A bus trip to Grand Lodge has been planned for Wednesday, August 24th. Cost is $25 per person and includes round trip transportation (meals are not included). The trip is open Masons, their ladies and friends. This is a great opportunity to see some magnificent Lodge rooms. Please send an email to info@jcu970.org if you are interested.

The Lodge will be dark for the months of July and August, resuming meetings in September. A summer picnic is in the works, so stay tuned for further details in the near future. Also, once the trestle board is finalized, the website will be updated accordingly.

Congratulations to our newly elected 2011-2012 Officers:

• Master - Bro. Thomas W. McCoy Sr.
• Senior Warden - Bro. Sean Britton
• Junior Warden - Bro. Joshua Copp
• Secretary - R∴W∴ Mark D. Smith
• Treasurer - Bro. James B. Reuther
• Trustee - W∴ Kevin Adams -- 2014
• Finance Committee - Bro. Scott Hause -- 2014

The next Road to the East course is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18th and 25th, 6:30pm until approximately 9:45pm. It is open to all Master Masons, and a location will be chosen based on response. If you are interested or would like more details, please contact the Master.

As announced at our last meeting, practices for our upcoming 3rd Degree will be as follows:

• Sunday, May 8th at 2pm
• Wednesday, May 11th at 6pm

We have received dispensation to raise two men from Eastern Light Lodge No. 126, so we will have 4 Fellowcrafts for the 3rd Degree on Thursday, May 12th at 6:30pm.

You may notice that the 5/11 practice date is a Binghamton Lodge No. 177 meeting night. They meet at 7:30pm, so I would encourage anyone attending the practice to stay for their meeting.

Several members of Johnson City Unity Lodge No. 970 and other Lodges in the Broome-Chenango District participated in the ceremony honoring General Edward Jones. Your News Now covered the ceremony and had a nice video and writeup (unfortunately no longer available online) of the event.

As announced at our last meeting by Bro. John Darrow, there will be a ceremony honoring General Edward Jones this Tuesday, April 19th at noon in front of the county court house in Binghamton. General Jones led the 6th Massachusetts, which was the first regiment to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's call to arms at the start of the Civil War. He later settled in Binghamton NY. General Jones was also a Brother Mason, and we have received dispensation to wear aprons and white gloves at the ceremony. Please consider attending this ceremony if you are able.