Spotlight

DeMolay Roots: How Did You Get Involved With DeMolay?

We wanted to find out how our members got involved with DeMolay, so we posed a simple question in our forums: How did you get involved with Georgia DeMolay? We have some excerpts from the ensuing discussion here. For the full thread of replies, visit the Original Thread on the GDO Forums.

Khrystle Rader, State Sweetheart, Peachtree City Chapter/Mountain Park Chapter When I was eleven, my mom asked if I wanted to join Rainbow. (I have a HUGE Masonic family- it goes back generations... Papa- Master Mason, OES, Amaranth; Grammy- Majority Rainbow and PWM in OES; Mom- Majority Rainbow, Past Pantersville Chapter Sweetheart, OES, Amaranth; Aunt- Majority Rainbow, Past Clayton Chapter Sweetheart, and I have tons of other extended family members who are Masonically affiliated.) My parents thought that I would not like it because I was so busy with school and dance and cheerleading and girl scouts. But I joined, and I loved it (fast forward- I liked it so much I was GWA and a Supreme Officer!) Well, I went to my first DeMolay dance (Gary Vinson's SMC Reception) and I was really shy, but I made a couple of friends. Then, about a year later, at Adam Roof's Holiday Formal, I met Michael Griggers and we became really good friends. Michael was the first DeMolay that I actually danced with- I had been too shy to really dance with guys until then. And there it began. I started going to all of the DeMolay state events and making more DeMolay friends. When I was GWAA, I was elected Mountain Park Chapter Sweetheart, then I was GWA, then I was Peachtree City's (first) Chapter Sweetheart, and now I am here as your State Sweethart! It has been an awesome 10 years!

Khrystle Rader (left) at a dance in 2004.

Cindy Eells, Mountain Park Chapter Parents Club I too grew up in a Masonic family. My dad was a Mason, as were his father and grandfather and back as far as we can look. Mom's side was the same. Mom and Dad were Eastern Star, same goes for my Grandparents, I am one too as of last month. My sisters and I were Job's Daughters. When I had boys I kept looking for a DeMolay Chapter as they grew. I stopped in at several Lodges in the area, only to be told there were none around anymore. I asked Bobby if anyone he knew ever talked about DeMolay, but he said no. I finally gave up. Then one day when he was sixteen he came home with a smug look on his face and told me he was going to go to an "all night party" with people I never met at a place I had never been, and he would say one word and I was going to say yes. I replied there was no such word in the English language. He said, "DeMolay." I said, "OK." And the rest is history.

Cindy Eells (left) dances with her son at Conclave 2007.

Richie Eells, State Master Councilor, Mountain Park Chapter As my mother said, Bob joined DeMolay at age 16 which made me just eight years old at the time. I started coming to the meetings at Mountain Park Lodge and just helped the parents club out (or got in the way of the parents club, if you ask them). Then as I grew older I attended my very first Conclave as a prospect, and when I turned 12, Mountain Park performed a degree to get me in. Brother Todd Stovall recived his DeMolay Degree with me.

Richie Eells "helps" the parents club at the 1999 Holiday Formal.

Ed Roden, Don R. Roberts Chapter Advisor In February 1990, I joined Brunswick Lodge #717 after a lot of convincing from my good friend Mark. Mark was joining the Lodge and tried to convince me to do the same. I had no desire at that time to belong to any organization. Mark did not give up easily. He began to "pound" me about joining with him every time he had a chance. Then finally I caved in and joined, just to shut him up! Well it did not take long before I was consumed with this great organization and fell in love with the history, ritual and fellowship of a lodge. Now remember, I am new to Masonry. I don't know anything about DeMolay, Rainbow, Eastern Star or any other subordinate organizations at this early point. However, at our regular meetings, Brother Bob Fahs from Ocean Lodge #214 would regularly attend. Bob was the Chairman of the Don R. Roberts Chapter Advisory Council. Bob would literally stand up and "chew us out" for not having a member of Brunswick Lodge #717 on the Don R. Roberts Chapter Advisory Council. Well after a few months of being scolded, on October 9, 1990, I decided to go and check out a DeMolay meeting. William "Sarge" Eggleston (PSMC 1993-1994) was the MC. When I first witnessed the opening, the meeting structure and the closing, I knew Bob was right. I had no idea that there were any young men of this caliber in existence. That very moment I knew that I had to be a part of this. The "hook was set." Before I went home that night, I filled out an Adult Worker Profile and the rest is history... here I am, almost 17 years later, telling my story. I have seen a lot of young men grow into adulthood and become successful family and community-minded adults over the years. Some of the guys that were at my first meeting are now in their mid-thirties. (That's a scary thought for me.) It is great to bump into some of them on occasion... to see how they are doing... to meet their children and wives. Even in their adult years, they still call me Dad Ed. My DeMolay mentor, Bob Fahs passed away five or so years ago. My only regret is I never took the time to thank Bob for changing my life forever. "I had many opportunities to do the wrong things, and I might have done them, if it were not for DeMolay. God bless them." - Mel Blanc

Ed Roden flashes his signature smile at the 2005 SMC Reception.

