ORDMA Meeting Cancelled
The Orange-Rockland District Masonic Association (ORDMA) will NOT meet this month. The date and location of the September meeting will be announced shortly here and on the ORDMA web site (www.ordma.org) shortly.

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iDC Deadline Extended
The deadline for applications for the Individual Development Course (iDC) has been extended until August 25th. The local site this year will be Wappingers Lodge in nearby Wappingers Falls and the Site Coordinator is our own Grand Director of Ceremonies, R:.W:. David Blasch. The class, which costs $149, will meet on the third Saturday of the month from September through February and will include short home study elements so that we can deliver the same great material in fewer days and shorter sessions.

The course covers an array of individual skills necessary to become a more effective leader in your home, workplace, church, community, and Lodge. These skills include identifying core values, goal setting, time management, public speaking, effective writing, listening, dealing with difficult people, team building, running a meeting, coaching and mentoring, project management, data analysis, using surveys effectively, and developing a plan for personal growth. All of these lessons are integrated into a process for developing influence and effecting change in the attitude or behavior of a target group.

Do these sound like skills your Lodge can benefit from? More importantly, are they skills that YOU will benefit from and employ in your home, workplace, little league team, or fire department? If so, contact the DDGM immediately and he will get you started in applying for this important course. It will change your life!

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New Issue of NY NETNEWS
The August issue of the new NEW YORK MASONS NETNEWS is available now! You can view it by accessing the Grand Lodge web site (www.nymasons.org) or directly by clicking here. Be sure to look for the article on our recent fundraising efforts as well as news about Grand Lodge Apron Presentations, committee reports, and events around our great jurisdiction. As always, your comments and submissions for the September issue are welcome (and due by September 5th!). To submit an article for inclusion, please contact Steve Koch, Editor of the NETNEWS at nynetnews@gmail.com.

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225th Anniversary Activities
Five of our Lodges are deep in the planning stages for their Interfaith Services and Breakfasts. Hoffman and Port Jervis Lodges are working together on a program that will be held on the afternoon of Saturday September 9th, and Hudson River and Jerusalem Temple Lodges are working together to present a program, as is Naurashank Lodge, on the morning of Sunday September 10th. If your Lodge is not participating, please join us in celebrating our Grand Lodge's 225th Anniversary at one of these programs.

The other major 225th Anniversary event that each Lodge has been asked to participate in is holding an In-Lodge Rededication program at one of its meetings in September. Please be sure to ask your officers when that will be so that you can attend. Better yet, think about a Brother that you haven't seen in Lodge for awhile and call him up, offer him a ride, help him to see the importance of rededicating ourselves to the purposes of Freemasonry. It should be a very special evening!

All of the information to run these two programs, including the actual scripts, attendance forms, bookplates, and press release templates are available for download by clicking here. We hope to see you at these programs!

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District Apron Presentations
The new District Deputy Grand Master and Grand Director of Ceremonies, our two Assistant Grand Lecturers, and new Grand Representatives will be honored at a District Apron Presentation which will be held on Sunday October 1st at the Walden Fire House in Walden, NY. The Grand Master and many members of the elected and appointed Grand Line will be present for the festivities which includes a luncheon beginning at noon. The price is $15 per person, with children under twelve invited to attend for free.

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Masters and Wardens Meeting
The Masters and Wardens will meet at (air conditioned!) Jerusalem Temple Lodge on Monday September 11th at 7:00 p.m., and we look forward to hearing reports about the 225th Anniversary Interfaith Services and Breakfasts being held around the district on September 10th. The meeting will be held prior to the School of Instruction which will convene at 8:00 p.m. The trestleboard for the School will be a brief program on Balloting, DDGM Visits, and Basic Lodge Protocol followed by a social hour with cards and refreshments. We hope to see everyone there!

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Masonic Family Day at Tappan
You and your families are cordially invited to join our Grand Master and his Line on Sunday September 17th at noon as we celebrate Masonic Family Day at Tappan. Held on the awe inspiring grounds of the DeWint House at the George Washington National Historic Site, this day will have activities for the whole family to enjoy. Tour the grounds which can only be called a Masonic arboretum, visit the home used by George Washington as his headquarters several times during the Revolutionary War, and talk with costumed re enactors. Bring your kids to learn Colonial crafts and play Colonial games, and watch a puppet show. Instead of a expensive formal brunch, we'll be serving hamburgers and hotdog's at family-friendly prices. Help is needed by Brothers from the District but we're only asking for a few hours to help with set up and to man the grills. If you can help out, please contact the DDGM or come to the next ORDMA meeting if you can. We'd love to see you there!

