Cincinnati Ohio

Early last Thursday morning, the sun was just coming up, Dad and I left Des Moines International Airport for Cincinnati Ohio and the meeting of the York Rite Sovereign College of North America. The flight took just over an hour and Dave was on the same flight as us. To our surprise the York Rite College Hosts of Ohio furnished transportation to downtown Cincinnati and our hotel. We stayed in the Netherlands Hilton. An old fabulous art-deco of the 30's hotel. It was magnificent with old world charm. As with most masonic meetings, we found the registration table and got our tickets and name badges.

Iowa had a small delegation, though larger than most years. Two Iowa members were receiving their order of the purple cross. Dad and I received our OPC last year in Reston VA. It is a nice honor, and a good order. The business is boring as usual. There was some excitement Thursday night after the Associate Regents Banquet. Some of the "leaders" had written a new degree and it was given that evening for the first (and last) time. Members from Indiana had learned the new degree and did a good job presenting it. The degree was boring, dry, repetitious, and just taking parts of other masonic ritual and regurgitating it out. Well now you know my opinion. Seems I wasn't the only one that thought that way. After the degree there was much discussion if the "new" degree should be made part of the York Rite College. I would say a vast majority was against it. The next morning it was announced that there would be no vote to make it part of the College and it had been dropped. Seems the leadership does listen sometimes.

Iowa should be proud. Both Iowa colleges, Iowa #37 and Lewis and Clark #199 received certificates as 2009 Honor Colleges. Our Grand Governor was mighty proud as he should be. It was my pleasure to receive the award for Iowa College #37 from Governor General Ed Fowler, Jr. an old acquaintance, it was nice that he remember me and his kind words were much appreciated.

This trip was not only business. I found time to visit the Cincinnati Reds baseball stadium and have a tour. They don't get many tourist, cause the tour guide was so happy to actually have something to do that day other than her nails. I also visited a couple local restaurants and had some very good food. Friday night I made reservations for the Iowa delegation at the Brazilian Steakhouse next door to the hotel. It was a fun change of pace as they serve 15 meat entrees on skewers as you want them and all you can eat. Dave and Greg were smiling with full stomachs.

Saturday brought more boring introductions, followed by the main event, the Order of the Purple Cross. Approximately 120 Knights Companions from North America received this order.
The day closed with an excellent banquet (the food was good) that evening, but a couple of our Iowa group need to get White Dinner Jackets so they would fit in with the crowd. LOL!! The next morning the Ohio host shuttled us to the airport and I was back in Iowa by 3 PM.