January 8, 2010

As we meet tonight at this our one hundred and twenty-second Annual Session of Kosair Shrine Temple, our hearts are filled with gratitude to those illustrious Nobles who have carried on and handed down to us unsullied an organization as noble as the Mystic Shrine.  To our predecessors we humbly bow, sincerely hoping and praying that we as your Officers have maintained the excellent reputation and character of grand old Kosair during this past year.

            Just a year ago, in fact, it almost seems like yesterday, I was invested with the emblem of authority and charged with the duties and responsibilities as your Potentate.  The work of the year has been a wonderful experience.  Thank you for the great honor which you conferred upon me.  I have enjoyed serving you and your families.

            Lady Christe and I have enjoyed the friendship extended by so very many of you. The helpful suggestions and positive criticisms that are a part of the role of serving as Potentate and his Lady have been welcomed and helpful.  We thank you.

            Loyal friendships and more good fellowship have been the constant aim of your Officers.  To this goal should be added a vision of a better understanding and greater cooperation between the Nobility and our help to children.

            Throughout the year numerous meetings were held by the Elective Divan, Past Potentates and various Committees to discuss and work on the many important efforts necessary for the welfare of our Temple.  Out of these meetings ideas were born which kept Kosair Temple forging ahead.  Credit is due to these enthusiastic workers, who, spurred on by their vision of success gave of their time so cheerfully.

            Our Elective Divan, Greeters, Ceremonial Director’s Staff, Roustabouts, Hard Hats, Legion of Honor, Motor Corps, Bingo Bears, Brass Band, Float Team, Entertainment Committee, House Committee, Transportation Unit, Past Masters, Ritual Cast, Stage Crew, Circus Committee and other Units, Clubs and Committees have done splendid work.

            A sincere thank you is expressed to each Noble and Lady who made possible the many successful endeavors throughout the year.  The numerous expressions of appreciation and gratitude expressed to me and the Officers have been greatly gratifying and made our task that much easier.

            Let us pause for a moment and think of those Nobles no longer in our midst.  We miss the familiar face of each of the Nobles who have passed to their reward.  Their influence continues to remain with us.  It is our desire that their good qualities and virtues are maintained in our records of service.  Our sincere sympathy is extended to their loved ones.

Kosair Shriners Necrology Report

January 8, 2010

Walter R. “Randy” Coe, 2009 Potentate

Time goes, you say? Ah! No.

Alas, Time stays and We go!

Another cycle of months has gone.  The sharp blade of the Grim Reaper of Death has cut and we mourn the loss of our believed Nobles and Brothers.  We pause in our deliberations to recall the names and faces of our departed Nobles; to recount their good deeds and gracious qualities of mind and heart; to water anew with tears of affection the rosemary of remembrance which we have planted above the hollowed shrines where they slumber in restful peace.

Our loss is great; for no more may we have the pleasure of their cordial association and fellowship.

It is meet that, in this hour, custom has decreed that we shall turn for awhile from the resplendent majesty of the pulsating life, which we at present enjoy, to contemplate the mystery of Death, and pay affectionate tribute to the memories of those Nobles who have preceded us in that inevitable pilgrimage of this world, to visit the Unseen Temple, that Temple not built with human hands.

Reverently we turn to thoughts of our departed Nobles, many of whom since our last Annual Meeting have been called to more exalted Labors, in the Grand Lodge Above.  Their virtues which endeared them to us are now active in the enjoyment of all that is comprehended in the words of commendation “Well done though good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”

Thus we perpetuate the memory of those faithful and talented Nobles, who have devoted many years of their useful and busy lives towards the advancement of Shrinedom, having passed from life unto the great beyond, leaving their good deeds to shine as beacons to light the pathway of those who are left behind and those who shall come afterward.

Our Nobles welcomed the Grim Tyrant Death and received him as a kind messenger, sent from the Supreme Grand Master to translate them from this imperfect to that all perfect glorious celestial Lodge above where our Supreme Grand Master forever reigns and forever presides.

“As golden grain in perfect sheaf,

The Nobility of Kosair Shrine Temple desire to express their deepest sympathy to the loved ones and friends of each of our departed nobles.  A resolution has been so passed and placed into the permanent record with this lament and a listing of the departed.

Unanimously adopted by Kosair Shrine Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., in the annual meeting of Friday, January 8, 2010:

WHEREAS, The Creator of all good things, and Giver of all good gifts has, in His infinite wisdom and tenderness, seen fit to take from us our Shrine Mason brothers in the attached Necrology report, and,

WHEREAS, These Nobles by untiring devotion and talents, brought fame to the name of Kosair Shrine Temple and inspired greater enthusiasm and loyalty among its own members from within, and,

WHEREAS, Because of their happy influence and unflagging energy their departure from this life will leave vacancies in our ranks never to be filled as they filled them,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That Kosair Shrine Temple recognizes with deep sorrow its great loss, and that it renews at this time its energies in the accomplishment of the work to which our beloved Nobles set themselves, namely: the advancement of Shrine values and principles including aid to children in need, and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this meeting and that the deep and sincere sympathies of the Temple be extended to the bereaved families of the deceased Nobles; and that a copy of this resolution and the Necrology report be forwarded to each family.

Respectfully submitted and recorded,

Throughout the 2009 year your Officers, Units, Clubs and Committees have attempted to give you suitable activities and entertainment which could be enjoyed by the majority of the Nobility.  Our Temple has benefitted and enjoyed:

1.      Entertainment theme nights.

2.      Friday night dinners with professional entertainment.

3.      More than thirty-five community parades including the Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Parade.

