From the East
My Brothers, Ladies, Friends, and Families,
Welcome to November, and to finally having some cooler weather. Last month was a very busy month for our Lodge. It was great and we hope to have more months like that.
On October 1st we Initiated our new Brother Kyle Skutt. Welcome to the Fraternity Kyle!!
On October 5th we initiated our new Brother Wamiq Sattar. Welcome to the Fraternity Wamiq.
On October 8th Worshipful Ken Bychak II, Wade Hendry and myself flew up to SF for the Annual Communications. It was a great time to fellowship with brothers throughout the State, but especially getting a chance to spend more time with each other outside of the lodge exploring SF. Of course, I had to bring my little girl. She Loves SF and loved being able to visit the Grand Lodge. She loves Masonry!!
On October 22nd we raised our Brother Jake Morrison to the sublime degree of Master Mason. Congratulations to our Brother Jake for being our newest Master Mason!!
As we do every year our lodge participated in the Trick or Treating on Main Street. We had a ton of kids show up and I want to thank all the brothers that came out to help pass out the candy. I also want to thank the family members who also joined us in handing out the candy.
This month we will have our Stated meeting on Monday November 9th. We will be giving the Hiram Award to Worshipful Ken Bychak II down stairs in the dinning room before the Stated Meeting. The attire for this meeting for the Pillars is a dark suit and all other officers to be in Slacks, tucked in button down shirt and sports coat. We ask that all other brothers joining the meeting to be in slacks and a collard shirt.
This Months Stated meeting will also be the elections for our 2027 Officers.
The Stated meeting Dinner is a Thanksgiving style pot luck. Please get with Ms. Vicki. She has a list on who is bringing what.
We have another 1st degree this month for James Akers. This degree will be on November 16th at 6:00 pm. Lodge shirts (collared) and slacks will be the attire. If you don’t have a lodge shirt, then a button down dress shirt and slacks.
I would like to wish the following Brothers a Happy Birthday for this Month:
Joe Baca - 11/01
Eric Guenther - 11/08
Darwin Ouderkirk - 11/10
Alfred Chavez - 11/11
Douglas Scholl - 11/12
Fred Dreis - 11/17
Bill Graham III, PM - 11/20
Raymond Hartmayer - 11/20
Luis Fonseca - 11/28
I would also like to wish the following Brothers A Happy Masonic Anniversary:
Mark Lantz - 11/01 (16 years)
Guy Shidner - 11/02 (9 years)
Joe Baca - 11/04 (24 years)
John Swafford - 11/04 (16 years)
Bill Biggs, PM - 11/06 (48 years)
Russell Buchmann - 11/12 (19 years)
Dale Smith - 11/15 (16 years)
Bernard Boyd - 11/18 (58 years)
Cole Dick - 11/21 (7 years)
Fred Dreis - 11/21 (60 years)
David White - 11/29 (43 years)
I would love to see brothers come back and visit the lodge to meet the new brothers and to get back involved with our fraternity and the Lodge.
Lastly, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope you get the chance to spend time with your Family and friends and take the time to stop and realize how blessed we are to live where we live and to have what we have. We all have a lot to be Thankful for!! Be safe and God Bless you all.
Fraternally yours,
Pete Johnson - Worshipful Master 2026
From the West
Greetings Brethren and Ladies,
November is upon us, and with it comes the season of gratitude, reflection, and fellowship. As we approach Thanksgiving, it is a wonderful time to reflect on the blessings in our lives, the friendships we have built, and the bonds of brotherhood that unite us as Masons.
First, I would like to congratulate our newest Entered Apprentices, Kyle Skutt and Wamiq Sattar! Welcome to the fraternity, my Brothers! We are excited to have you join our Masonic family and look forward to supporting you as you begin your Masonic journey.
I would also like to extend a big congratulations to Jake Morrison on becoming our newest Master Mason! This is a significant milestone, and we are proud to celebrate this accomplishment with you.
Finally, congratulations to Gabriel Zabrosky, our Mason of the Year! This is a well-deserved honor, and we thank you for your dedication and contributions to our Lodge.
October was certainly a busy and exciting month for our Lodge! It’s wonderful to see our fraternity growing, our Brethren advancing, and the hard work and commitment of our members being recognized. Congratulations again to all!
November gives us an opportunity to look beyond our Lodge and remember those in our community who may be struggling or feeling alone during the holidays. A simple phone call, a helping hand, or a kind word can mean more than we realize. Let us continue to practice the principles of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth, not only within our Lodge, but in our everyday lives.
As you gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, I wish you all a safe, happy, and peaceful holiday. May we never lose sight of the blessings we have, the friendships we cherish, and the opportunity we have as Masons to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
I look forward to seeing everyone at Lodge this month. Until then, stay safe, enjoy the cooler weather, and remember to check in on a Brother or Honored Lady you haven’t seen in a while.
Fraternally,
Ken Bychak, PM
Senior Warden
From the South
Brethren, Families and friends;
It is so refreshing for the summer heat to be behind us and the blessed coolness of fall and rain to be with us at last. As Vicki and I were doing our devotions this morning, I was struck with an epiphany ; All things come from God, I know this, we all know this! But do you realize that even our faith and love for God, even that faith and love originates from God. Yet we can through our God given free-will reject God, even hate our fellow man...Free Will is also a gift . Choose wisely.
I hope you all have a blessed Fall and enjoy all the blessings that you receive from God.
Don Ruch, PM, Junior Warden.
