There was a strong English connection to the election of Dr Allan Petrisor as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
     His wife, Mary, was born and raised in Southport, Lancashire, where her son still lives, with a daughter residing in south-west England.
     Another English connection is that the John Ross Robertson chair is constructed of timbers from the Goose and Gridiron tavern, which once stood in the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral, where the world’s first Grand Lodge was formed in 1717.
     Dr Petrisor, a dentist, now presides over around 53,000 masons in 588 lodges. Ontario masons are involved in blood donations, hearing research, bursaries and many individual charitable works in each of the 44 districts through its charitable arm, the Masonic Foundation of Ontario.
     The Grand Master’s aim over the next two years is to support prostate cancer research as well as to launch MasoniCHIP, a Child Identification Programme used extensively in many American jurisdictions.
     The Grand Master has adopted as his personal theme that masonry teaches that each person, through self-improvement and helping others, has an obligation to ‘make a difference’ for good in the world.
     Dr Petrisor is a member of the United Church of Canada and has served his community with Lions Club International, the United Way Appeal and the Woodstock Hospital Foundation, Ontario.

Namibian Stalwarts Gather in South Africa

The District Grand Lodge of Namibia and other Orders may be one of the smallest in numbers, but it has no lack of enthusiasm when it comes to social events.
     Optima Lodge No. 7380 EC, Optima Royal Arch No. 7380 EC and Gariep Mark Lodge No. 1662 EC, have their origins in Oranjemund, a diamond mining town in Namibia, close to the border of South Africa on the Orange river.
     With such a strong masonic neighbour as South Africa, there are many masons and their families who can give their Namibia brethren a hearty welcome.
     When employees reach 60 they have to move out for retirement. Many of them settle in Cape Town. Gariep Mark Lodge No. 1662 was forced to move to Springbok, South Africa, a couple of years ago, due to a falling off of members in Oranjemund in Namibia.
     Gariep falls under the Western Division in South Africa, while Optima Craft and Royal Arch fall under the Namibian District. Every three months or so, a gathering of mostly Oranjemund retirees, now known as ‘Friends of Optima’, get together for a braai (barbeque for the uninitiated), at one of the friends’ houses.
     This includes the ex-Gariep Mark members. Shown in the picture are those who attended the last get-together, which was held at the home of Keith and Angie Brooke in Durbanville.
     However, such is their enthusiasm for their Freemasonry, that a number of members still travel to Springbok (550 km) and Oranjemund (800 km) to attend lodge meetings there.