Hi Jim,

Here in Massachusetts, our Blue Lodges do not have numbers.
We are only state that has 2 Grand Lodges - (I am 32 degree)
We fall under the jurisdiction of the following 2 Grand Lodges:
#1 - Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
#2 - Grand Lodge of England
I have the English Mark Mason 4th degree - got it in Boston.
You need the Mark Mason degree to get into a British Lodge.

While visiting the Paris, I got an invitation to go to the Grand
Lodge of France. They do have 7 Grand Masters in their Grand
Lodge. My wife and I were invited out to dinner with all 7 of
the Grand Masters - had a great time.

I'm a Member in Melha Temple In Springfield, MA
My Shrine Member #10493

Melha ROJ Court is #144
I was not a member, but my grandfather was, and I think
my father was for awhile. I really did not have the time to
make books.

The "Q" - Order of Quetzalcoatl at Melha / not sure of #
I almost joined the year it was introduced but got side tracked.
Got busy with our Circus Program, and was Chairman of that for
several years. I had our program ad sales up over $110,000 per
year ....

When I went into the Shrine, Melha had 3500+ members and we
would put out close to 1,000 Shriners on the street for parades.
We would do over a dozen per year at peak. If I remember right,
we had about 16 marching units.

In 2000, the Imperial Session was here in Massachusetts in Boston
and Melha's Ralph Semb (PP) was Imperial Potentate. Our Highlander
Scottish Pipe Band won the International Pipe Band Competition that
year in Boston at the Imperial Session.

i made the first website that Melha ever had in spring of 1998, and
ended up making websites for 11 other temples that did not have
a webmaster.

Al Varelas / USMC
SS-1654