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Masonic Family Day at West Point
Join us again on Saturday September 30th for Masonic Family Day at West Point with all new activities at very old prices! We've kept the price of the day down to last year's price while providing even more fun for you and your families! Last year's price of $31 per person now includes not only your ticket to the football game of Army vs. Rice, but also seating under a huge tent with tables and chairs right alongside the scenic Hudson River. Family members who do not wish to attend the game can enjoy the day at this scenic location with crafts and activities for the kids for $10. Parking passes are $5 and you are urged to carpool as spots are limited. Coffee and pastries in the morning and watermelon and cold drinks throughout the day are included in the basic pricing, and a chicken barbecue with all the fixings is available for $7.50, or being your own picnic lunch to enjoy down by the river. For more information, click here.

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Athelstane Lodge and the MDA
Once again, Athelstane Lodge will be assisting with the annual Labor Day Telethon in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. They have some positions open to answer phones (live on TV!) during their shift which starts at 8:40 a.m. on Monday September 4th.

To help get the ball rolling, literally, the Lodge will be holding a Bowl-a-Thon to raise funds for the MDA on August 27th and September 3rd at 1:00 p.m. on both days. The entry fee of $12 covers three games of bowling and shoe rentals at Pearl River Lanes, which is next door to the Pr earl River Masonic Temple. You can download a sponsor form by clicking here. We hope you will join the Brothers in raising funds and offering your time to support this very worthy cause!

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The 50th Empire State Mason Cruise
The 50th Empire State Mason Cruise will be held from January 28th to February 11th, 2007. Join our Grand Line and Masons from around the state for fourteen days from Valparaiso, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina on board Celebrity Cruise's MS Infinity. Unusual shore excursions are available for this special cruise including a pre-cruise package in Santiago, a post-cruise package in Buenos Aires, and an Antarctica Flyover from Punta Arenas. There are a wide variety of accommodations available including full suites, outside mini-suites with balconies, outside and inside cabins. Prices start at $2,100 per person and does not include air, insurance, or port taxes.

Brochures are available from the DDGM or you can e-mail Cruise Enterprises Inc. for more information or call them toll free at (888) 727-8922.

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Orange-Rockland Child ID Training
It is regrettable that our Community Service chairman, Wor. Wayne Flavin, was the only Brother from the District who was able to attend the training on the new Child ID system last weekend. With the new system now in place, it is imperative that every Lodge participating in the Child ID program have a team trained in the use of the new computer-based system. To facilitate this, a training session will be held on the morning of Saturday October 28th at the Cornwall Masonic Temple in Mountainville, NY at 10:00 a.m. All Lodges are encouraged to send a team to the training, and some other local service and law enforcement organizations have been invited to join us for this training.

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Brotherhood Fund Meeting
R:.W:. Robert Stack, Chairman of the Masonic Brotherhood Fund, and members of his team will be at Hoffman Lodge in Middletown, NY on Saturday November 4th to train local Lodge and District chairmen in the procedures necessary to organize and run a successful Brotherhood Fund campaign. Coffee will be served at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m., and is expected to run about two hours. It is important that every Lodge be represented by its Brotherhood Fund Chairman or another designee at this meeting.

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2006 DDGM Visits
The District Deputy Grand Master, RW Joe Leo, and the Masters and Wardens met on Monday June 12th and set the schedule for his Official Visits. To view the schedule, please click here.

