My Brothers...
The time has come to make official the pending sale of the building that has
housed Winter Haven Lodge No. 186 since 1962. For the past 58 years the craft
have enjoyed the spaciousness of this building, built specifically to be a
Masonic Lodge, sharing it with various apendant bodies over the years. Many
times two or even three meetings were held in various parts of the building at
the same time. The very spaciousness of the building is now working against,
rather than for our lodge. When built, there were approximately 800 Masons in
and about the area, many coming from the original building uptown. With such a
rich history of Masonic Brotherly Love it will be hard to part ways but sadly,
it is not possible to maintain it in these times.
As with most of Masonry in our area, indeed throughout the Nation, our member
numbers have dropped to a level below what is needed to keep the Fraternal
doors open much longer. Without other Masonic bodies joining in the use of the
building for these past many years or projected in the future, at the stated
meeting on July 25th, 2020, the craft voted to sell the building. The
decision, nor the vote by the assembled craft was unanimous, but it was, by an
overwhelming majority decided that in the best interest of all, the building
was to be sold.
Until the building sells we will continue lodge business as usual, including
meetings, meals and other functions. If a change in the Masonic clime in our
district occurs bringing another Masonic body to us, the sale can be arrested
or stopped at once.
Below is a link to the MLS listing for our building...
Crosby & Associates - Winter Haven Masonic Lodge MLS Listing
Crosby & Associates - Winter Haven Masonic Lodge MLS Listing
With great sorrow in the East....
W:. Dennis Wind, Worshipful Master