Brethren, I count it an honor to be installed and sit in the Oriental Chair of the East to serve you and Meigs Lodge 213 for 2011. My first responsibility is to you, the Brethren and your welfare. I am asking for your help and support this year. Come to our meetings the first Monday of each month at 7:00 PM. Come early; Willis will have the door open; usually by 6:00. Nathan and Brian will have coffee, drinks and snacks for you, our officers should be there by 6:30. Join us for fellowship, enjoy your lodge! The newly installed chair lift makes getting upstairs easy. We practice all other Mondays; do you remember your answer to "What came you here to do?" Join us and take part or just visit, watch and fellowship! Don't worry about the need to work your way into your lodge or "being examined", if no one knows you present your paid dues card and see the Tiler, I or any Officer and we will insure your admittance.

With everyone's help, my goals this year will be to increase our General Member Involvement, broaden our Masonic Charity involvement, increase attendance and professionalism for our Funeral Service and Obituary Program and become more attentive/aware and involved with the Widows of deceased Members. We will show the community our efforts through increased publicity of our accomplishments; if we don't toot our horn, who will? We will have capable, involved committees for each of these programs, please let us know of your interest with any area as we will be more successful with your commitment, involvement and support. A year passes so fast; remember how you have been saying, "I need to get down there". Now is the time, "our lodge" needs your presence, involvement, support and ideas. Just having you show up would be great encouragement to our young slate of Officers.

The "Lifetime Member" program is a great deal for you but an even "better" deal for your lodge. Join as a life member and not be bothered with remembering to pay dues again, plus Meigs Lodge will reap the benefits FOREVER, even after your passing. Contact Bob Parris, me or any Officer and we will get you the information! We have 24 life members. Current cost is $1000, and can be paid in installments. Ask not "What can my Lodge do for me", rather ask "What can I do for my Lodge"; Make your mark for #213

PAY YOUR DUES: Our Grand Lodge states: Lodge dues shall be payable in advance, and shall be delinquent if not paid on or before January 1 of each year. If our records reflect your dues not paid we will enclose an addressed envelope for your use to get them paid. Please consider this as your dues notice, since we do not send those out. I look forward to seeing you in YOUR LODGE each Monday! Brethren, we must improve the present and prepare for the future; what are YOU going to do about it?

Fraternally yours,

Binky Hutsell, WM

Brother Garland Carpenter served for 61 years as an officer in Meigs Lodge and is certainly missed. To know him was to love him and we are all saddened by his sudden passing. Brother Garland was the only Secretary that the majority of you have ever known. As your Secretary I will continue to provide you with the same selfless service that Brother Garland provided. Please feel free to contact me at any time and I will do my best to assist you. Please address all correspondence to Meigs Lodge 213, P.O. Box 312, Decatur, TN 37322. To better serve you please notify me of any address change.

The following Brothers passed into the Celestial Lodge above during 2010. Please keep their families in your prayers.

Claude Allen Reed             Jerome Edward Weese      James David Hale
Bobby Carl Womac            Audrey Authel Martin        Garland Frazier Carpenter
Wayne Cleston Goforth      Richard Taylor Hardin

Meigs Lodge has a good year and conferred 4-EA degrees, 4-FC degrees, and 6-MM degrees. We started the year with 208 members and finished the year with 208 members

The annual District 17 Meeting will be held on Friday, April 8, 2011 at the Walker Valley High School cafeteria at 6pm. Cost of the meal is $8.00. This is an open meeting.

The Grand Lodge Official Visit by Grand Lecturer Brother Bobby Harrell will be on Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 7:00pm. We will eat at 6:00pm. All proficiency card holders should attend. Only one proficiency card holder up for renewal and that's me.

Remember we practice every Monday evening at 7pm with the exception of the 1st Monday

It is an honor to serve as your Secretary and I look forward to seeing you in our lodge meetings.

Bobby Parris, PM