Mount Hiram Lodge No. 595 installs newest officers

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press 

It looked a little different this year, but Mount Hiram Lodge No. 595 installed new officers who will serve from July 2020 until July 2021.

The lodge’s newest Worshipful Master is Darrell McDonald, Senior Warden is James Johnsen, Junior Warden is Ken Sinker, Treasurer is Robert Lautenschlager, Secretary is Robert Walker, Chaplain is James Cooney, Senior Deacon is Mark Spangler, Junior Deacon is Robbie Dixon, Senior Steward is Bill Kohl, Junior Steward is Joe Huckestein, Marshall is Steve Click, Master of Ceremonies is Jason Moore, and Tiler is Charles McIntosh.

Saturday morning at 10 a.m., members of Mount Hiram Lodge No. 595 met to officially install their newest officers, though some were unable to make it. The installation was a bit different than usual with all members wearing masks and adhering to social distancing standards. 

“The way masonry works is some are elected, like Worshipful Master, and then, at the end of the year, they go back to being just like any other mason,” said Senior Deacon Mark Spangler. “It’s a very humbling experience.”

The position of Worshipful Master includes leading and guiding the lodge for the year that they are in office.

“We had a good year until COVID hit,” said outgoing Worshipful Master James Hamilton. “And when it hit, we adapted, made adjustments, and finished, through committee work, the rest of the milestones we had committed to meet except for the Fantastic Teeth Program…it was out of our hands. We have the materials, but we could not distribute them.”

The Fantastic Teeth Fan Club Program which provides dental kits and education for first graders, was cancelled for this year, lodge members still plan to make up for it. They plan to gift the kits to the now 2nd graders at the start of the year and gift the 1st graders as usual at the usual time to get the program back on track.

Other programs sponsored by lodge members which were completed last year and plan to continue this year include the Mirabeau B. Lamar Scholarship and Award, helping clean up the highway, and more.

Darrell McDonald called his own appointment to Worshipful Master a humbling experience. He said that he’s feeling excited and energized, adding that he’s got a great group of officers alongside him. He knows that this year will have challenges, but he feels like he and his fellow officers will be able to overcome any adversity. McDonald said that one of his first priorities will be taking care of his older brethren saying that he hopes to be able to visit with them at least once a month.

“This year’s gonna be a tough one, but our lodge is strong. Our lodge is known throughout Texas for our ability to handle business, and I don’t see that changing at all,” said Darrell McDonald, the recently installed Worshipful Master. “God has put me here and by His blessings He will lead, guide, and direct me and we shall have success.”