Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning everyone and welcome to Friday! You made it!

Okay time to get serious. TODAY is exactly one week until the Valley's Holiday Party. You haven't heard, seen or read me using the word, "DEADLINE" in referring to the Party, but TODAY, I have to.

If you're planning on going, thinking about going, definitely going and haven't ordered your tickets yet, next Wednesday, 17 December is the DEADLINE to get them! I will not put any tickets into the mail after that date. If you plan to come into the Scottish Rite Office on Thursday, 18 December to pick them up in person, that we can make happen, but NOTHING will be mailed past WEDNESDAY, 17 DECEMBER!

The event is being held at the Lazaretto Ballroom, 99 Wanamaker Road, Essington, PA. No tickets will be sold at the door! No exceptions.

At the Holiday Party we will be making a special presentation to our very own Illustrious Valley Brother, Robert J. Bateman, 33, Right Worshipful Grand Master and Active Member of the Supreme Council. Also, we're going to be making a SUPER SECRET SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! Want to know what it is? Send in your check for tickets today!

Tickets are $35 per person. This gets you, a one hour open bar social hour, a delicious buffet dinner, DJ entertainment, and the great fellowship of your Valley Brethren and their Ladies. 

Make your check payable to 'Scottish Rite Bodies' and mail it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520, TODAY!

Have a great day and an even better weekend.

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning and Happy Monday everyone!

That's right, it's Monday, the start of the work week. Which means you're one day closer to Hanukkah, one day closer to Christmas and one day closer to the VALLEY'S HOLIDAY PARTY! Do you have your tickets yet?

I know, believe me I know, with all the running around and shopping for the perfect gifts, can be hectic and stressful. Your nerves are frayed from standing in lines waiting to check out to "rush home with your treasures," as the song goes. But did you know, that nothing and I mean, NOTHING reduces stress like a party does! It's true. It's scientifically proven that having some fun with friends will calm you down and help you reduce stress! Now who are you or even me for that matter to argue with proven science? ?

Also, it's at the Party where you, yes YOU are making a special presentation to our own Valley Brother and Right Worshipful Grand Master, Robert J. Bateman, 33, and that a SUPER SECRET SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT will be made. Only a few of us in the Valley know what it is and we're all being held in secret contract not to reveal it until the Commander-in-Chief does at the party. If you're not one of us who've been sworn to secrecy, you won't know until the night of the Party when the announcement is officially made. Believe me it's going to be a special moment you won't want to miss!

There's still time to get your tickets. Send your check in today to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Make your check payable to Scottish Rite Bodies. If you need a flyer to order your tickets (they're $35 a piece. The tickets, NOT the flyers), it's available in both the October and November issue of THE DOUBLE EAGLE.

So this past Saturday evening was the first showing of our Valley's Holiday Season Family Life event, "Les Miserables" at the Media Theater. Did you go? Did you enjoy the show? I hope so, The next showing is this coming Saturday afternoon. Both shows sold out, which is great news! Thank you to everyone who supported this Valley program! By the way, "Christmas at Hershey," will be back next year,

Have a great Monday everyone and an evening better week ahead!

Good Morning everyone and welcome to Wednesday!

This Friday, 14 November is our dinner reservation deadline for next Friday's Fall Reunion Closing Ceremony. If you haven't made your reservation yet, please do so today or tomorrow at the latest. Remember, I will be calling the number into the Caterer on Friday, so you surely want to be in that count.

Also, if you are a Candidate Recommender, please check with your Candidate to see if he is planning to attend and if he has checked in as of yet. This is your responsibility to him as his recommender and to the Valley as well. I send both the current and the hold over Candidates a letter prior to each meeting and that letter directs them to contact the Office upon receipt, but that doesn't always happen. As of right now I haven't heard from quite a few of the Candidates.

If they don't check in, I have to order them a dinner just in case they do show up. How would we look if we weren't prepared for a Candidate? But, if they don't show up, WE, you and I are paying for a dinner for no one and if it's more than one, it can add up. If you are a recommender of any of the aforementioned Brethren, or even if you're not but you know one or more of them, please reach out to them and have them check in, regardless if they plan to attend or not. Thank You.

Our 32nd Degree Ceremonial Cast rehearses this evening at 7PM. Good Luck guys on your first rehearsal of the new ritual.

7 Tickets remain for our Valley's Family Life event "Les Miserables" at the Media Theater on Saturday, 6 December at 7PM. We've sold out of our share of tickets for the 13 December 2PM matinee showing. Owing to the obvious popularity of that date and time, the theater management is offering us a trade of our remaining 6 December tickets for 13 December tickets, but we have to let them know by this Friday. So, if you want to go to the sold out show, ACT NOW!!! Let me know.