Hugh D'Anna, Cecil Cheves Chapter Advisor My mother's family (Cheves) is Mason-strong. Although my father was a Mason, member of the Scottish Rite, and a Shriner, my mother's family is where I get the majority of my Masonic Heritage. My maternal grandfather was a Mason and Master of his Lodge at his death at 29 years old. His father was not only a Mason, he was raised in a Masonic Lodge near Forsyth, Georgia, but later became Grand Master of Masons in Florida, and at the time of his death was Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Florida. His jewels are in the museum in Jacksonville. My mother was active with the local Chapter, Cecil Cheves Chapter, for many reasons, not just because it was named after her father. Many years later I found out that my brother was also a member of Cecil Cheves Chapter. Alan Smith brought me my petition and in August 1968, I took my Degrees of DeMolay. Although I could tell more, the best and easiest statement here is "the rest is history."

Hugh D'Anna has a rare "awake on camera" moment at Beach Weekend 2007.

Jim Bard, Samuel S. Lawrence Chapter Advisor My involvement with DeMolay goes back 42 years to when I was in 8th grade. My best friend told me that he had joined DeMolay. My oldest brother had been in DeMolay but wasn't active very long and my father was a very active Mason, so I asked for petition. Even at age 14, the degrees made a huge impression on me and I was hooked. I became Master Councilor 2 1/2 years later, a district officer, RD, PMC-MSA, and Chevalier. After I majoritied I was not active until Geoff was 11 and I started to think about getting him involved with DeMolay. I contacted Dad Carver, EO at the time, and started attending SSL's meetings. What can I say, the rest is history! I would not trade my experiences with the either the young men or the advisors and parents of Georgia DeMolay for anything. Together they are some of the greatest folks I have ever known!

Jim Bard at Conclave 2002.

Geoff Bard, PSMC, Samuel S. Lawrence Chapter Interestingly enough, at first, I had no desire to join DeMolay. My father told me about it as I was about to be 12 years old. He told me that he was a member, explained the benefits of it, and that he wanted me to join. My response was, "I don't think that I want to join DeMolay." My father informed me that I was joining whether I liked it or not, and I would try it for six months. I received my degrees in June of 2000 by Brian Eidson at Clayton Chapter, and the rest is history. Looking back on that time when I was skeptical of joining from where I am now, I cannot fathom where I would be now without DeMolay. The organization has afforded me a lifetime of opportunities that I would not have otherwise received from any other youth organization. I can only hope to repay the Order for providing me with these opportunities by giving back to it in the final years of my active membership, and then hopefully, as an advisor.

Geoff Bard (right) attends his first TOC in 2001.

John Kelly, Albany Chapter Advisor My journey started 30 years ago, as an Active Member, but I knew even before I joined that it was to be.... My father, (the man I still think of when I hear Dad Kelly) moved to take a new job in 1970, from Madison, GA to Americus. The man who hired him was none other than his former teacher... Dad Johnny Womack. A couple of years later, my father had become a Mason and in about 1975 Dad Womack, who is now not only my fathers mentor in the Lodge but also his job, recruits a new advisor with an 11 year old son. The next two years I spent going to public events, getting to know everybody, and then nearly going insane waiting for someone to ask me to join! Being the bold little guy I was, I turned one day to John Wilson, one of the Wilson twins, and asked for a petition... in the middle of Sunday School class! He almost fell out of his chair. A few weeks later I am told that I have to travel out of town to receive my degrees and on September 18, 1977, in Warner Robins GA, I became a DeMolay. Since that day I have been a PMC (81-82), and picked up most of the basic awards (Blue Honor Key, PMC-MSA, RD) been to LTC, served as a State Officer three years, and on becoming 21 transformed myself into a very young new Dad Kelly. Now I give back to the organization that helped mold me and maybe I can make an impact on one young man so that he can give back... and on and on.

Daniel Guest, Ware County Club Advisor All of my life I have wanted to sit in the big chair in the lodge. My oldest memory of my father's lodge is playing in the lodge room after my father was installed as Master of Amelia lodge #47 in Fernandina Beach, Florida. when I was about 10 my dad started talking to other members of his lodge that were Senior DeMolays. They said that the chapter at the lodge had closed. I did not let that stop me, so I bugged my dad, a deacon of my church, and my middle school gym coach to restart the chapter. when I was 15 and a freshman in high school, I a got a call from Danny Fullwood, my gym coach, saying that the lodge was starting DeMolay again. My dad took me to the lodge and a member from Albert J. Russell performed the Ceremony of Light. Two weeks later, two others and myself were sent through the degrees. We drew straws I was the Senior Councilor. Six months later I was installed as Master Councilor of George W. Call Chapter. March of that year my family and I moved to Waycross, Georgia. I drove back to the meetings. One day heading to work, I passed Frank C. Folks lodge. After having my father check them out, I met with the lodge and sprung DeMolay on them. Later I joined the lodge, and I am the youngest Past Master of the lodge, finishing up my year at age 24. After nine years trying to get DeMolay started in Waycross it has finally happened!

