Milford's Charles Buck Jr. Honored With Masons Highest Post

Milford has a rather small quiet lodge on the town green aptly named Ansantawae after the Indian who sold the land. That lodge has a legacy going back over 150 years, and just yesterday one of its beloved leaders Charles A. Buck Jr. was bestowed with Masonry's highest honor.

Buck is this years Grand Master, a post that few masons will even attempt to seek because it brings a commitment to the bretheren that requires lots of free time and great sacrifice. The hours are long, the committments great and there is little to no compensation for all the work that must be achieved.

Some masons stand in line for as long as 20 years to get this post, and only those who exemplify a true love and commitment to Masons and Masonry will ever achieve the post.

Yeterday evening, in Farmington Connecticut, the annual meeting of all Connecticut lodges took place at the Marriott hotel. In attendence were the leaders of almost every lodge in the state of Connecticut, and Masonic leaders from all over New England and as far as Canada. Every chapter of Masonry was also represented from the historic Knights Templar, to the Shriners who are always remembered for their little cars and fancy hats during parades.

The event was marked with a tearful departure of last years leader and was soon ushered in with Charles Buck who was blessed with the support of thirty people from his home lodge in Milford. Bucks family was there to proudly witness his installation and his wife who was ill, was watching electronically with an internet video stream so that she too also take part in her husbands grand honor.

Charlie Buck was enthusiastic about his new post, and his lodge whom were very proud of his accomplishments, took to the stage at the conclusion of the event and all began singing to the amusement of every one there.

The people of Milford ought to be proud of the achievement of one of its own citizens, I and all the members of my lodge Daytime 144, wish him the best of luck in the coming years and sincerely hope he will continue in the great work of helping others, especially children and the elderly.

There will be several public events where one could meet Mr. Buck at Ashlar of Newtown, in Newtown Ct. those events are published at the State website for Masonry http://www.ctfreemasons.net/

Should anyone be interested in joining the Charitable Masonic organization, the process is simple. Find a mason and ask him to join.

Help Protect Your Child Milford Masons Hosts CHIP Event

The CTCHIP program is a comprehensive child identification tool designed to give families a measure of protection against the ever increasing problem of missing children.The Connecticut Freemasons are bringing this fine program to communities throughout Connecticut at no cost to the families.

The Connecticut Freemasons Foundation working with other partnering organizations/agencies have upgraded CTCHIP equipment technology from VHS recording tapes to digital recording on mini-DVD-RAM discs as part of our ongoing commitment to children and families.This program will continue to be brought free of charge to every Connecticut family who wish to participate. This upgrade allows the re-packaging of the identifying items generated at CTCHIP Events into a smaller easy-to-carry and take-on-vacation "PURPLE PACK".

The Purple Pack includes a DVD Ram disk which has a video of your child and a still photo, your child's fingerprints, a dental impression and a dental swab.

To date the program has held over 350 CTCHIP events and has provided the parents of more than 40,000 children with identification packets. It is our sincerest hope that no family will need the resources provided in our packets, but if the need should arise, we believe the information contained in our "Purple Pack" will be instrumental to law enforcement agencies in recovery of missing children.

The Connecticut Freemasons schedule and bring this fine program to communities throughout Connecticut.

CTCHIP is a part of the National Masonichip network (www.masonichip.org) sponsored by the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America. All identifying items generated at CTCHIP Events are placed in a "purple pack" and given to the parent or guardian to take home for safe keeping.

If their child becomes missing, the pack can then be provided to law enforcement to aid in recovery and identification. The Connecticut Freemasons keep nothing but the permission form signed by the parent prior to participation in the event.

The Event will be held at Calf Meadow School from 2:00 - 4:00.

The Mystery of Masonry In Milford

Downtown Milford has a Mason Lodge, aptly named Ansantawae lodge. The lodge is celebrating 150 years of its proud heritage in our community. Most people pass by the lodge see the covered windows, the sharp dressed masons sometimes in tuxedos and wonder the secrets contained within.

Masons by virtue of their office are given a strict obligation not to divulge any of the secrets of their craft. Ansantawae has nearly 500 members and this does not include the Shriners Lodge on Wheelers Farms Rd. of which has several hundred more.

Masonry, like many other charitable venues, has been a victim of the economy and changing demographics. Many of today's Masons, and Shriners are not so young anymore. But their work is enjoyed by many needy families world wide.

Some of the great accomplishments of Masonry is the Shriners Children's Hospital, and Ashler Village in Newtown. Masons have always adopted a creed of helping Children and the Elderly. They have invested Millions statewide and built a world class infrastructure to provide free services to the young and the old.

The temple is now open to the Public, and the secrets contained within are ready to be divulged. With many of the WWII veteran generation retiring or passing on en-masse the doors are open to a new generation and members are eagerly soliceted.

The work of Masonry is of vital importance to our community, our local charities and your support is welcome. However, not everyone can become a mason, by lodge decree a three person committee must approve new members and only if they asked a Mason to join. Masonry is also a Fraternity and excludes women from being members, or participating in lodge meetings, however a venue does exist for women who wish to partake in the the traditions of Masonry.

To become a mason, please contact me by way of a private non-published comment on this blog.

Milford's Foran High School Holds Bone Marrow Drive

Last Saturday the High Schoolers from Foran High School held a bone marrow drive at the Ansantawae Mason Lodge located on the town green. Paul Wydra who was an organizer and key volunteer at the event said the turnout was a success with nearly one hundred people making a personal donation of their DNA.

When asked if anyone from any elected position showed their support, he said that Independent Candidate Rocco Frank was the only high profile attendee. Frank said that he was "very proud of the charitable work of this event," citing the importance of this as monumental and significant to ailing people everywhere.

Frank also said "that his first cousin Anthony Caruso, now deceased, could have lived and been with us today if more people were available for marrow DNA matches." Frank said that "a donor match was eventually found in Germany, but unfortunately the match was not close enough."

Frank also said that you "never realize how important programs like this are until our loved ones are in need. I would consider my DNA match as the best day of my life, knowing that the 30 minutes I gave of myself today saved someones life and spared a family of grief and loss, I only pray that God bestowes me with such an honor."

The process of obtaining DNA was completely painless, it involved completing a basic questionnaire, and inserting four cotton swabs in the donors mouth. The swabs contain saliva that a laboratory will later extract for the purpose of constructing a DNA profile to be entered into a database that later could be used by those with illnesses requiring life saving Marrow.

Our many thanks to all those who participated in this program, and cared to help make a difference in the lives of others.

SCHIP Comes To Jonathan Law

SCHIP or the State Child Identification Program was recently held at the Jonathan Law High School last week. This program hosted by the Milford Ansantawae Freemasons, was a popular program brought to CT by Former Grand Master Walter Kaechele in 2002. Since then nearly 40,000 kids have been run through the program.

The scope and purpose of the program is to aid in the prevention and apprehension of felons who kidnap children. According to the schip website nearly 100 children are abducted and murdered each year. This program collects vital information that parents hold, and can provide to law enforcement in the unfortunate event their child goes missing.

The Schip kit, includes a DNA sample, a video of your child on CD, fingerprints, and suggestions on how to keep your child safe. This program does not support or endorse the placing of a microchip in your child, nor does it violate the privacy of your child's personal information. This program has won the approval and support of Governor Rell who called it a "wonderful program" when she was the guest speaker at the statewide Connecticut meeting of the Freemasons.

Thus far the program has been a mutual success to the public safety, community security, Masons, and Masonry alike. For a full list of upcoming scheduled events visit the state of CT website www.ctchip.org.