Introduction to the
Present and
Past Grand
Representatives Association
of Australia
Being a Grand Representative
Is an honour, I think you’ll agree,
Whether it is for just one year
Or two, or even three.
It doesn’t entail any work
You’re an ambassador of sorts
You visit other Chapters
Just like a sailor visits ports.
It’s an experience of a lifetime
As you travel both near and far,
And hands
are clasped in friendship
In our wonderful Eastern
Star.
Author Unknown
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Name
of your Counterpart: |
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Address: |
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Country: |
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Chapter
of your Counterpart: |
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Email
or phone number: |
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Other
details: Family, age, interests |
Our Aims and Objectives:
“To promote, develop and foster a continuing
interest of those who have been appointed as Grand Representatives by exchange
of ideas beneficial to Grand Representatives in particular and the Order of the
Eastern Star in general.”
Hello to you, a new Grand Representative of
the United Grand Chapter of
Is it not a great thrill to receive your Commission? –
Congratulations from the United Grand Chapter. You are now an ambassador of the
Order of the Eastern Star for
There are no fixed or determined rules of how you
should proceed with your Grand Representative, although one thing we suggest is
that you should send a note of thanks as soon as you can to the Most Worthy
Grand Matron of the United Grand Chapter thanking her for nominating you and
also to the Worthy Grand Matron of the Sister jurisdiction thanking her for
appointing you.
Here are a few helpful suggestions concerning your Commission which may
answer your questions or help you in the manner of corresponding with your
counterpart.
History:
To receive this Commission you will have chosen to ask
for an application form from your Chapter Secretary, filled in the details of
your Chapter history and then forwarded the completed form to the Worthy Grand
Secretary or you have been nominated by the Most Worthy Grand Matron of the
United Grand Chapter of Australia.
On receiving your application form or the nomination
by the Most Worthy Grand Matron, the Worthy Grand Secretary has endeavoured to
match your request to a notification from a governing body from another
overseas jurisdiction: the United States of America, Canada or Scotland, etc. Overseas the procedure is different. The
Worthy Grand Matron of each jurisdiction appoints an appropriate member as a
Grand Representative from her State to another State of the
The Grand Secretary of the overseas Jurisdiction then
liaises with our Worthy Grand Secretary who, in the name of our Most Worthy
Grand Matron, forwards the name of a member for appointment and so two Grand
Representative Commissions are created.
When the Worthy Grand Matron appoints the Grand
Representative, a certificate naming the Grand Representative, accompanied by a
beautiful Grand Representative badge is forwarded to the Worthy Grand Secretary,
of the United Grand Chapter, who then sends your Commission to either the
governing body of your State or your Worthy Matron to present to you at the
next meeting of your Chapter. The Worthy
Grand Secretary in turn forwards to the jurisdiction of the Worthy Grand Matron
who has appointed your counterpart, an Australian Commission and a
badge for presentation to your counterpart.
The Grand Representative badge that you have received
may and should be worn at every meeting or function even after your appointment
officially ceases. It certainly is a
wonderful way of starting a conversation with others and your circle of friends
will continue to grow.
Action:
After you receive your Grand Representative Commission
and badge, which is very exciting (and congratulations are extended to you from
the United Grand Chapter of Australia) you may also receive correspondence
stating your counterpart’s name, rank in Chapter and address. If you do receive some correspondence from
your counterpart, the very first thing to do is answer your counterpart and
hopefully form a bond which may last for many years.
Some Grand Representatives have corresponded for 20
years or more. It must be pointed out that, unfortunately, some Grand
Representatives do not ever respond.
For your first contact, it is advisable not to send
anything other than your letter, then wait for a response. The important thing to do is correspond and
when a reply is received and you know the contact is in place, then follow up
with a photograph of yourself; details of your family; and your Chapter
members. Describe your life as you live
it and post the letter off as quickly as you can. When a response is received
perhaps then exchange small Australian gifts, such as pens, tea towel,
calendars etc.
Of course, email is a terrific way to correspond. If you have access to a computer and so does
your counterpart, you are on the way to a wonderful friendship.
It would be lovely, if you could visit your
counterpart but this is not a requirement of being a Grand Representative. Not
everyone has the health, wealth or desire to travel overseas to visit. Some overseas counterparts love to visit
It is very exciting to visit, particularly if you can
coordinate your visit with the Grand Representative’s Grand Chapter meeting
(once per annum). Overseas
visitors are very honoured to receive Grand Representative
Commissions and
make much of the honour.
The honours given to Grand Representatives are special.
If you do intend to travel overseas or attend the
Australian Grand Representatives luncheon and meeting prior to the Biennial
Session, it is a good idea to (if possible) have a personal card containing
your name, title, home address, phone number and email if applicable (together
with the Australian OES website www.mastermason.com/oes-ugcofa)
as well as your Chapter name and number and the jurisdiction you represent, eg:
Grand Representative of (the jurisdiction to
which you have been appointed) in
When you have received an answer to your
correspondence, please share your good news with others in your Chapter. In some Chapters, Grand Representatives are encouraged
to give reports on their counterparts.
Benefits:
There is an Australian Present and Past Grand
Representatives’ Association which was formed in
Information concerning this
Association is included with the Commission you receive and you are encouraged
to join this Association.
An Australian Association
badge featuring the platypus is available to members which
can be purchased for yourself and perhaps for your counterpart; again it is a
token of Australiana you can send to your counterpart.
Some States in
As soon as you have received your Commission, please
join in with your State members – it’s a wonderful way to share your news and
ideas.
Structure of the Present and Past Grand
Representatives Association:
The Association has only 2
office bearers, the President and Secretary/Treasurer who are elected by the
members and a Patron, the WG Fraternal Correspondent. The President chairs the meetings; the
Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for minutes of meetings, receipting the biennial
fees etc. Current Grand Representatives need to forward a short report to
the WG Fraternal Correspondent to include in his Report for the Session Book,
prior to the end of January in the year of the Sessions.
The Australian Present and
Past Grand Representatives Association meets at regular intervals, ending each
biennium with a special luncheon, usually the day before the Biennial Sessions
commence. This luncheon is open to all Present and Past Grand Representatives,
their visitors and all overseas counterparts.
After the luncheon there is
a biennial meeting of the Present and Past Grand Representatives Association in
Meetings are conducted in
March each year on the opening day of the Annual Meeting of the Grand Chapter
of New South Wales and
A meeting is also held
in July/August usually on the Sunday following Melbourne District Grand Chapter
Installation in the even year, the year after the Biennial Sessions.
Conclusion: Finally – enjoy your Commission – it can be
the starting point of a whole new Chapter life.
P & P Grand Representatives
Association.
DIRECTORY 2007 – 2009
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PRESIDENT Mrs Peggy Driscoll, WINDANG 2528 Phone: 02 4295 1794 Email: pegd24@fishinternet.com.au |
SECRETARY/TREASURER Mrs Margaret Smith Phone: 02 9520 7323 Email: msmith50@bigpond.net.au |
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WG FRATERNAL
CORRESPONDENT Mr Robert Diggle WHYALLA STUART 5608 Phone: 08 8649 2185 Send your short Report
to the above address - January, 2009 – for inclusion in the Session Book. |
WG SECRETARY Mrs LITHGOW 2790 Phone: 02 6351 4317 Email: ugca.wgsecretary@people.net.au |
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STATE SUB-GROUP
SECRETARY Mrs MERRYLANDS 2160 Phone: 9681 2169 |
Mrs Mollie Connell Doveton |
Booklet compiled by Sister
Faye Ward, MWGM, UGCA 2005-2007.
Review & Update 2009.