Ticket orders are coming in for the Valley's Holiday Party on Friday, 19 December at the Lazaretto Ballroom in Essington and that is great to see. We're going to have a good time. During the evening we will be making a very special presentation to our Illustrious Valley Brother, Robert Bateman, 33, RWGM and Active Member of the Supreme Council. The evening begins with the Social Hour at 6PM featuring an open bar and hot and cold hors doeuvres. A cash bar begins at 7PM and a delicious buffet dinner will be served. DJ Bob Schiavert entertains us until 10PM. Sounds like fun doesn't it?Tickets are $35 per person in advance. That's right. NO, no tickets will be sold at the door. If you show up and do not have a ticket, you'll be going home. Talk about being all dressed up with no where to go! Don't let that be YOU! Send your check payable to 'Scottish Rite Bodies,' to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520, TODAY!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning everyone and welcome to Reunion Week Monday!

If you haven't made your dinner reservation yet for this Friday night, you have one more chance to get it done. Yes, that's right. I have given the Caterer a count of 170 persons but at that time we had a count of 148 and I still had a few Degree Cast members and Candidates that I hadn't heard from. She agreed to have me call her again this morning to up that count should we need to. As of right now, I have 162 on actual count, so 170 may need to jump up. I will find out for sure when I get into the office this morning and check both the voice and emails. So yes, THIS ONE TIME, you can still get into the count. Do it now or pay the higher price on Friday night!

The Valley of Philadelphia's Best Friend also known as Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33. Deputy for Pennsylvania is coming to visit us on Friday night. Come on out and say hi to Bro. Russ!

Both our 6th and 23rd Degree Casts are taking advantage of this extra week and have scheduled 3rd rehearsals for this coming Wednesday night. The 6th Degree Cast will rehearse in Gothic Hall at 7PM and the 23rd Cast will come in at 8PM. Please take note of the time changes! Remember, the dress code for the Masonic Temple is coat and tie and parking is ONLY in the Convention Center Parking Facility conveniently located at 1324 Arch Street!

Unless something changes in today's mail, we still have 9 tickets remaining for the December 6th Family Life event, "Les Miserables" at the Media Theatre. The show begins at 6PM and tickets are a great deal at $20 per person. If you want to go send me a check made payable to Scottish Rite Bodies to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520.

Don't forget the Valley's Holiday Party on Friday, December 19th at the Lazaretto Ballroom in Essington, PA. I'm going. Are you? Please send your check in. Yes, you need to do that if you're planning to go. No, repeat, NO tickets will be sold at the door! Tickets cost $35 per person. We're having a buffet dinner and dj entertainment too. Also, we'll be making a special presentation to our very own Illustrious Valley Brother, Robert J. Bateman, 33, Right Worshipful Grand Master and NEW Active Member of the Supreme Council. This is an honor not only for Illustrious Brother Bateman but also for our Valley to have one of own chosen for this most important Scottish Rite office. Get your check into the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520, today to avoid the Holiday rush and to insure that you do not miss this great Valley gathering!

Well that'll do it for this morning. Have a great Monday and an even better week ahead. If you haven't called in for dinner yet, DO IT NOW!!!!!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning and Welcome to Wednesday!

6th and 23rd Casts rehearse this evening. The 6th Cast comes in at 6PM and the 23rd Cast starts at 7:30PM in Gothic Hall. Remember the dress code for the Masonic Temple is coat and tie, and parking is at the Convention Center Parking Facility, 1324 Arch Street.

To those two teams, have a great rehearsal. We're all looking forward to your presentations, next Friday night!

Do I have your dinner reservation yet? If not please call today! 215-563-1814.

Got an interesting email from Supreme Council this morning, and they've asked me share the information with you.

With the launch of the new Scottish Rite website, they are starting a campaign promoting the fraternity with the phrase "A Friend in Every Town." The idea goes back to the very beginnings of our organization - a network of like-minded people that you can find anywhere you go.

To highlight this they want to put very short bios of members across the Jurisdiction in the system that will pop up randomly on the Supreme Council web site. They hope to promote the idea that, through our Brotherhood, we are connected to someone in every community. They are looking for willing participants to give us their names (or even nicknames), local Lodge, Valley, and if you would like, a one or two sentence bio of their professions or interests.

I did it. If you want to do the same, please visit: https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=RWI96FoO5n2VYIOnX1Kd7A

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning everyone and welcome to Tuesday!

This Friday, 17 October, our original meeting date is now our Petition Deadline and Reservation Deadline day. I've had a number of Brethren contact me about getting petitions in the past few days, Friday's coming; lets get them in!

If you haven't made your dinner reservations as of yet, lets get that done too. Although Friday, is the deadline and you actually have to get your reservation in by Thursday, Why? Because I have to call our final number in to the Caterer on Friday. Makes sense right? If you haven't gotten your reservation in yet, please do so soon. Thanks. Call 215-563-1814 or email to phila.aasr@juno.com

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning everyone and welcome to Tuesday!

We had some confusion last night regarding the 4th Degree rehearsal. I can understand as we usually have the rehearsals a week apart, but due to another body meeting in Gothic Hall last night the 4th Degree Cast rehearsals had to be spaced two weeks apart. The letter that went out to the Casts identified this fact, but habits are what they are, so this confusion is understood. To those that showed up last evening, we hope that you will be able to attend next week's rehearsal and thank you for your continued commitment to presenting the very best ritual to our Fall Class.

