VMMA Official Visit to Pakenham Lodge No. 496
Monday 2nd August 2010
The VMMA was invited to make an official visit to Pakenham Lodge No. 496 on Monday 2nd August 2010 to enlighten the brethren with a brief history of the VMMA since it inception some 8 years ago along with recent community based activities including the up coming "Breathless" 8 Day Ride and a Cystic Fibrosis awareness presentation.
This particular evening was cold, windy and wet but this did not deter the following VMMA members Chris, Bob, Grumpy, Dave, Keith and Dennis from leaving the comfort of home for this important visit.
It must be noted that the Pakenham Masonic Centre is very well presented in both the lodge room and in the south.
Pakenham Masonic Centre Lodge Room.
There was a very good turn out of visitors from a good number of lodges which added to the evenings atmosphere both in the lodge room and the south.
We entered the lodge room in the 2nd degree after the P.M.'s and received a very warm welcome from the W.M. as we were presented to him, work for the evening was the obligation of the M.E. who is a M.M.
After the lodge was closed down to the 1st degree the W.M. invited Chris to commence the VMMA presentation that started with the foresight of Roy Trimble some 8 years ago who placed a notice in the Vic Mason inviting brethren with motorcycles to rally together at East Melbourne to raise fund from the Freemasons Hospital, headlines from that 1st gathering was that they came in the hundreds and left thousands.
There were a great number of visitors to Pakenham Lodge. L to R: Grumpy and Bob.
Dennis arrived just as the rain started to come down.
It was the success of that 1st gathering of motorcycling brethren that inspired a committee to be formed that eventually established the Victorian Masonic Motorcycle Association Inc.
The presentation explained that the VMMA was not a lodge, but in fact operates on the principles of a lodge in the way we conduct our business, our mode of dress was explained and that the VMMA has attracted both unaffiliated brethren and non freemasons into the craft.
Eventually Chris finished off his part of the presentation with an "Awareness" of some fundamental facts about Cystic Fibrosis along with real life experiences of VMMA members with Kaiser a twice double lung transplant recipient.
It was also announced that Freemasons Victoria Board Of Benevolence has given support to the up coming major joint venture between the VMMA and Cystic Fibrosis Victoria "Breathless" 8 Day Ride to raise the awareness and much need funds for CFV by pledging a donation of dollar for dollar up to $25,000, outstanding.
The Pakenham Lodge D.C. Barry Dyce assisted Bob with promoting the sale of VMMA merchandise in the south.
Chris then invited VMMA Vice President David Cash to the floor to speak in some detail about the up coming "Breathless" 8 Day Ride, David spoke about what we had learnt from the ride 18 months ago in that we need to get the general community involved in this event hence all the fundraising and CF awareness evenings will be held in commercial venues, David concluded his presentation with a very passionate expression of his feelings towards Kaiser and others with CF.
During the 2nd rising Neil Price asked the W.M. if he could speak, apparently Neil is an active member of the Ionic Coaching Service and had never had the opportunity to personally thank the VMMA for their continued financial support of the Ionic Coaching Service. (This was quite a surprise to us, thank you Neil)
Grumpy and Dennis winners of raffle prizes
After the lodge was closed we all retired to the south for a lovely supper and enjoy the friendship of all those present, Barry Dyce the D.C. assisted Bob with selling VMMA merchandise by informing the brethren of each item for purchase over the microphone this assisted Bob to sell $90 of merchandise.
A good number of very funny jokes were told in the south with many being some how directed to Grumpy.
Once again VMMA members managed to win raffle prizes with both Grumpy and Dennis being lucky ones.
This visit like all the others was once again beneficial to both the lodge and VMMA with everyone departing for home knowing they are a great night with like mind people.
Bob is thinking I am lucky tonight I managed to get a lift to lodge in the car as he looks at Keith's ride home.
Dennis and Keith now had to put all the good gear on for their ride home for it was cold and raining whilst Chris had the excuse that he had to pick Bob and Grumpy up so he had to bring the car, ya good one!!!
Reported by CW.
