In an effort to assist Lodges improve their programming and to share ideas , the Planning Committee has developed a program that is called the “Centers of Excellence”. The concept was to find lodges around the state that excelled at specific areas that are of common interest and have improved retention, member involvement and community service.
Listed below are the lodges that excel in one or more of these areas and have agreed to participate as a Center of Excellence. Please feel free to contact any of these lodges to get ideas and if you have ideas that have worked in your lodge that you are willing to share, please contact the Grand Secretary at grandsecretary@wisc-freemasonry.org.
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
Participating Lodges
- Blue Hills No. 234
- H.S. Baird Lodge #174
- Madison Lodge #5
- Neosho-Mayville-Horicorn #108
- Ozaukee #17
- River Falls No. 109
- Shawano No. 170
- Sheboygan #11
- Theodore Roosevelt Lodge #322
- Warren #4
- Wautoma Lodge #148
- Wisconsin Rapids #128
Blue Hills No. 234
225 W. South Street
Rice Lake, WI 54868
Dist. #002; Area: #2
Number of Members: 75
Point of Contact: Harlen Dodge, WM - hkdodge@charter.net – 715.434.7199
Member Involvement
- Car Show
- Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner
- Special Friends’ (widows) Night
- Past Masters’ Night
- Christmas Dinner
- Members’ Chicken Dinner Night
- Monday Night Football
Retention
- Lot of activities, special programs. Very busy Lodge.
New Members
- Continual degree work
H.S. Baird Lodge #174
31 S. 3rd Avenue
P.O. Box 86
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-0086
Dist #004; Area #1
Number of Members: 125
Point of Contact: John Sullivan, 920.743.6845
Member Involvement
- Steamboat Charity Dinners
- Joint meetings with OES
- Honor Ladies Night
- Lodge Meal before meeting
- PM Night
New Members
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Madison Lodge #5
301 Wisconsin Ave.
Madison, WI 53703-2107
Dist #007; Area #3
Number of Members: 193
Point of Contact: Lamont Colucci, WM, lcolucci@aol.com , 608.271.0674
Member Involvement:
- Masonic education and fellowship
- Ritual and Degree Work
- Family orientation
- Outside lodge team building
- Family Meals
- Ladies Auxiliary social events (wine tasting as an example)
- Movie and Baseball nights
- Moving table lodges and Ladies nights to non-Masonic building venues.
Neosho-Mayville-Horicorn #108
315 Schuyler St
Neosho, WI 53059
Dist #010; Area #1
Number of Members: 52
Point of Contact: James Lumsden, 920.484.4470
Member involvement
- Camping out as a Lodge every Annual Communication
- Brat Fries
- Monthly Saturday breakfast
- Fantastic meals after Lodge meetings
- Summer Picnic
- Holiday Dinners (Christmas, Valentines)
Retention
- Always looking and working to attract quality members
Ozaukee #17
504 W Grand Ave
Pt. Washington, WI 53074
Dist #010; Area #3
Number of Members: 101
Point of Contact: Jerry Rasmussen, jerrywm@sbcglobal.net 262.375.6819
Community Service/Special Events
- Has a lot of high profile community activities
Member Involvement
- Golf together
- Fish Day
- Weekly sheepshead games
- Annual Table Lodge & Fish Boil
- Family Picnics
- Fund raisers for communities
- Summer Meetings
- Master’s Feast
- Ladies at the Table
Retention
River Falls No. 109
122 E. Walnut St.
River Falls, WI 54022
Dist. #002; Area #1
Number of Members: 112
Point of Contact: Ozcan Kilic, Ozcan.kilic@uwrf.edu 715.497.8915
Member Involvement
- Community
- Senior Brothers assist new members
- Charity
- After meeting social hours
- Golfing events for those interested
New Members
- Look for quality men to join
- Masonic Education
Retention
- Above activities help this Lodge retain its members
Shawano No. 170
201 1/2 S. Main Street
P.O. Box 273
Shawano, WI 54166-0273
Dist. #004; Area #1
Number of Members: 103
Point of Contact: Rusty Mitchell, rustymi@charter.net – 715.853.8720
Member Involvement
- Sporting Clays
- Lodge Visitations
- Ladies at the Table
- Degree Work
Sheboygan #11
411 St. Clair Ave.
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Dist. #010; Area #3
Number of Members: 76
Point of Contact: Carl Peterson, cfpeterson@live.com – -920.452.6374
Member Involvement
Retention
New Members
- Dinners after Lodge
- Special Dinners
- Technology – Great web presence & digital communications
- Cigar Lounge
- Movies in new cinema room
- Monthly Saturday Breakfasts
Theodore Roosevelt Lodge #322
525 N. Taylor St.
Green Bay, WI 54303
Dist. #004; Area #1
Number of Members: 135
Point of Contact: Mike Belongia, sales@greenbaylighting.com 920.497.0728
Member Involvement
- Older brothers attend, share and teach
- Rewards brothers who learn new degree parts
- Wide spread level of participation
Retention
New Members
- Friends and Family Nights
- Summer Picnic
- Fund Raisers
- Brat Cookouts
- Shrine Circus helpers
- Christmas Parties
- New members are involved – ownership in lodge
Warren #4
112 S Main St
Potosi, WI 53820
Dist. #008; Area #3
Number of Members: 86
Point of Contact: Emmett Reilly, ereilly@mhtc.net 608.482.1238
Member Involvement
- Milestone recognition dinners
- Lodge Visits to capture gavel
- Catfish Dinners
- Pancake Breakfast
- PM Night
Retention
Ritual
Wautoma Lodge #148
203 S. Scott St.
Wautoma, WI 54982
Dist. #006; Area #1
Number of Members: 114
Point of Contact: Richard Jarvis, richardjarvis@aol.com 715.842.4122
Member Involvement
- Active counselor program
- Reach out to each other & stress family
- Friends Nights
- Table Lodge
- Award – longevity and service
- PM night
- Fathers’ Day car show
- Re-obligation Night
- Get member feedback – regular basis
Wisconsin Rapids #128
2321 – 2nd Ave. So.
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495
Dist. #006; Area #2
Number of Members: 145
Point of Contact: Shane Blaser, 715.421.2023
Member Involvement
- Degree Work
- Canine Program for Law Enforcement
- Sweetheart Dinner
- Rainbow Picnic
- Sportsman Night
- Scholarship Program
