These are some of my Lodge Brothers of Cataract Lodge #2 and Minnehaha Lodge #165 Minneapolis, Minnesota. We are celebrating our move into "Our Brothers House" Minnehaha Lodge Building ten years ago. Every July we hold a joint meeting after one of the best steak dinners around. It's an event that you don't want to miss.
Its a long and emotional story for many us so I'll try to spare you all the details. The Best Buy Corporation wanted to build their world headquarters in Richfield, Minnesota. So the city condemned 200 homes and businesses so that Best Buy could build a huge campus.
We gave a gallant fight and negotiated hard for a fair price. But we gave up a building that was built by the lodge Brothers from the ground up and it was emotional for all to have to empty it and to have to see the building torn down. So we spent many evening and week ends packing up our stuff. But then the Brothers from Minnehaha Lodge came and graciously invited us to share their lodge with us.
We locked the doors for one last time, removed the Cornerstone from the building and drove away with tears in our eyes and with sore backs.
When we arrived on the hottest day of the year with the moving vans, the Brothers of Minnehaha Lodge were standing on the grass to greet us. They shook our hands and saw that we we were exhausted, so they pushed us aside and started in to move our stuff. We were greeted as a home coming and given full access to the building. Anything was ours for the asking. It was truly like "moving into your brother's house."
Now in the picture you see is the Grand Lodge Secretary, Junior Grand Steward, Monitors of the Ritual, member of the Jurisprudence Committee, Secretary of the Minneapolis Valley Scottish Rite, a National Television Star and now a Motivatival speaker from the Biggest Loser, but most importantly they are all my brothers. I'm sure you can see that we at Cataract #2 and Minnehaha #165 are very serious about freemasonry. (There were about 40 more out of the view of the camera).
Our Master Lane Guyat is an accomplished artist in fabric, oil, and cake. So he handmade shirts specifically for each wearer. As you can see, they are all different and colorful. Lane said he may have a suprise for me next year.....I can't wait to see.
Minnehaha Lodge is in the Southeast corner of Minneapolis. It's in a neighborhood that I was in a lot growing up. So it's like a second home for me. The two Lodges' relationship only deepens daily with each day.
I miss Richfield -- I'm not kidding anybody. I drive past my lodge location several times a week in the normal course of my activities. I now only see a parking lot......a very expensive parking lot.
I'd be happy to share the whole story over a cup of coffee or a pint of beer if you like.....I'll even buy.
My lodge Brothers........I love you all.
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