Mark Twain Award Application

Introduction

Chapman Lodge is the second oldest Masonic Lodge in New Mexico. Since its peak

membership at the end ofthe 19th century and early years of the 20th, it has dwindled from

more than 300 to 60 members.

The Lodge has resolved to confront its problems of low public awareness and dwindling

membership by developing and increasing its role as a member of its communities, that is, both

the Masonic community and the larger communities. By broadening its activities in both areas,

Chapman Lodge aims to demonstrate that it is an organization that men should be proud to join.

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Application Planning:

About five years ago the active members of Chapman Lodge sat down to assess its situation. The conclusion was that, unless we changed our course, the Lodge was on a downward spiral that would end in its demise. It was determined that the Lodge had turned inward anq isolated itself from the local community and, to some extent from the Masonic community as well. Since the number of active members was small, planning on how to address the problems was done in open Lodge. The plan as it was eventually articulated was to put forth an effort to rejoin the Lodge's Masoruc and local communities, and it consisted of three main parts.

The first part was to improve our building. The Chapman Lodge Masonic Temple was built in 1895, and this historic building is one of our chief assets and is the face we present to the public. Our plan had to begin here.

The second part of the plan was to increase involvement and participation within the Masonic Fraternity, to expand Lodge activities and take a more active part in the Masonic District and the Grand Lodge.

The third part was to expand community involvement, and to utilize to the maximum the Grand Lodge's New Mexico Charities Foundation and its program of matching funds for the charitable activities of the constituent Lodges. Another avenue was to make the improved building available for the use of orgaruzations in the community. Implementation The Building: We began the process of creating a tax exempt foundation under IRS code 501 c (3). The Chapman Foundation was eventually notified in September of 2009 that exempt status had been granted, effective June 11, 2008, which encouraged donations, and it removed the Lodge from an onerous property tax burden.

Meanwhile, the Lodge had proceeded with improvements to the building. The building was reroofed for just under $14,000. This enabled us to begin correcting some ofthe problems in the interior of the building. We hired some of the work done, but the majority was done by members of the Lodge. Fallen plaster was patched and several rooms were completely repainted. The ceiling in the main Dining Room on the second floor was lowered and replaced, the electrical wiring was modernized in parts of the building where it was antiquated.

A major feature of the building is its old growth oak woodwork. The windows in particular had endured more than 110 years of weathering and sun damage. In some cases the warping of the window frames had caused the panes to break. A contract was let to repair and rehabilitate the building's 57 windows and other woodwork as needed. The approach was to dismantle the windows and their frames and to refinish the existing wood, replacing portions only when it was necessary. The contractor was able to match the wood with old oak that he had in stock, and was able to match some of the old frosted glass and the hardware on the windows. This contract came to just under $71,000. In all the Foundation has expended about $90,000 in improving its building in the last three years, and the work continues. Masonic Involvement: The Lodge resolved to continue with its traditional events and to seek opportunities to develop new ones. The Lodge has held an Annual Homecoming without interruption since 1914. Chapman Lodge's 98th Annual Homecoming was celebrated on October 15, 2011. This event provides an opportunity for members residing away from Las Vegas to return to visit the Lodge

Beginning in 2009, the Lodge began regularly holding dinners and programs before its regular meetings on the fi rst Thursday of each month. These dinners and programs are open to the public and provide an opportunity for Masons, their families, and other interested persons to

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gather socially. The programs feature speakers or groups who present programs on various topics of interest. The faculty from New Mexico Highlands University have provided a rich source for guest speakers, as have many of the local residents.

Early in 2009, Chapman Lodge began making plans and gathering support for a reunion of the original four Lodges that formed the Grand Lodge of New Mexico in 1877. This event was called the New Mexico Masonic Rendezvous, and the first was celebrated in August, 2009, at Chapman Lodge. The four Lodges accepted Chapman Lodge's proposal to make this an annual event and to rotate its location among the four host Lodges. The first was at Chapman Lodge, the second was hosted by Union Lodge No. 4 at the Fort Union National Monument in 20 I 0, the third was hosted by Aztec Lodge No. 3 in Las Cruces, and Montezuma Lodge No. 1 has announced its plans to host the fourth Rendezvous in Santa Fe in 2012.

In 2010 Chapman Lodge was approached to host the Five States Communication. This event is attended by Masons from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. It has rotated between the five states by turn, and 20 l 0 was New Mexico's tum. Cimarron Lodge was asked to be host, but they passed on the request to Chapman Lodge. Chapman accepted and hosted the event that took place on August 19th and 20th, in 2010. All five Grand Jurisdictions were represesented, with a number of Grand Lodge Officers in attendance from the various states. This year in July a delegation of Chapman Lodge members attended the 2011 Five States Communication in Amarillo, Texas, and plans to attend the 2012 Communication in Trinidad, Colorado.

There has also been a concerted effort to attend and take part in the activities of the other Lodges in our District. Chapman Lodge members have attended the Outdoor Communication of Cimarron Lodge at Philmont Scout Ranch and have assisted in the conferral of degrees. Springer Lodge has for many years hosted a Table Lodge on St. John the Baptist's Feast Day, but due to dwindling membership and the death of the Lodge's Master this year, the Lodge announced that it would not continue to host the event. At the urging of the other Lodges, Chapman hosted the 46th Annual Table Lodge, has continued to call it the Springer St. John's Day Table Lodge, and has resolved to do so until Springer Lodge can resume hosting it. Seven Lodges were represented at this year's event from northeastern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

For generations Chapman Lodge has published a newsletter which it called the Trestleboard. This year it expanded its coverage to include the other Lodges in the Third Masonic District, and members of those Lodges contribute their news.

