Report of V.M.M.A. Inc. Visit to The Seaholme Lodge No. 813

Friday 19th November 2004

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Email Received 2 days after the V.M.M.A. Visit.

Chris,

On behalf of myself and the Brethren of Seaholme, I thank you for a very enjoyable and very enlightening talk by you and some of your members about what V.M.M.A. is about and what you really do for Freemasonry in the community, which most people would never know about until you and people like you make the time to get out and about to tell the world at large that Freemasonry is not about ourselves, but, that we are there for the betterment of the community that we live in. I have down loaded your pictures of the visit to Seaholme and printed and laminated them for Macca and shall give him the prints when he comes back from his holiday Cairns. Hope to have some of your members come back to Seaholme and give us an update of what you done and hope to do in the future.

Regards,

Wombat,  Will Varady, W.M.

 

The V.M.M.A. Inc. was invited to attend The Seaholme Lodge No. 813 that meets at the Williamstown Masonic Centre by Macca Reid (now a film star) on behalf of the W.M. to enlighten the brethren of the History and activities of the V.M.M.A.

 

J.W. Chair at the Williamstown Masonic Centre

On arrival at the Williamstown Masonic Centre the W.M. Bro. Will Varady (Wombat) greeted us immediately we stepped off our motorcycles and was keen to discuss motorcycles, like many other brethren at Seaholme Lodge.

 

Matt, Colin (Taxi) and Chris all M.M.'s were the V.M.M.A. representatives for the evening, for the V.M.M.A. has had a busy visitation program including charitable activities over the past 2 weeks.

 

We entered the lodge as visiting M.M.'s, once again the W.M. Bro. Will made the point of personally welcoming ourselves and one other visiting M.M. to Seaholme Lodge.

 

There was no mucking around, for once all the visitors were admitted the W.M. introduced the V.M.M.A. members and gave the freedom of the lodge so that Colin, Matt and Chris could present to the brethren the history of the concept of the V.M.M.A. along with its development and activities undertaken over the past 3 years.

 

L to R: Taxi, Matt, W.M. Bro. Will and YES Macca and Chris

Taxi commenced the presentation and discussed how the V.M.M.A. came to be, by a small group of freemasons who rode motorcycles and had the foresight to believe that freemasons who had an interest in motorcycles had something to offer both freemasonry and the general community.

 

This has proven to be the case over the past 3 years with the V.M.M.A. Inc. membership continuing to increase in numbers from a number of different areas.

 

It was explained that the V.M.M.A. Inc. is and Association and not a Lodge, membership consists of existing freemasons who have a motorcycle and those who do not have a motorcycle but wish to assist the V.M.M.A. with its charitable activities.

Macca on the right. 

Membership also includes unaffiliated brethren who have joined the V.M.M.A. and in a number of instances have re-affiliated and become active members of the craft, it also includes male members who are not in the craft and once again a number of these members have been proposed into the craft, finally the membership includes ladies who take an active roll within the V.M.M.A. some who ride and others who pillion.

 

A number of the lady members hold general committee positions along with being involved in sub-committees, one lady has joined the V.M.M.A. by herself due to the principles and tenets the V.M.M.A. upholds in its activities.

 

Matt spoke about the V.M.M.A. involvement with CanTeen both in Victoria and Tasmania by providing an Annual Motorcycle Ride Day for CanTeen members at zero budget, YES ZERO BUDGET.

 

Matt informed the brethren that the V.M.M.A. and CanTeen have signed a memorandum Of Understanding to Stage the following event in September/October 2005.

Cruisin’ against Cancer 2005 – an event in aid of CanTeen

Cruisin' Against Cancer 2005 is an official CanTeen fundraising event undertaken in support of CanTeen by the Victorian Masonic Motorcycle Association Inc.

Cruisin' Against Cancer 2005 is an interstate motorcycle ride to promote awareness of CanTeen, and to sell Bandannas along the 8000km route. Funds raised on the route will directly fund CanTeen's 9 national Healthy Living programs in 2006 and will allow over 100 Young People living with cancer to attend one of CanTeen's flagship pyscho-social programs.

The V.M.M.A. dress code in lodge was discussed along with the Black Shirts that are now being worn during rides, promotional activities and at social events.

L to R: Taxi in usual pose, Matt, W.M. Bro. Will.

Chris spoke about everything from the Black Stump and back again, but did speak about the V.M.M.A. web site and that over 1300 hits per month at present, the web page hits are coming from all round the world China, Vietnam, North Korea, South Korea, Papa New Guinea, Japan, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Poland, New Zealand, South America, North America, Canada and the list goes on.

 

Chris invited questions from the brethren of which a number came forth, Matt found an opportunity to get Chris to stop and sit down.

 

The lodge was duly closed and we adjourned to the south, Macca Reid was acknowledged for his new career in acting and his T.V. show appearance last week. The brethren of The Seaholme Lodge of which are members of Macca's fan club formally displayed their support to him.

 

Macca's Fan Club. 

Macca and W.M. Bro. Will. 

The W.M. Bro. Will Varady invited the President Matt Turner of the V.M.M.A. Inc. to the floor and proceeded to present a Cheque totaling $300 as a donation to the V.M.M.A. Charity Fund. Matt accepted the Cheque and thanked The Seaholme Lodge for their generous donation and ensure that the amount of $300 will go to a worthy charitable cause and will be acknowledge on the V.M.M.A. web site.

President of the V.M.M.A. Matt Turner accepting a charitable Donation from The Seaholme Lodge W.M. Bro. Will to an amount of $300. 

Once again a Freemason's Lodge, The Seaholme Lodge in particular has shown their support to the activities of the V.M.M.A. and freemasonry in general.

 

Reported by CW