Gifts and Bequests to the El Paso Scottish Rite Historical Library and Museum Foundation

The El Paso Scottish Rite Historical and Library Museum depends upon gifts from you and others like you to make it possible for the Foundation's mission to be accomplished. You may make one or more of the types of gifts enumerated below.

Your gift or bequest will allow our Foundation to maintain our historical Temple and provide the resources necessary for us to continue the Scottish rite mission for generations to come.

In making a gift to the Foundation, you will receive a receipt letter for tax purposes as the Foundation is approved as a IRS Code 501(c)(3) public charitable organization. Contributions to the Foundation are deductible to the full extent of the law for federal income tax purposes as well as for federal estate tax and state inheritance and gift tax purposes.

Checks should be made payable to: "El Paso Scottish Rite Historical Library and Museum Foundation."

In addition to cash, you may make one or more of the following types of gifts. 

Petition for Initiation can now be downloaded here or from our Membership Services page, under "Forms"

DEGREE FEE $275.00: ($100.00 MUST ACCOMPANY PETITION)

Degree Fees are payable in full prior to initiation.  At any time prior to the Reunion you may pay the remaining balance in full or in installments to the El Paso Scottish Rite Office. Payments will be accepted up to and including the day of the Reunion. Endowment memberships are available at the time of initiation for $1,500.00, this includes your Degree Fees, a savings of $25.00.

32° Black cap is included in above fee

Case for cap is $35.00 additional and is available from the Office

Freemasonry is the world's oldest and largest fraternal organization. It is believed to have originated with the craft guilds of medieval Europe and latterly, to have expanded to admit those who did not actually belong to the trade. The literal stone masons are referred to as operatives while those who did not actually work in stone were called speculative masons. [ Bro. Stephen Daphoe]

The Scottish Rite is based upon Symbolic Masonry. It does not confer the first three degrees. This is recognized as the unquestioned prerogative of the Symbolic Lodges. The Scottish Rite confers only degrees from the fourth to the thirty-second, inclusive.

For more information about becoming a Mason please visit www.beafreemason.org

Upcoming Events:

Stated Meeting - 2nd Monday of every month at 7PM

October 20, 2023 - Feast of Tishri

October 21, 2023 - 1 Day Fall Reunion - postponed until further notice!

VALLEY NEWS
From the Secretary’s Office

Brethren:

With the exception of our members who do not have an email or do not use social media, I believe everyone is aware of the arson that occurred at our Temple in the early morning hours on July 24, 2023. To recap, we sustained substantial damage to our lobby, library, stairwell, second floor landing, pictures and artwork, and the small lobby near our elevator. The theater foyer sustained smoke damage and the Scottish Rite business office sustained major smoke damage as did the office computers, printers and electrical devices. We were very fortunate that our theater/auditorium, upstairs Lodge room, Museum, costume room and basement dining room were not damaged by the fire. Our security system and fire alarm system worked as they should. When the alarm was sounded the Fire Department was on site in seven (7) minutes. We believe our security alarm interrupted the arsonist as he came prepared to do further damage.

Several law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation, and we turned over security video footage to them which they used to identify and arrest the arsonist. The suspect was arrested by Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on federal arson charges and is being held without bail pending trial. We do not have any idea why our Temple was targeted.

The most unfortunate news we have to deal with is the fact that our Temple building itself is not insured. The Orient of Texas and many other Orients whose buildings are over fifty (50) years old, are denied insurance for building/property coverage. We do have coverage for contents, fine arts, collectibles, personal property, and office property. We have had a number of independent adjusters on site submitting damage estimates to our Insurance Company and we are awaiting the last of those reports to be submitted by the adjusters.  We are attempting to get estimates from fire remediation companies which hasn’t been easy. One company, after their inspections, declined to give us an estimate, two other companies also declined to give an estimate, admitting the scope of the repairs exceeded their capabilities at the present time.

Our Board of Directors will be meeting in the near future when all the reports and Insurance Company communications have been received and plan our course of action. We will keep the membership updated on our progress.

We have received some generous donations from our members to be put towards the Temple repair. I want to sincerely thank those members for their generosity and assure you that these funds will go directly toward the repairs.
For those of you that would still like to contribute to our building fund - please use our  PayPal link  or mail your donation to:

El Paso Scottish Rite Foundation

301 W. Missouri Ave

El Paso, TX 79901

I believe it will take quite some time before we are back to normal, but we will get there.

Fraternally,

Larry V. Kane, 33°       

General Secretary