On March 30 and 31, 2012 Chapman Lodge will celebrate the 150th Anniversary of its Institution in 1862. Two groups that will participate are the Fort Union National Monument's Living History Group, and the Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team, who will confer a Master Mason Degree. Invitations will have been extended to the entire Grand Jurisdiction of New Mexico and the neighboring Grand Jurisdictions, and it is expected to be a widely attended affair. The Community:Our historic building has been the focus of a great deal of attention, which has been enhanced by the activity surrounding the improvements. The Lodge resolved to make the building available to non-profit organizations as a venue for meetings, dinners, and other functions. The Citizens Council for Historic Preservation has used the Dining Room for the last three years to serve lunch at the end of its tours during Las Vegas Heritage Week, which takes place in August. The National Park Service has used the building for presentations on the National Monuments at Pecos and Fort Union, which are a short drive from Las Vegas. The National Wildlife Service has used our window fronts for their displays. An organization of retired mineworkers which has organized to deal with health issues has been using the second floor to hold their meetings. Two dance groups, an adult group that enjoys western dancing and a group of mixed ages that does Mexican folkdancing use the building for weekly practices as well

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as for presentations. Last October the Museum of New Mexico held a banquet for its Annual Conference and enjoyed dramatic presentations in the Dining Room on the second floor.

The New Mexico Masonic Charities Foundation as an arm of the Grand Lodge of New Mexico grants matching funds to each constituent Lodge. In 2010, Lodges could apply for matching funds up to the amount of $4,000. This was increased to $5,000 in 201 1. In addition, during those years the New Mexico Scottish Rite matched $150 toward a scholarship. Chapman Lodge has used the maximum in both years in its charitable activities, awarding a total of $9,000 in 2010, ($4,000 MCF matching funds, $150 Scottish Rite, and $4,850 from Chapman Lodge) and a total of $10,905 in 2011, ( $5,000 MCF matching funds, $150 Scottish Rite, and $5,755 from Chapman Lodge). The Lodge directs its contributions toward youth activities, particularly in education.

Bikes for Books, a statewide program to promote reading among young children, received $1,994 in 2010 with the Lodge awarding a total of 32 bikes and safety helmets to students in seven schools in the two school districts in Las Vegas and two private preschool programs for reading accomplishment. In 2011, the program expanded to 68 bikes and safety helmets in eight schools with the Lodge expending a total of $3,605.32. The Lodge also applied a grant of $1,000 from the local Walmart Store to Bikes for Books.

Chapman Lodge expanded its scholarship program from a single scholarship per year to three $1,000 scholarships in 2010. In 2009 the Chapman Lodge Scholarship was renamed the Robert J. Henry Masonic Scholarship in honor of a Past Master of the Lodge and a strong supporter of the program. Beginning in 2010 the family of Dr. Henry informed the Lodge that his estate would underwrite the scholarships, and with this generous assistance three scholarships were awarded, one at each local high school in both 2010 and 2011.

Chapman Lodge and the Robertson High School Future Farmers of America Chapter have forged a strong partnership. For the last four years Chapman Lodge has contributed toward the costs of sending a delegation to the National FFA Convention. ln 2010, FFA received $1 ,808 from the Lodge, and in 2011 it received $1,500. In turn FFA assists Chapman Lodge by assembling the bikes for the Bikes for Books program and assisting in the bike presentations. They also assist at Literacy Council Reading Fairs, and they assist in putting on a Haunted Ilouse in the Lodge Building for Halloween.

The Lodge contributed $808 in 20 I 0 and $500 in 2011 to the Highland University Science Club toward the cost of sending a delegation to Honduras during summer break to take part in various humanitarian activities related to health and housing.

ln support of Assemblies of International Order of Rainbow for Girls which were starting up in New Mexico, in 2010 Chapman Lodge contributed $590 to Rio Rancho Assembly, which paid for two girls to attend their first Grand Assembly, and $1,000 in 2011 to Copper Rose Assembly in Silver City to purchase rituals and toward sending the girls to Grand Assembly.

Chapman Lodge has also supported Youth Baseball by contributing to a team that participates in a league that plays in Albuquerque about 120 miles away. The Lodge has donated $500 in each 2010 and 2011 for travel expenses.

ln 2011 the Lodge created a discretionary fund for the high school counselors at Robertson High School. This fund is to be used for problems that arise among students in a high poverty area. For example a student that needs glasses but cannot afford the examination, or who wants to participate in athletics but cannot pay for the physical exam can be assisted from this fund. Results and Reflection: Most of the eftorts described here have only happened within the last three years so it is difficult to assess their long term effect. Immediate results have been gratifying. The building has received attention and favorable comment, locally and from visiting Masons. In 2009, Chapman Lodge received a Grand Master's Achievement Award at Grand Lodge. For the first two years that the Lodge really pushed the Bikes for Books Program, one of

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the local school districts failed to respond at all. This year that school district responded with a vengeance and received 38 bikes. When the Lodge awarded one scholarship per year and alternated between the three area high school, in some years it was difficult to get applicants. One year after starting our new program, we received 15 applicants.

Once about four years ago a group of Lodge members went out for coffee before a meeting and was asked by an acquaintance what they were doing. They replied that they were getting ready to attend Chapman Lodge. The response was, "Really? I didn't know that they still existed." That is no longer the case. The Lodge has learned to seize opportunities to be active and put itself forward. The profile of the Lodge has been raised in the community, and the members have taken pride in our accomplishments. Requests for petitions for the degrees have begun to increase, and our hope is that they will continue to increase.

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