So much has been happening in the past few days, month that it’s difficult to get some time to myself to settle down, relax, and program code for my own entertainment. I went out of town for a week, and things seemed to get pretty intense at home.

Samuels Public Library

Where do I even begin? With all the media reports and developments at the Board of Supervisors meetings, a report was released that, in my opinion, was biased, unprofessional, and filled with misrepresented data. If there was ever an example of professional misconduct in reporting, this was it—especially considering the report was backed by a government official using his PhD credentials to lend authority to the findings. I’ve visited a few nearby libraries for comparison. As a result, I’ve been conducting thorough research and wrote a letter to the editor, highlighting two major discrepancies in the report, as well as providing two separate reports with charts and data to support my findings. The positive feedback I’ve received for my letter has been humbling. I’ve also been answering questions at the library’s Q&A sessions about the situation and the proposal to form a Warren County Library Board.

• Warren County Board of Supervisors: 2023 Library Debrief and Research
• My Letter to the Editor: Protecting Our Library’s Legacy: A Call for Transparent, Data-Driven Decisions
• My report: Growth In Funding for Samuels Public Library
• My report: Efficiency of Samuels Public Library

I had also worked on a series of workshops for the raspberry pi and glowforge laser cutter, but the analysis of the 2023 Library Debrief and Research report became a higher priority.

Digitizing & Dinner at the Warren Heritage Society

I’ve been visiting the Warren Heritage Society when I can find time. The days that it is open have changed so I don’t have to wait a few days before the next time they open. Now the open days are spread out along the week. I helped out a little as a new volunteer was making a record of what the archives had in terms of old issues of the Warren Sentinel in preparation to digitize them and make them available via the Virginia Chronicle. I also attended the annual membership dinner.

Sons of the American Revolution

I attended meeting of the SAR Colonel James Wood II Chapter in Winchester at the George Washington Hotel. I am now a member, but they didn’t have the paperwork to officially induct me at the time. Induction will happen at the Christmas Dinner. Being a member, I was able to vote in the slotted members to the board. During the meeting Johanna Myers gave a presentation on American as a Second Language, followed by Larry “Abel” Johnson (aka Liberty Man) giving a brief request to muster in DC to request a statue dedicated to the common soldier of the American Revolution. I raised my hand along with a few others. Later I did a bit of research about American Revolution statues in DC. I found a few heroes of the war, but the only thing for common soldiers was a plaque.

• George Washington Statue
  • National Cathedral
  • George Washington University
  • Washington Circle
  • Many other locations
• Marquis de Lafayette Statue
  • Lafayette Square
• Baron von Steuben Statue
  • Lafayette Square
• American Revolution Statuary Collection (John Paul Jones, & other leaders)
  • Various locations
• Bunker Hill Monument Plaque
  • DAR Constitution Hall
• Minuteman Memorial Plaque
  • DAR memorial Continental Hall

I was provided with a couple of catalogues (Townsends & Samson Historical) to look through for clothing. I asked if patterns were available, and I was directed to look at Crazy Crow. If I can’t find anything interesting in my size, I could at least create it myself.

One thing that I noticed with this meeting and the prior one, is that they seemed to hand out awards and medals quite often. I noticed one of the wives that often tags along had about a dozen medals.

At the beginning and end of the meeting, members recited a pledge and recessional. I asked about it and was directed to a program at the entrance that had it on the back. I was so caught up speaking with the men at the table upon my entry, that I overlooked it. Another mishap was the color guard. Usually if the colors are picked up, you stand up immediately and place your hand over your heart until the flag leaves, or the men salute the flag. However, the men were walking towards the flag and hadn’t picked it up – so I was a bit of an odd man out. I’ll get used to the various rituals eventually.

I met with the secretary for lunch a few days later to go over a few details. I attended the pomeroy marker dedication at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stephens city, Virginia on November 23.

