Our lodge has a new Fellow! Carl Thomas was presented at this year's 2019 Moose International Convention in Las Vegas the third degree of service, the Fellowship Degree of Honor! Many of you know Carl as a caring, hardworking, Moose rules and laws following, giving person around the lodge. So, it comes as no surprise when he was recently given a great honor by Moose International.
Carl has always given so much to the lodge! To list all of what he has done for the lodge and our fraternity over the years the list would be very long. Here are some highlights of his great work: being our Governor from 2010-2012, Junior Past Governor 2013 and 2015, Moose Legion Chairman for 3 years, Moose Riders Chairman for 3 years, Community Service Chairmanships that include work with "Jill's House, JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund), Spirit Equine, and Wounded Warriors", being a member of the Moose 25 Club for signing up new members, and our current Lodge Administrator.
As members, you may not realize the degrees of service that the Moose fraternity follows. The first degree is your membership in our fraternity. Upon your joining our lodge as a member, you become eligible for the second degree of service. The second degree of service is the Moose Legion. The third degree of service is the Fellowship degree of honor. There is even a fourth degree. The fourth degree is the Pilgrim Degree of Merit. All of our higher degrees of service are given as rewards for exceptional devotion to the principles and ideas of caring for children and seniors and is generally earned by members who have given years of service to the Loyal Order of Moose and its primary benevolent endeavors of Mooseheart and Moosehaven.
So, there is a lot that goes into becoming part of the Fellowship degree in our fraternity. To become part of the Fellowship, it means you have earned the respect of your fellow Moose members, not just by having drinks with them in the Social Quarters, but by the sweat of your hard work and perseverance in the promotion of our fraternity. So, Carl, it honors us to see you receive this award. Congratulations on becoming part of the Fellowship degree of honor!