I am very happy to announce that we currently have 31 Candidates for our Fall Class! But I do have a disclaimer, 6 of those are Brothers who petitioned previously and failed to report. Hopefully they will come out this time or they will all be declared null and void. This is why it is so important for our recommenders to be sure that their Candidate has called in and plans to attend. We cannot over emphasize this most important duty enough! Remember, you get FREE dues the following year, if you are the first line recommender on three INITIATED Candidates in the same year!

As you probably know by now, the Family Life event, "Les Miserables" on Saturday, 13 December at the Media Theater has sold out! Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets to support this Valley activity.

9 tickets still remain for the 6 December "Les Mis" show. Tickets cost $20 per person. Make your check payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies" and send it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. There is a flyer in your October Double Eagle.

Our Fall Reunion begins on Friday, 24 October. Yes, that's right the fourth Friday. Our usual third Friday night had to be moved at the request of the Grand Lodge as they have a movie company working in the building that week and they didn't want us or them getting in each other's way. Personally I think they should have left us here. We have a lot of good looking and talented folks in this Valley and those movie people may have discovered the next big star!

Anyway, because of this set back, our dinner reservation deadline is now Friday, 17 October. If you haven't called, emailed or clicked "Going" (for our Facebook group members) please do so soon. We're going back to buffet dinners, as we've found that still seems to be the most efficient way to get everyone their meal and able our Cast Members, Officers and Candidates where they need to be on time.

When I pick the menu for these buffets, I will be sure to have a meat (beef, chicken, pork or turkey), a fish, and a vegetarian choice, that way all tastes are satisfied. Thanks to everyone for their understanding of this needed change.

During the dinner portion of the evening, our Commander-in-Chief will present our 2014 Meritorious Service Award recipients, Valley Bros. Stephen Bradley, 32 MSA and Norman Greene, 32 MSA with their Scottish Rite MSA caps. Be on hand to congratulate these two worthy Brothers on this honor.

On Friday, 24 October we will present the required 4th Degree, Master Traveler, along with the 6th Degree, Master of the Brazen Serpent and the 23rd Degree, Knight of Valor.

The 6th Degree is directed by Past Most Wise Master, Ill. John "Doc" Wagner, 33. This is his directorial debut! Come on out and show the Doc some love.

The 23rd Degree is being presented by a Cast made up mostly of Valley members from Jerusalem Lodge No. 506. Many thanks go out to Ill. Cliff "Hook em Horns" Hutchens, 33 MSA, our Cast Director for putting this Cast together and presenting this World War II drama to the Class and the Valley. Surely, Illustrious Bro. Cliff and the Cast will do a better job than Cliff's beloved Longhorns are doing this season...

While all this Degree conferring is happening, the Valley's First Lady, Annette has planned an interesting program for Ladies. "Famous American Women -History Alive!" Sounds interesting. If your Lady isn't involved with our Ladies group yet, why not encourage her to come with you? She will meet some QUALITY people, I guarantee.

Our Fall Reunion concludes on Friday, 21 November. That evening we will present the 'new' 32nd Degree ritual for the very first time in the Valley of Philadelphia. For this one conferral only, this Degree will count as both the 31st and the 32nd Degrees. You'll see why when you see it and for all of us 'oldtimers' you'll recognize something not so 'new' about the change.

Don't forget our Valley Holiday Party on Friday , 19 December at the Lazaretto Ballroom, 99 Wanamaker Avenue, Essington, PA 19029.

This is an advance ticket event. Which means NO tickets will be sold at the door. The cost per person is $35. The evening will include a Social Hour beginning at 6PM, followed by a buffet dinner at 7PM. Entertainment will follow dinner.

As per our Commander-in-Chief, this party is for you to enjoy. There will be no auctions or any fund raising events happening. Just a good time during the Holiday Season with your Valley Family.

We will have one duty to perform at the party and that will be to honor our Valley Brother and Right Worshipful Grand Master, Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33. As you are aware, Illustrious Bro. Bateman was recently elected to Active status within the Supreme Council. We will present him with his purple Scottish Rite Active's cap at the party. Come on out and help us congratulate our honored Brother!

There is a flyer for the party on Page 11 of the October Double Eagle and it will appear again in the November issue. Send in the tear off along with your check made payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies" to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Order your tickets now and avoid the Holiday rush!

Well, I've taken enough of your time this morning. If you've already reserved your dinner for the 24th, Thank You. If you haven't, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Don't forget tomorrow, 8 October is our salute to our late Ladies Auxiliary President, Carol Butterwick, with "Give of Yourself Day." Lady Carol loved to volunteer and to do nice things for people. If you can 'participate' by doing something for someone or volunteering for something tomorrow, which is Carol's birthday, you will help to honor her memory.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!