Jon Challen, State Staff Advisor I had been friends with Joey Bush and Andrew Roof for a number of years. We went to middle and high school together. I was always a bit curious about the "secret beige book" they would always carry around and study from. My story of joining DeMolay tells the lesson of being persistent, but not overbearing, when dealing with a busy or not-so-sure prospect. Joey and Andrew (both older than me) had been talking about DeMolay for six months after I turned 13. I finally petitioned when I was 13 and a half. (The minimum age to join "back in my day" was 13, not 12.) At that point, they tried to set up a visitation. I thought that was weird and put it off, even though it was going to be Joey, Andrew, and Joey's dad (all of whom had been to my house many times and met my parents before). Mountain Park Chapter only did "at home" visitations then, none of this "meet at the lodge" stuff. Six months later, I finally agreed to the visitation. Once the visitation occurred, I still had to be initiated. Mountain Park Chapter was literally busting at the seams and did a full initiation every six weeks for a large class. It was never a good time for me... swim practice usually got in the way. Finally, six months later, I attended an initiation and joined... at the age of 14 and a half. It was in a class of nine candidates and included the guy who would become my best friend, Derek Stovall. It was January 19, 1993. The Master Councilor was Bo Ballew, and he wore a kilt to the initiation. Everyone was in a black robe and the room was creepy and dark. I asked myself, "What have you gotten in to, Jon?" Turns out it was the best thing that ever happened to me. A few years later, I looked back at some of the old minutes from the Chapter. In the 12 months between my petition and my initiation, Joey Bush (my first line signer) got up at every single meeting and gave a report about me. The chapter didn't give up on me, nor did they try to do a high pressure sale. I had no Masonic history, my parents did not care if I did it or not... if the chapter had made the wrong sales pitch, I would've gone. Be persistent, but not overbearing. And desperation is not cool. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jon Challen is the grill master at the 2001 Joust.

Michelle Gibson, Clayton Chapter "Tag-A-Long" I'm not so active with DeMolay anymore because I have moved away and have a family that takes up much of my time, but this is how I came to be involved when I was active. I joined Rainbow (Jonesboro Assembly) in December of 1992. I knew of DeMolay because at that time there was a chapter meeting at Jonesboro Lodge, however I didn't really get involved in it. When I was WA, I remember that some DeMolays came to my installation. I later found out that they were Joey Bush, Jon Challen, and Derek Stovall. They also had a girl with them, Christina Marmon, the State Sweetheart. Later during my term I was asked to go to a DeMolay meeting at Clayton Chapter by a Rainbow sister whose brother was a member. I went and met the guys including Jeremy Fowler who was serving as SMC and was immediately hooked. I talked to my brother about joining and he wouldn't, but I tried to go to what I could. I also tried to get more girls from my assembly to do more things with DeMolay. Finally Blake joined DeMolay and actually enjoyed it. I was not able to serve Clayton as a Sweetheart, so I became known as a tag-a-long (I believe that was actually my title on a badge one year). I enjoyed the years that I was "active" with DeMolay, and the memories and many of the people I met hold a special place in my heart.

Michelle Gibson "tags along" at Conclave 1998.

Todd Stovall, State Senior Councilor, Mountain Park Chapter My older brother Derek Stovall joined long before I was of age to do so. Derek is nine years older than me, and so I remember even as a little kid going to big events and seeing all these guys in red and black robes. In fact of of my fondest memories is of a Knighthood installation were my brother became IKC. Jon Challen, Joey Bush, the Roof brothers, and numerous others always found themselves hanging out at my house and so they became a part of my family. When I turned 12, I was busy playing football and basketball and doing boy scouts, but I petitioned anyway. My brother was my first line signer in November, and unfortunately he majoritied in January, and I was not initiated until March 7, 2000. I did go to the 1999 Holiday Formal during Adam Roof's year as SMC because my sister and her then boyfriend (now husband Joey Bush) picked me up and took me down there. I so busy during that first year that I did not get my DeMolay degree until March 17, 2001 at SSL where I met Geoff Bard and Goofy along with other great friends of mine. and most of you know the story from here.

Todd Stovall (center) with friends at TOC 2002.

Dale Dietzman, Florida DeMolay Advisor Dad Jim Bard and I became acquainted at a Regional Meeting and he told me that, as he had reposted some of my posts to the ISC DeMolay Forum on the Georgia DeMolay Forum, I might as well sign up, so here I am. As to how I became a DeMolay to begin with... that is a long Story. The short version is that I was approached at the beginning of my junior year of high school about joining... and I declined. But the approach interested me, so I began to pay attention. As fate would have it, the new minister at my church was the junior past EO of Florida DeMolay who resigned to go to seminary. Through overhearing stories about his adventures as a DeMolay Dad, I decided to join... 40 years ago last spring. Last year I was flabbergasted to be elected an Honorary Member of ISC, something I would have bet serious money would never happen. In between I have done lots of everything, including raising a son who became Florida State Junior Councilor, State Champion of the Flower Talk three years (retired undefeated, he did) and he also joined me as a Chevalier just as he turned 21. I am currently Florida State Chapter Dad and am hoping to have a third generation "DeMolay-in-Training" soon if my grandchild turns out to be a boy.

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