Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America, February 18 to 21, 2012, Atlanta, GA

Very early on February 18, 2012, Saturday, Mae and I boarded a plane to Chicago. We were on our way to attend the 2012 Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America in Atlanta, GA.
Here is a picture of the rising sun a few minutes after our plane took off in Winnipeg.
Our connecting flight was from Chicago to Charlotte, NC, then to Atlanta, GA.






Here is a picture taken as our plane was about to land in Atlanta, GA.

 On Saturday, the Grand Lodge of Georgia, hosted a welcome dinner for the delegates. It was called "Georgia on my Mind" and there were around 500 at the dinner.
In the picture after the meal are seated, L to R: Lady Mae Uson and Lady Cel Lascano; standing, L to R: MWB Chibu Uson, GM, Manitoba; Lady Fe Ligaya; RWB Tony Ligaya, DGM, Hawaii; and MWB Santy Lascano, IPGM, Washington.
It was great to finally meet in person RWB Tony.
With RWB Frank Condello (C), SGW, Hawaii and RWB Al Hadley (R), DGM, Manitoba

Opening of the Conference of Grand Masters by Conference Chairman MWB Stephen J Ponzillo III, Grand Master, Maryland.

In the evening of February 19, Sunday, the delegates from Canada had dinner together. We were joined by  the Senior Officers of Job's Daughters International.
L to R: Kristi Frazier, Supreme Bethel Honored Queen; Brianna Richards, Miss Job's Daughters International; Bobbie Hoglund, Supreme Guardian.
SBHQ Kristi and MJDI Brianna show their main course, a very generous serving of pork shank.

The delegation of Job's Daughters International joined our table at the Canadian delegates dinner.
L to R: Kristi Frazier, Supreme Bethel Honored Queen; Brianna Richards, Miss Job's Daughters International; Bobbie Hoglund, Supreme Guardian; Lady Carol Hadley; RWB Al Hadley, DGM; MWB Ted Jones, Grand Secretary; Lady Shirley Jones; Lady Mae Uson; and WB Randy Hansen, Associate Supreme Guardian.

This is the Alberta delegation table.

Other Canadian delegates: MWB Garry Dowling, GM, GL of Canada in the Province of Ontario; MWB Bill Cave, GM, BC & Yukon; RWB Terry Mclean, Grand Secretary-General, AASR of Canada.; and their Ladies

MWB Allan Cross with the delegates from the Eastern Canada provinces.

Now, it is time for dessert.

Taken at the Starwood Preferred Guest Lounge, L to R: RWB Brian Beermann, DGM, Minnesota; RWB Dave Olson, SGW, Minnesota; and MWB Ted Jones, Grand Secretary, Manitoba

Lady Mae at the Coca Cola Museum

The Grand Secretaries were also holding their Annual Conference at the same time and in the same venue. This is the dinner hosted by the Grand Secretaries. The entertainment was provided by a jazz band, which played beautiful music. There were around 750 people at this dinner.

Lady Carol Hadley is videorecording the jazz band.

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We had the pleasure of having at our table at the Grand Secretaries dinner the Supreme Officers of the Tall Cedars of Lebanon.
L to R: Lady Carol Hadley; MWB Ted Jones, Grand Secretary, Manitoba; Lady Nancy Willard; Harvey Willard, Supreme Tall Cedar; Lady Sue Sheaffer; Barry Sheaffer, Junior Deputy Supreme Tall Cedar; Lady Mae Uson; and RWB Al Hadley, DGM, Manitoba.

One of the Conference highlights for me was the Dad Frank S Land DeMolay Memorial Breakfast hosted by Shriners International. The Guest Speaker was Bro Maxwell C Shoemaker, International Supreme Councilor (ISC), DeMolay International, who became a Freemason right after he turned 18. He was introduced by RWB J Weldon Clampitte, GM of DeMolay International.

The ISC, Bro Mawell C Shoemaker, spoke of the need for Freemasons to continually support DeMolay because the futures of Freemasonry and DeMolay are tightly intertwined. He encouraged all Freemasons to be Mentors of DeMolays, as Dad Frank S. Land was an exemplary Mentor for the millions of young men who learned leadership and other life skills while having fun in DeMolay. It was a very inspiring speech from a very young (21 years old) Freemason.

The Opening and Closing Benedictions were led by the International Congress Secretary (IGS) of DeMolay International, Michael A. Burge, who is also a 21-year old Freemason from West Virginia.

In this picture, the ISC and IGS make presentations to MWB Stephen J Ponzillo III and Imperial Potentate Michael G Severe.

Imperial Potentate Michael G. Severe, who is a Senior DeMolay and who became a Freemason when he turned 21, echoed the words of ISC Maxwell Shoemaker. He also said that he would not be what he is today were it not for DeMolay. It was an excellent acknowledgment of the leadership and life skills young men can learn from DeMolay.

 There were around 500 people at the Breakfast.

Here are the delegates from Job's Daughters International after the Breakfast showing their purple shoes.

In front, Lady Fe Ligaya (L) and Lady Mae Uson (R).
Standing, Lady Cel Lascano.

Waiting for the doors to open for the Grand Masters' Banquet.

L to R: MWB Santy Lascano, IPGM, Washington; RWB Tony Ligaya, DGM, Hawaii; MWB Chibu Uson, GM, Manitoba; and MWB Lon Ksavager, GM, North Dakota.

L to R: RWB Tony Ligaya, DGM, Hawaii and Assistant Rabban, Aloha Shriners; MWB Santy Lascano, IPGM, Washington; and MWB Chibu Uson, GM, Manitoba.

 The Manitoba table at the GM's Banquet.









There were around 550 people at the GM's Banquet.

We missed MWB Fred Kaiser, GM, Michigan and his lovely Lady, Karen, as they had a vehicular accident a week before the Conference.

This picture was taken as our plane was about to land in Winnipeg - Home, Sweet, Home.
We brought back a lot of wonderful memories from the Conference. It is always great to meet old friends and make new ones.