Athelstane Lodge MDA Bowl-a-Thon	Sunday August 27th at1:00 p.m.	contact
ORDMA Meeting - Location TBA	Monday August 28th at 7:30 p.m.*	contact
Athelstane Lodge MDA Bowl-a-Thon	Sunday September 3rd at 1:00 pm	contact
General Montgomery Day Parade (Wallkill Lodge)	Saturday September 9th 10:00 am	contact
Hoffman-Port Jervis Joint Interfaith Service and Breakfast	Saturday September 9th	contact
Hudson River-Jerusalem Temple Joint Interfaith Service	Sunday September 10th	contact
Naurashank Lodge Joint Interfaith Service	Sunday September 10th	contact
Masters and Wardens Planning Meeting (Mountainville)	Monday September 11th at 7:00 pm	contact
District School of Instruction (Mountainville)	Monday September 11th at 8:00 pm	contact
Hudson River Lodge Annual Pig Roast	Saturday September 16th 12:00 pm	info | contact
Walden Day Parade (Wallkill Lodge)	Saturday September 16th 10:00 am	contact
Masonic Family Day at Tappan	Sunday September 17th*	contact
Port Jervis Lodge Master Mason Degree	Friday September 22nd*	contact
DDGM Visit to Hudson River Lodge	Wednesday September 27, 2006*	contact
Connecticut FC Degree Exemplification (West Point Lodge)	Friday September 29th at 7:30 pm	contact
Masonic Family Day at West Point	Saturday September 30th	contact
District Leaders Apron Presentations	Sunday October 1st at 12:00 pm*	contact
Wallkill Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree	Wednesday October 4, 2006	contact
DDGM Visit to West Point Lodge	Thursday October 5, 2006*	contact
Masters and Wardens Planning Meeting (Mountainville)	Monday October 9th at 7:00 pm	contact
District School of Instruction (Mountainville)	Monday October 9th at 8:00 pm	contact
DDGM Visit to Cornerstone Lodge	Wednesday October 11, 2006*	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Entered Apprentice Degree	Saturday October 14, 2006 9am	contact
DDGM Visit to Athelstane Lodge	Tuesday October 17, 2006*	contact
DDGM Visit to Warwick Lodge	Tuesday October 24, 2006*	contact
DDGM Visit to Port Jervis Lodge	Friday October 27, 2006*	contact
Child ID Training	Saturday October 28th 10:00 am	contact
Wallkill Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Wednesday November 1, 2006	contact
DDGM Visit to Stony Point-Wawayanda Lodge	Wednesday November 1, 2006*	contact
Brotherhood Fund Training Meeting	Saturday November 4, 2006	contact
DDGM Visit to Goshen Lodge	Monday November 6, 2006*	contact
DDGM Visit to Naurashank Lodge	Friday November 10, 2006*	contact
Jerusalem Temple Lodge Fellowcraft Degree	Saturday November 11, 2006 9am	contact
Grand Master's Ball - Long Island	Saturday November 11, 2006*	info
Masters and Wardens Planning Meeting (Mountainville)	Monday November 13th at 7:00 pm	contact
District School of Instruction (Mountainville)	Monday November 13th at 8:00 pm	contact
DDGM Visit to Wallkill Lodge	Wednesday November 15, 2006*	contact
DDGM Visit to Hoffman Lodge	Tuesday November 21, 2006*	contact
Wallkill Lodge Master Mason Degree	Wednesday December 6, 2006	contact
DDGM Visit to Jerusalem Temple Lodge	Saturday December 9, 2006	contact
ORDMA Family Holiday Party	Saturday December 30, 2006	contact
ORDMA Dinner Dance	Saturday March 17th, 2007	contact
* Denotes a dinner will precede or follow the meeting or event. Please check with the contact for details.

The Orange-Rockland School of Masonic Instruction will convene on the second Monday of each month, at locations around the District. Instruction will rotate on a monthly basis between Ritual, Grand Lodge educational programs, and seminars on topics like Leadership and Communication.

Our next School will be held on Monday September 11th at Jerusalem Temple Lodge at 8:00 p.m. The work on the trestleboard will be Balloting, DDGM Visits, and Basic Lodge Protocol followed by a social hour with cards and refreshments. A brief Masters and Wardens meeting will precede the School at 7:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact the DDGM. We'll see you there!

Master Mason Degree Assistance Needed
Port Jervis Lodge requires assistance with a Master Mason Degree on Friday September 22nd. Speaking and non-speaking roles in the Drama are required. The degree will begin at 8:00 p.m. with dinner preceding it at 6:30 p.m. If you can assist, please contact Wor. Joe Ryder.

Masonic Family Days are Coming
Masonic Family Day at Tappan will be held on Sunday September 17th and Masonic Family Day at West Point will be held on Saturday September 30th. Both of these events, sponsored by our Grand Lodge, will take place in the Orange-Rockland District and we are looking for volunteers to help with them. Both afford opportunities to socialize with your Brethren, and to introduce family and friends to the Craft. If you can help with either, please contact the DDGM.

Wallkill Lodge invites the Brethren of our District to join them in marching in the General Montgomery Day Parade in Montgomery, NY on September 9, 2006, and the Walden Day Parade in Walden, NY on September 16, 2006. For more information, please contact the Master, Wor. Robert Schroeder.