Secretary’s Corner
We are voting for the 2027 cadre of Officers this month. Come to the November Stated Meeting and have your vote counted! You must be current and have a 2026 Dues Card to attend and vote at the November Stated Meeting. We are having a Thanksgiving Potluck! It should be a great night!! The Dues Notices for 2027 are being sent out. The new Grand Master’s budget was approved. The dues for 2027 are $136.00. Check your mail. Payment is due by December 31, 2026.
Congratulations to our newest Brothers Kyle Skutt and Wamiq Sattar!! Brother Wade Hendry did an excellent job Opening and Obligating both of these degrees and was qualified for that section of his Junior Warden qualifications. Congratulations to Brother Brother Jake Morrison for being raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason!! We had a fantastic Degree with a couple of guest players that truly put on fantastic work. What a great Masonic evening! If you missed it, you missed out!! We also continue to have coffee on the 2nd and 4th Saturday’s of the month. Come join us and have some great fellowship with our newer Brothers, our older Brothers and some of our prospects. Come join us and get to know these fine men that are joining our Fraternity.
There are still 10 Brothers that are in arrears for 2026 dues. Remember, you have an obligation to pay your dues. They were due by December 31, 2025. Please get them paid! The Lodge needs the support of the Brothers. The dues for 2026 are $133.00 (Per our By-Laws the calculation is $60.00 + Per Capita rounded up to the next whole dollar). Per Capita for this year will be $72.50 giving us annual dues of $60.00 + $72.50 = $132.50 rounded up to $133.00. This is also your time to catch up on last year’s dues if you have not paid. If you are 2 or more years in arrears, you may be suspended for non-payment of dues as per the California Masonic Code, Section 809.370. Suspension for Non-Payment of Dues. Neither the Master, I, nor any other Brother in Lodge wishes this to happen!
Remember, if you send a payment in and are in arrears, that payment will go to the past due amount. You will still need to come back to good standing for the current year to receive your Dues Card. Please contact the Master or myself to discuss this if you have any questions.
There are several ways that you can pay your dues:
Send a check to the Lodge at:
Santa Maria #580
PO Box 68
Ramona CA, 92065
You can log in to the Lodge website, www.santamaria580.org, and pay by credit card. Use the link in the Grand Lodge email and pay through the Grand Lodge or you can bring a check or cash to me at the Lodge.
Having to pay your dues at the end of the year can be tough. If you go to the Grand Lodge, you can sign up to have monthly payments taken so that at the end of the year, your dues are paid and you do not have a large bill waiting for you. I have done this for both of my Lodges, and it makes life much easier.
If you are interested in becoming a Life Member, please use the following information from the CMC 2022
§809.320.B LIFE MEMBERSHIP
A sum of money equal to the Lodge’s annual dues at the time of purchase of the Life Membership multiplied by the factor indicated opposite the member’s age in the following schedule:
Age 49 and under, a factor equal to or greater than 24 times annual dues;
50 to 54 inclusive, a factor equal to or greater than 20 times annual dues;
55 to 59 inclusive, a factor equal to or greater than 18 times annual dues;
60 to 64 inclusive, a factor equal to or greater than 16 times annual dues;
65 to 71 inclusive, a factor equal to or greater than 14 times annual dues; and
Age 72 and over, a factor equal to or greater than 12 times annual dues.
Our dues for 2026 are $133.00. Use the chart above to calculate the amount needed. As an example, I am in the 55-59 bracket. For me to purchase a Life Membership, the cost would be 18 x $133.00 for a total of $2,394.00. Please contact me if you wish to pursue this.
If you are financially unable to pay your dues, please contact the Master to discuss.
If you have paid and have not received your dues card in a reasonable amount of time, please contact me at 951-970-4294 or secretary@santamaria580.org and I will take care of it.
S/F
Bill Graham, PM
Reminder!! Have you moved? Changed your phone number? Changed your e-mail address? Have you notified the Lodge if you have done any of these things?? In an ongoing effort to ensure that all member get due and timely notice of all Lodge information, it is important that you keep your information updated with us.
I would greatly appreciate it if all of you would log in to member.freemason.org, go to the My Profile section and ensure that all of your address/phone number/e-mail is up to date. This will automatically update the i-member section that I use as the Secretary to for your mailings and other contacts.
Calendar of Events
Lodge Officer Directory
Master - Pete Johnson
Senior Warden - Ken Bychak II, PM (Laura)
Junior Warden - Don Ruch, PM (Vicki)
Treasurer - Chase Murray, PM
Secretary - Bill Graham, PM (Teri)
Chaplain - Mark Lantz (Kim)
Marshal - Elijah Descoteaux
Senior Deacon - Wade Hendry (Marianne)
Junior Deacon - Ken Bychak Sr. (Robyn)
Senior Steward - Rex McCray
Junior Steward - Gabriel Zabrosky (Annie)
Tiler - Bob Weldon, PM (Brenda)
(858) 943-1079
(707) 328-9617
(619) 787-3858
(619) 607-2935
(951) 970-4294
(858) 231-4646
(619) 987-1004
(760) 535-3176
(805) 264-1711
(760) 788-4957
(619) 931-4314
(760) 807-2883
Santa Maria Masonic Building
Association (SMMBA) Directory
President - Ken Bychak II, PM
Vice President - Pete Johnson
Treasurer/Secretary - Elijah Descoteaux
Member - Don Ruch, PM
Member - Bob Weldon, PM
Member - Wade Hendry
Member - Bruce Smith, PM
Member - Gabriel Zabrosky
(707)328-9617
(858) 943-1079
(619) 987-1004
(619) 787-3858
(760) 807-2883
(760) 535-3176
(760) 788-9475
(619) 931-4314