Kyle Wahlquist's blog

I write you this month from my last month in the East. It has been a great year, and I would like to thank all of my officers for serving with me, in rebuilding the foundations of Hillcrest, as well as laying ground for potential growth. We have a lot in our future, and a lot going on this month.

Our past masters night, had an impact on us all. This allowed our younger and more active members of the lodge, to gain a reflection, and a thorough understanding of what Hillcrest is, what it has been, and what it stands for future generations. With that being said, I believe we all have a more in depth understanding of our history, which can lead us into a well guided future.

I am looking forward to this month's stated meeting. This year we have discussed at length where Hillcrest Lodge is, how we are changing, and where we envision going. This month we will be looking to the past, to be reminded of where we have come from, and how we became the lodge that we are today. April's stated meeting will be dedicated to the Past Masters of Hillcrest.

This month has undergone some last minute rewrites to our agenda, so please excuse the brevity. I am pleased to announce that we will have a presentation by our Past Master Steve Gooch. The subject will be "The History or Texas Freemasons and Public Education." As Steve is a professor of history at Richland College, Secretary down at the Scottish Rite Temple, and an avid Masonic researcher, among other things, this should be a presentation that you will not want to miss.

This Month we will be receiving our District Deputy Grand Master, Gilbert T. Swift Jr. In addition to our DDGM visit, we will have our first formal presentation from our newly appointed finance committee. The committee members who have volunteered are Ken Knotts, Harry Wood, Jake Golvach, and Mage Harris. This committee will be serving the remainder of my year, and will analyze our expenses, evaluate investment options for our savings, and will accordingly make recommendations to the lodge.

For a usually "dark" Masonic month, December was incredibly busy for Hillcrest. First and foremost, I would like to announce that Hillcrest has awarded the Golden Trowel to our dear Brother, George Matuskey. I congratulate George on his passion for the craft, which has earned him this honor. He has been a diehard Mason for Hillcrest and is involved with many other lodges in the Dallas area. We have always had good fellowship with George, and can always count on him to lend a helping hand whenever it is needed. We will be planning his award ceremony with him, and it is looking like it will take place in February. We will keep you all informed, as to the specifics, when they are finalized.

I hope this letter finds you all well. This month will be a busy one for Hillcrest Lodge. Grand Lodge is the first Thursday through Saturday of this month. I will be in attendance, along with several of our other officers and brethren. If you are able to make it down, we look forward to seeing you there.