Leadership Quiz

Try This Quiz To See How You Rate As a Leader

Have you got what it takes to get to the top? Do you have the management skills employers are looking for? Or do your talents lie in being a team player rather than a leader? Take our quiz to find out.

1. How Important Is Status To You?
a) Very important: I like to feel like I'm in the top echelon.
b) Quite important: It's good to be in with the in-crowd.
c) It's more about the quality of relationships than where you fall within those relationships.
d) Not very important: I just want to get on.

2. In Your Childhood What Was Your 'Gang Rank'?
a) The leader: feared by all.
b) The funny one: adored by all.
c) The thinking one: listened to by all.
d) The geeky one: noticed by none.

3. At The Office Do You Come Up With New Ideas And Suggestions?
a) All the time: I really let everyone know what I think.
b) Quite often: but not at all if it would mean upsetting someone.
c) Often: being careful of any personal and political issues.
d) Rarely: what if it was the wrong thing?

4. A Colleague Has Been Criticised For Shoddy Report Writing. Do You?
a) Tell them why they should have known better.
b) Take them out for a drink after work.
c) Offer to proof read their next effort.
d) Avoid them. You've got too much to do as it is.

5. You Have Just Faced Some Negative Feedback. How Do You Respond?
a) Get angry and defensive.
b) Listen carefully but come away feeling disappointed.
c) Consider what you could change and how you could improve.
d) Sigh and think, "yeah that's me".

6. Mentoring is?
a) Nothing: it's a wishy washy management fad that hopefully will soon go out of fashion.
b) The real trick to moving ahead.
c) It's a way to build relationships.
d) Good for me.

7. Faced With a Problem To Solve, What Do You Do?
a) Come up with one solution and pronounce it correct.
b) Generate a few possible solutions and ask others what they think.
c) Brainstorm with a couple of nearby colleagues.
d) Seek your manager's advice.

8. Your Boss Has Asked You To Do Something That Is Beyond Your Abilities. Do You?
a) Take it on with gusto: you're up to anything.
b) Give it your best shot: making a passing joke not to blame you if it all goes horribly wrong.
c) Agree to do the task: but ask for further direction and assistance.
d) Stress out, clam up and finally confess that you just don't think you could manage it.

9. Is Delegation...
a) A waste of time: no one else will be able to do it as well as you so you might as well do it yourself.
b) An easy way to share the workload.
c) An effective way to create new learning opportunities for others.
d) Something I'm always on the receiving end of.

10 Change To You Means...
a) Something to be controlled.
b) An opportunity where anything could happen.
c) A chance to make progress.
d) Something to go along with.

Scroll Down for explanation...

So, how did you score?

Mostly A's
You're a natural born leader just waiting for the right job to come along. You're strong, decisive, and authoritarian. Everyone around you respects you. At least that's what you'd like to think. In reality, the situation may be rather different. At best your arrogant, bullish, autocratic approach is seen as old fashioned. At worse, it's ridiculed by peers and management alike. You would be wise to be less punitive to those who do not see the world as you do, and open up more to the talents of those around you.

Mostly B's
You've got good potential. You support people. You listen to others. You are lateral. You take the initiative. All this bodes well for your future. But only if you overcome what could become a fatal career flaw - wanting to be liked. There is nothing wrong with seeking out the approval of others.

But you do this to such an extent that you want to be everyone's best friend. So, when difficult and direct words are needed you can end up just being nice instead. Try, instead, to learn to confront potential conflicts with sensitivity and honesty. People will respect you more for it.

Mostly C's
Management, here you come. If you want to move up the ranks you've probably got the ability to make that climb. You're creative, assertive and empathetic. You easily draw groups together and enjoy heading them up. Most promising though is the importance you give to bringing on the abilities of others. You have high expectations of them, higher possibly than they have of themselves. And you seem prepared to do what you can to help them realise their own potential. Out of all management skills, this is the one modern companies seek out most. Be mindful, however, not to let more superficially forceful characters conquer your position.

Mostly D's
You're smart enough to have figured out by now that your place is more likely to be in, rather than at the head of, the team. You prefer to listen to ideas, not voice them. You prefer to implement decisions rather than make them. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The world of work would not be sustainable if everyone led and no one followed. You're a solid, reliable, loyal team player. But be cautious, that in your acquiescence to others, you don't become sycophantic. At times, be prepared to do things your own way.

Don't forget, registration for the Individual Development Course is still open. Contact the DDGM today!