On October 11, 1978, Letters Temporary was issued for a Lodge of
Perfection at Ventura, California in the Orient of California. The Ventura Lodge of Perfection commenced operation under the
supervision and control of the Sovereign Grand Commander and the SGIG in
California, Henry Clausen 33°. The first meeting for the Ventura Lodge of Perfection was
held on October 18, 1978, at the Oxnard Masonic Temple, 341 S.
"K" Street, in Oxnard, under the guidance of the Illustrious
Fritz Huntsinger 33°, Venerable Master. The Ventura Lodge of
Perfection, held its inaugural Class of Candidates for the 4th
Degree of Scottish Rite Masonry on December 18, 1979. Letters Temporary for the Ventura Chapter of Rose Croix, the
Ventura Council of Kadosh and the Ventura Consistory were issued on July
1, 1979, and on October 16, 1979,
the Supreme Council issued Permanent Charters to all of the Bodies of the
Valley of Ventura.
This was the culmination of more than a decade of
work on the part of the Illustrious Al Albinger 33°, and a group of Ventura County's most
distinguished Masons to bring Scottish Rite Masonry to Ventura County.
Prior to October 1978, those Scottish Rite brothers living in
Ventura County, desiring to attend a Scottish Rite meeting were required
to make, as a minimum, a round trip of more than 100 miles to attend
either the Valley of Santa Barbara, Valley of Pasadena or the Valley of
Los Angeles. To lessen the
travel requirements, under the direction of the Valley of Santa Barbara, a
Ventura Scottish Rite Club was established, and the Ventura members of the
club were very active in the presentation of degrees on behalf of the
Valley of Santa Barbara.
The
Valley of Ventura commenced its official operation as a resident of the
Oxnard Masonic Temple Association in October 1978.
In 1978, the Ventura County Masonic Memorial Foundation was created
with the goal of financing the building, holding title to the building and
the equipping of a Masonic Memorial Center to be located in the
geographical center of Ventura County. In September 1979, the Grand
Lodge of California held a ground breaking ceremony for a Ventura County
Masonic Memorial Foundation Building in Camarillo, with the Most
Worshipful Donald G. Ingals, Grand Master of Masons in California and
Hawaii, presiding. On May 17,
1982, Elmer Awry KCCH, presented title to the building to the Ventura
County Masonic Memorial Foundation In
July 1982, this building, at 3701 Las Posas Road, Camarillo, become
the home of the Valley of Ventura. The By-Laws were changed on our moving into Camarillo with
the second Monday of the month at 8:00 p.m. set for the Valley of Ventura
Bodies to hold their monthly meeting.
The Valley of Ventura meets monthly with the exception of the month
of July when the Bodies are dark. On
October 23, 1982, the Grand Lodge of California returned to Camarillo with
the Most Worshipful Harry L. Maynard, Grand Master of Masons in California
and Hawaii, presiding, to
provide a cornerstone ceremony and to dedicate the 28,000 square foot
building. On January 24, 1983, the Sovereign Grand Commander and
SGIG in California, Henry Clausen 33°,
performed a "Ceremony of Dedication of Scottish Rite Meeting
Place" and was received with honors by the brethren of the Valley of
Ventura. During 1983, the
membership of the Valley of Ventura exceeded 1,000.
Today the membership is holding steady at more than 540.
The Valley of Ventura continued to meet at the Ventura County
Masonic Memorial Foundation Center until November 1985, when for reasons
beyond its control was required to find a new home.
The Valley of Ventura returned to Oxnard Masonic Center, 341 South
"K" Street, Oxnard, where it began, and continues to meet and
hold degrees.
On July
1992, the Valley of Ventura established a New England Summer Picnic.
This picnic has been held annually in July since then at Soule Park
in Ojai. The picnic features
"New England Lobster" and Steak and more than 300 people are
served. In 1993, the brethren
of the Valley of Ventura adopted a section of Highway 126 from Kimbal Road
to Wells to provide roadside cleanup.
The first Saturday of the month will find members of the Scottish
Rite from the Valley of Ventura engaged in
a visible display of community service.
The first Personal Representative of the Valley
of Ventura was the Illustrious Fritz Huntzinger 33°, followed by the Illustrious Harry Maynard 33°, Past Grand Master of Masons in California,
followed by the Illustrious John Burnham 33°,
MD, the Illustrious Edward Fredricks 33°. Today the Personal Representative for the Valley of Ventura
is the Illustrious Fred J. "Tiny" Potter 33°.
(1)
1.
Donald L. Leach, 33o,
General Secretary Ventura Valley, email
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