HARTS Fundraiser

After the SAR chapter meeting, I changed clothes and went to the Unity Masonic Lodge to help prepare for the fundraiser that evening for the Hope And Rest Temporary Shelter (HARTS) formally known as the Front Royal Thermal Shelter. Quite a number of people attended to support the homeless men and women that I known throughout the years, including my dog walker. It turns out that both her and I had volunteered at the shelter quite often over the years, but had never ran into each other.

Chamber of Commerce

I’m on the Christmas Parade planning committee with the Chamber of Commerce this year. I usually help out with the parade in some capacity every year and became a volentold judge last year after I was done helping people to board and deboard the carriage rides. This year, the masons are having their own entry in the parade, and there are plenty of scheduling issues surrounding that. My plans for tomorrow today are to go to the annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast, go to the Libraries second Q&A session with a prepared introduction for myself, run over to the lodge and decorate a truck, assist with lining up vehicles in the parade, run back to the truck and start handing out candy as we go through the parade, watch the tree lighting with the Mayor and Santa.

I’ve also been discussing a few ideas at the chamber regarding a possible Podcast. We have a few ideas, but we want to get more people involved with the community. One thing is to figure out how to get more people involved as leaders. The chamber can’t get political or take sides on various issues, but it can educate people on the steps to take towards leadership, and what to consider when running for office. Things like forms, collecting signatures, and setting up an separate account for finances may be some of the things to discuss. I have half a mind to run in a few years when the current supervisors term for my district comes up for reelection. Given that he’s the one pushing this report against the library, I can’t stand by and let him run unopposed again.

Senior Deacon & Shriner

In my Masonic journey, I was recently elected Senior Deacon, and the secretary has appointed me as his assistant. Due to the Q&A session with trustees at the Library, I arrived after the installation of officers. This was a fairly large jump from Marshal, skipping the Junior Deacon seat. However, during degree practice, I am often filling in for the Senior Deacon so that I can have a more active role during practice. I haven’t been installed as the Senior Deacon just yet, but that will happen at the next meeting. I’m currently slated to become the Master of the Lodge in December 2027, and I’m already planning official visits by the Grand Master and working to strengthen relationships with the appendant bodies that share our Lodge space. I’ve also become a Shriner and placed an order for my Fez, which may take a few months to arrive. Additionally, I had the pleasure of going through the Flintstones-themed Water Buffalo Degree with several of my brothers, which was a lot of fun and filled with laughter. On Sunday, I will be joining the Ancient and Heroic Order of the Gordian Knot, which is an honorary appendant body. Next week, I have high hopes that the Klown Club at the shriners would be more than happy to accept me among their kind.

I recently attended the Grand Annual Communication in Richmond. While I had read about the event in my research on the Lodge, experiencing it firsthand was a completely different experience. For one, it featured music! I witnessed the transition between Grand Masters and had the opportunity to cast votes on behalf of my Lodge as a proxy for the Senior Warden. The Master of the Lodge, also a District Deputy Grand Master at the time, was already voting for another Lodge in his district, making my voting experience incredibly rare. I was also able to attend a communications committee, which provided valuable insights for my role as the webmaster for our Lodge’s website. Overall, the trip was an incredible experience, and we’ve got some great stories to share from the event and the surrounding areas we visited.

I also helped out a bit at the Luray Recreation Center’s community Thanksgiving event, although they had most of it covered. I was impressed with the sense of community there. Additionally, we served Thanksgiving meals at the new Warren County Senior Center with the next worthy matron of OES.

I had a conversation with my dad about my involvement with the Masons, and he expressed an interest in Oak Island. Apparently, once people learn you’re a Mason, they tend to assume you know all the secrets, but I told him he was the expert in that area. I explained that my focus is more on the history of Front Royal, and wasn’t aware of Oak Island. He continued on, and on about it. My dad also has a Civil War-era wall on his property and suspects a triangular rock in the center has some connection to the Masons. As most officers in the Civil War were masons, it piqued my interest. I plan to investigate the rock when the creek level is lower to check for any markings that could provide more insight into his discovery.