America’s Masonic Fraternity provides fellowship for over 1.5 million members. Masons are known throughout their communities for their work with schools, hospitals and speech and language clinics.
Find out more by visiting the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSANA)