The evening started out like any other but, something was different, the candidate isn’t a member of Greenhill Lodge No 6260. Tonight’s passing was expertly done by the members of Greenhill Lodge yes, but Joe is a member of Leigh Lodge No 4744, who have so many new members they sought the help of Greenhill Lodge to help them with their back log of candidates.
The meeting was led by Steven Gerrard, who was the WM for the passing ceremony, and with his senior deacon Daniel Whittaker, they delivered splendid ritual for the brethren of Leigh Lodge and visitors from the Chorley and Leyland group. A special mention has to be made to Randy Ekakitie who presented the working tools of the second degree with confidence and dramatic effect.
As the ceremony came to an end, it was great to hear that a joining member for Greenhill Lodge was proposed, as well as their own new candidate who will be balloted for in a future meeting and join the lodge in the new year.
At the end of the meeting, everyone made their way to the dining room to start the Old English festive board, but this Old English night has a twist. Replacing the usual Chorley raffle was Greenhill Lodge’s own thieves raffle! With both good and bad prizes to be won, creatively hidden in boxes, and wrapping paper nobody really knows what they will win.
After the rules had been explained, the raffle started and the disguised gifts were soon all taken from the raffle table. What followed was a hilarious series of events, because if your number was called you could steal a present from anyone else with a present, only for them to steal it back or another gift from someone else when their number was called.
Once all the numbers were called the presents were opened to people’s surprise and disguised. Prizes varied from real alcohol to bottles of water disguised as bottles of alcohol and breakfast cereal and a children’s make up set wrapped as boxes of chocolates.
The evening was a huge laugh, including great food, good company and the raffle raised a fantastic £236 for Masonic and non-Masonic charities. Watch out for the next Greenhill Lodge’s thieves raffle, it’s certainly something to be experienced.