4.      The 2009 Elective Divan is installed by Ill. Sirs Roger Smith, PP and Lenny Sewell, PP with special entertainment by our Funsters Unit and Oriental Band.  Noble Cecil Hardin is a particularly entertaining attraction as part of the band.

5.      Kosair Greeters – “Mason-Knight Dance” with the Knights of Columbus.

6.      Kosair Super Bowl party.

7.      Kosair Shrine Circus lead by Nobles Ted Burgin and JR Riggs is very successful.

8.      Kosair Valentine dance.

9.     Kosair Ceremonial Director’s Staff participates in the Shrine Directors Association annual convention.

10.  Riasok Shrine Club – Knights of Columbus “Brotherhood Dance.”

11.  Kosair Oriental Band Mardi Gras dance.

12.  Kosair Shrine Legion of Honor Unit hosts the International Legions of Honor convention.

13.  Kosair Cajun Night party.

14.  ARCH Presentation Ceremony lead by Chief Rabban Kirk Carter.

15.  Kosair Shriners exhibit at the Mid-America Truck Show for the Shriners Hospitals for Children and Kosair Charities.

16.  YoShi Beach Party.

17.  SESA Past Masters Mid-Winter Meeting is hosted by the Kosair Past Masters Unit.

18.  Kosair Derby Party.

19.  Ladies Oriental Club pajama party.

20.  SESG & HA Mid-Winter Meeting hosted by the Kosair Greeters Unit.

21.  “Kosair in the Smokies” trip and Dolly Parade.

22.  Noble Patrick Miller and his Lady Janice raise thousands of dollars for Kosair Charities and the Louisville Scottish Rite Foundation with a fine magic show.

23.  "Hospital Day" at the Shriners Hospital for Children, Lexington Unit.  Nobles H.I. Stroth and Chief Rabban Kirk Carter serve as Chairman and Vice Chairman.

24.  Kosair Top Hat Gun Club is chartered.

25.  Imperial Convention in San Antonio, TX with Kosair Shrine Temple in the parade.

26.  Kosair Boat Club “Christmas in July” for children at Kosair Children’s Hospital.

27.  The Sam Swope Road Rally benefitting Kosair Charities is very successful.

28.  York Rite – Kosair Shrine Temple Unity Class lead by Noble J. B. Hitt Jr. brings sixty-nine new Nobles as members.

29.  Two “All Masons” Golf Outings.

30.  Kosair “Marqaritaville" party.

31.  Belle of Louisville cruise with members of the Kosair Funsters entertaining hundreds of Kosair Kids.

32.  Kosair Shrine Temple formal ball with dignitaries including: Noble Herman Forrester, Jr., MWGM of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky; Noble John Moyers, SGIG of the Scottish Rite of Kentucky; Noble Hugh Harlan, Jr., MWGM of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky (Prince Hall); Officers and Nobles of Damascus Shrine Temple, P.H.A. and Tyre Shrine Temple, P.H.A..  Illustrious Sir Aubrey Combs, P.P.  is marvelous as the Master of Ceremonies.

33.  Ceremonial in Lebanon, Kentucky lead by Aubrey Combs PP, Generalisimo Buddy Houghton, Mike Rice, Bill Ryan and Bill Hart of the Mark Twain Shrine Club.

34.  Kosair Oriental Band Halloween costume party is lots of fun and features a Hillbilly Degree Ceremony by the Hillbilly Clan #3 of Louisville.

35.  Noble Petty Officer 1^st Class Richard Viglione, USN returns from his third deployment to Iraq in the war on terrorism and presents a USA flag, a Masonic apron and the gratitude of his fellow Americans serving in the military.  The flag flew in Iraq on September 11, 2009.  The apron was worn during Lodge meetings.

36.  Our Kosair Shrine website is again honored by the Imperial Shrine as the best of all of the 193 Shrine Temples.  Noble Darrell Waddell is our Webmaster.

37.  Kosair Shrine Temple 1932 Roadster party benefitting Kosair Charities and organ donations is lead by Noble Bob Beatty.   It is a tremendous success.

38.  Our Fall Ceremonial brings our total of new members to ninety-three for 2009.

39.  Our Kosair Charities celebrates giving $16,000,000 and helping more than 140,000 children this year.  The Board of Directors and staff of our Kosair Charities continue to serve honorably and well.  Noble Jerry Ward is Chairman.

40.  Kosair Funsters holiday party for children is held at Kosair Temple for more than one hundred children of Shrine families.

41.  Kosair Greeters and other Units and Club hold the annual Kosair Charities holiday party for children.  It brings joy to more than six hundred special needs children attending the party at the fabulous Crowne Plaza Hotel.

42.  Noble Walt Oster continues the tradition of Noble Bill Lewellen by visiting hundreds of Master Masons and Nobles who are in nursing homes, hospitals and ill.

43.  Kosair New Year’s Eve party brings joy and good times.

44.  Kosair Appreciation party celebrating the achievements of 2009.

45.  Four new staff members satisfactorily hired and in place at Kosair Shrine Temple.  Our Temple is in fine financial condition.  The Finance Committee is especially thanked for their continued efforts.

46.  One new Perpetual Life Member was created: Walter Slater Coe, II.  As his father, I am proud my son has joined me and others as a Perpetual Life Member of Kosair.

47.  Installation of the New Elective Divan is held on January 8, 2010.  The retiring Potentate nominates Noble H. I. Stroth to serve on the Board of Directors of our Kosair Charities Committee, Inc.  Noble Stroth is elected by the Nobility.

My desire from the beginning has been to be a constructive force and positive influence for the benefit of Shrine values and principles.  With that thought in mind I have endeavored to fulfill that mission.  Lady Christe and I thank each of you and wish for my successor and his Lady the most successful year in the history of our Temple.

2009 Illustrious Potentate