VMMA Official Visit to Aurora Lodge No. 35 at Inglewood and General Meeting

Saturday 21st March 2009

Report by Beryl Fletcher & CW                                                        Return to Reports 2009 Index

The VMMA was invited by the W.M. V.W.Bro. Ken Baker, PGIW (VMMA member) of Aurora Lodge No. 35 to visit the lodge Saturday 21st March 2009 at the Inglewood Masonic Centre, this is a combined weekend for the VMMA with a General Meeting and an Official Lodge visitation in the evening.

Billy The Kid has his Triumph back on the road after 5 months being repaired.

 

The VMMA official visit is was combined with the 50th annual official visit from the Lodge of Euclid, with the Lodge being opened and closed so that the ladies and invited guests can enter the lodge room for a talk by their acting WM, who is a police officer, on a drug bust that he was involved in.

The presence of both the VMMA Brethren and their ladies along with Lodge of Euclid members made this particular visit a great success for Freemasonry in General.

 

Well as usual we all met at the Calder Park  Servo, upon our arrival there were old cars and caravans filling up with fuel. Jean had wandered over to have a look and a chat (would our Jean miss a natter) well they were with the RACV club keep the Flag Flying Group and were heading off on a five day tour, the cars were magnificent and a couple of lovely old Caravans.

 

 

Saturday morning meeting at BP Servo on the Calder Highway for a group ride to Inglewood.

Dean, Bob, Jean, Garry Power without Glenda ( as they did not have a sitter for there "pooch") Anita, Denis, Beryl, Taxi, Dave, Viv, Mal Kidd met at the BP Servo.

Once we all said our hello's and had our hugs we headed off.

 

Taxi & I followed up the rear with our car it was a lovely trip we stopped at Castlemaine for lunch, Viv and Dave thanked us for having lunch with them and celebrating their anniversary with them, Garry ordered a salad sandwich "wow" it was full of lettuce a couple of olives (which Taxi ate) and not much else then we headed for Bridgewater passing many of the old cars on our way, upon our arrival at the Motel the others all checked in (bit of a country hick the owner) and we sat down to have a couple of drinks and a chat while waiting for Pedro & The Baron to arrive which wasn't long, David Wells had arrived as did Mal Pitcher & his lovely wife Lynn.

 

Classic Car event gave some VMMA members the opportunity to actually over take!!!!!

 

We sat around chatting then moved to the breakfast room to have our General Meeting and  boy was it warm the aircon was not working.

Pedro kept the meeting running along smoothly as usual. Jean announced she had rum balls and sausage rolls (cold) as there were no microwaves in the rooms, the meeting closed and we all headed outside to get some fresh air it was certainly a hot day.

 

Happy anniversary Dave & Vivian.                      Order's for lunch are in, now waiting.

 

We all sat around chatting then Taxi and myself left about 6ish to head back home while all the others had to shower and get ready to go to Aurora Lodge at Inglewood Masonic Centre.

 

The reception at Aurora Lodge on our arrival and members of Lodge of Euclid was second to none with everyone being made welcome and a buzz in the air that this particular evening was going to be one to remember.

 

 

Time to relax at Bridgewater prior to General Meeting.  No Baron they are not waving to you, they are waving you on to somewhere else !!!

 

The Lodge was opened and closed so that the large number of guest could enter the Lodge Room and be seated with their family and friends for a extremely interesting talk by the Acting W.M. of Lodge of Euclid who spoke of his involvement as a police officer in a drug bust.

 

General Meeting is nearly over at Bridgewater Motel, thank you to the Motel for allowing their function room to be used for the meeting.

 

Retiring to the South for supper the VMMA was then invited to take the floor and update everyone of our recent activities and those that are planned for later in 2009, concluding the presentation W.M. V.W.Bro. Ken Baker, PGIW made a donation presentation to the VMMA President Dean Lugton.

 

 

Bob and Jean once again giving people their wish of a ride of the trike.  The VMMA official visit was combined with the 50th annual official visit from the Lodge of Euclid, has you can see only standing room left.

 

At the end of the evening when asked in the south to form a circle it was not possible due to the shear numbers in attendance, hence the circle was formed inside and outside the Masonic Centre, when did you last see that occur?

 

It was a privilege to be part of this meeting.

 

Finally it was time to depart the Inglewood Masonic Centre for the ride back to the Bridgewater Motel were some continued to enjoy each others company whilst others required their beauty sleep.

 

 

Dean VMMA President receiving a donation from W.M. V.W.Bro. Ken Baker, PGIW.

 

Sunday found members meeting in the breakfast room and then departing for their homes.