VALLEY NEWS
From the Secretary’s Office

Brethren:

Update on our Temple Remediation and Restoration Projects:
 
Under the direction of our Building Manager, Ill. Nicholas Quarm, 33°, the remediation of the arson smoke and soot damage has been completed on the walls and ceilings.  Plaster and stucco repair work is still in progress and our local work crew has started to spray primer on repaired areas.  We have put in several hundred man-hours and much work remains, but we are steadily making progress.
 
I want to thank the members who volunteer their time with our in-house work crew, as well as the members who have generously donated to the building repair fund. If you are interested and able to donate, please mail your donations to:
 
El Paso Scottish Rite Foundation
301 W. Missouri Ave
El Paso, TX 79901
 
We will eventually be addressing the damaged floors and innumerable other tasks as we proceed.  We currently have an art expert cleaning our fine art paintings.  We were very fortunate in that our Class Pictures and Photos suffered no damage.  We did lose some of our library books, but the vast majority were retrieved and suffered minor soot damage which we will also address.

Bro. Steven Gragg, 32° has been attending and updating the membership on the Federal Court hearings for the alleged arsonist.  The alleged arsonist was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury and remains in jail without bond pending future proceedings.
 
We will continue to update our membership as we proceed.
 
Fraternally,
Larry V. Kane, 33°
General Secretary

Upcoming Events:

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

April 18, 2025 - Remembrance and Renewal at 6:30

October 17, 2025 - Feast of Tishri/Reunion dinner at 6:30 PM

October 18, 2025 - Fall Reunion

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"

Or use our new online Petition

https://scottishrite.jotform.com/230433271112945

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 $40.00 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