Clearing my mind

 Once I retired in 2017 I became fully involved with the care of two Masonic Pioneer Cemeteries.  One in McMinnville called the McMinnville Masonic Lodge and the other Lafayette Masonic Cemetery located on the outskirts of Lafayette Oregon.

 The second thing that I took on was my full involvement of the care of the Library and Museum of the Grand Lodge of Oregon.  

 Both of these things keep me from going crazy.  

 In 2020 I started a Facebook page called, "The Friends of the McMinnville and Lafayette Masonic Cemeteries."  This facebook page took off with many people joining who had the same interests as I did.  The care of the two cemeteries.  Many work days and fundraisers have been done in 2020.  Without their enthusiasm I don't know if I would have been able to proceed.

 The cemeteries were always just cared for by mowing and weeding.  Nothing else would be done.  I decided that this had to change.  Primarily because these two cemeteries are Oregon Pioneer Cemeteries and are stock full of pioneers and their descendants which made Oregon the wonderful place to live that we take much advantage of.

 I took it upon myself to add all known records from all known sources available into one database each for both cemeteries.  I also created a Revitalization Plan in 2019 which was approved by the Cemetery Trustees that would begin the very long process to bring back our two cemeteries to their once proud condition.

 In 2020 I began trying to receive State and Local Grants for the repair of headstone markers that had been damaged over the years from trees and weather and the much hated vandalism.  In 2020 our cemeteries received two grants one for the McMinnville Masonic Cemetery and the other for the Lafayette Cemetery.  We had many headstones repaired.  I am currently in the process of trying for the same grants in 2021.

 The Grand Lodge of Oregon Library and Museum is a whole different entry for a different time.