The Mark Twain Award

FORT VALLEY LODGE RECEIVES THE MARK TWAIN AWARD FOR INCREASING COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF FREEMASONRY

Silver Spring, MD, DATE, 2007 – Fort Valley Lodge #110, Fort Valley, GA has been awarded the Masonic Information Center’s prestigious Mark Twain Masonic Awareness Award in recognition for its exemplary work in constructing a positive Masonic identity within the lodge and throughout the local community.

Lodges nationwide participated in the 2006 Twain Award competition as part of the growing network of lodges that are working together brother by brother, lodge by lodge to achieve the goals expressed in the report, It’s About Time; Moving Masonry into the 21st Century. The network includes a dedicated Website, listserv, blog, and teamboard.

“The Mark Twain Award celebrates a new enthusiasm among Masonic lodges to reclaim our prominent place within our communities,” says Richard E. Fletcher, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Information Center, “Members of Fort Valley Lodge are to be applauded for raising their own personal standards of performance and for reaching out into the Fort Valley community to broaden and strengthen the identity of Freemasons. Their activities and energy demonstrate a new commitment to self-improvement and education that is sweeping through Masonic lodges across the country.”

In 2001 the Fort Valley Lodge decided to create the SunMark Peach Regional Rodeo, in an effort to improve participation and brotherhood among members and enhance the identity of Masons in the community. The rodeo grew in popularity beyond their wildest dreams until today it is a major annual event in the region.

“Each of our brothers has contributed to this outstanding effort,” says Fort Valley’s Worshipful Master for 2006, Phillip P. Wyatt. “We only pray that we can continue to be instrumental in magnifying the good works of Masonry to all.”

“As we demonstrate the relevance of Masonic values to ourselves and our community, we just naturally create a positive environment for personal growth, “says Fletcher. “It’s an exciting time for us.”

Most historians believe Freemasonry arose from stonemasons’ guilds in the Middle Ages and began to flourished in the 1700’s in Europe and the American Colonies. Many of our nation’s founders were Masons including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere. They helped spread the ideals of the Enlightenment such as the dignity of the individual and public education. Today North America’s Masonic Fraternity provides fellowship for over 1.5 million members. Masons are known throughout their communities for their work with schools, hospitals and speech and language clinics.

Find out more by visiting the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSANA) at www.msana.com