SEPTEMBER 2020 3
Past Potentates
Scott A. Schuster 2019 Charles B. Shull 2018 Arthur B. Borton 2017 Carl E. Culmann 2016 Timothy J. Murphy 2015 William B. Rasner 2014 James N. Priest 2013 Charles L. Crabtree 2012 Kevin D. Rhodes 2011 * Craig T. Hinshaw 2010 * George E. Proctor 2009 Ronald M. Elliott 2008 * Jerry Markovich 2007 William Wimmenauer, Jr. 2006 Jeffery P. Zaring 2005 Barry R. Cook 2004 Edgar R. McGonigal 2003 John A. Friend, Sr. 2002 John A. Cinotto 2001 * Gary W. Lewis 2000 * Michael R. St. Pierre 1999 * Charles W. Griffith 1998 * Robert E. Hancock 1997 Alex L. Rogers 1996 Joey L. Scott 1995 * Herbert E. Smith, Ed.D. 1994 Larry D. Jefferson 1993 Philip C. Thrasher 1992 Roger R. Mosser 1991 * Glenn H. Speckman, M.D. 1990 * Robert L. Anderson 1989 William S. Spyr 1988 * John R. Nichols 1987 * Wilfred K. Walther 1986 * Wesley G. Kidwell 1985 * Ivan C. Frakes 1984 * Francis E. Preston 1983 * Ward L. Duncan 1982 * Robert W. Wilds 1981 * Harry J. Harman 1980 * Robert H. Stone 1979 * Robert P. Dellen 1978 * Edward M. Evans 1977 * Lee B. Townley 1976 * Joe E. Woodfill 1975 R. Donald Edwards 1974 * Richard Alexander 1973 * John R. Barney 1972 * William Coons, Jr. 1971 * C. Kyle Hughes 1970 * Richard Hunt 1969 * Howard D. Foley 1968 * C. William Lantz 1967 * F.E. Thomburgh 1966 * Charles H. Ellis 1965 * Alex M. Clark 1964 * Evert A. Johnson 1963 * Clarence T. Drayer 1962 * Floyd Gatewood 1961 * Robert H. Brown 1960 * George L. Stalker 1959 * Ben Roberts 1958 * J. Worth Baker 1957 * Edwin K. Steers 1956 * Cecil M. Byrne 1955 * A.J. Sieloff 1954 * Harry Geisel 1953 * Paul E. Rathert 1952 * Glen A. Campbell 1951 * A. Marshall Springer 1950 * Max A. Blackburn 1949 * Calvin A. Richey 1948 * Wm. Bodenhamer, D.O. 1947 * William A. Hoefgen 1946 * Ray J. Sever 1945 * Ike Riley 1944 * F.L. Tompkins 1943 * Clyde E. Titus 1942 * Dewey E. Myers 1941 * Fred B. McNeely 1940 * Lloyd D. Claycombe 1939 * Granville A. Richey 1938 * Edwin E. Temperley 1937 * C.E. Cox, M.D. 1935-36 * Herschel M. Tebay 1934 * Edgar Hart 1933 * Edward B. Raub 1932 * Leslie D. Clancy 1931 * Frank G. Laird 1930 * Arthur R. Robinson 1929 * William H. Bockstahler 1928 * Arthur B. Wagner 1927 * George M. Spiegel 1926 * Charles J. Orbison 1924-25 * Louis G. Buddenbaum 1923 * John E. Milnor 1922 * Edward J. Schoonover 1921 * Elmer F. Gay 1920 * Leon T. Leach 1918-19 * Henry W. Klaussman 1917 * Paul H. Krauss 1916 * Charles Mayer 1914-15 * Denton F. Billingsley 1913 * Elias J. Jacoby 1907-12 * Horace E. Smith 1906 * A.W.W. Thomson 1903-05 * Chalmers Brown 1898-02 * John T. Brush 1884-97 * (Deceased)
P O T E N TAT E M E S S A G E
Building for the Future
In October 2015, Murat Shriners mem- bership voted to not sell the building and embark on a journey to remodel our club. In the October 2015 issue of the Murat Maga- zine, a vison for the proposed remodeling project was conceptualized and promoted to the membership. While the project got off track somewhat over the last five years, ev- ery Potentate has supported the overall vision of improving our club to make the most of the membership experi- ence. I applaud my predecessors for keeping the vision alive. At a special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Murat Temple Association Inc. on August 10, 2020, the Directors, which includes your elected Divan, unanimously approved a $1.8 million project that should be started by the time you read this message. How are we going to pay for that kind of remodeling expense? Around August 1, your elected representatives understood there had to be a substantial fundraising effort to offset the cost of remodeling. The "Million Dollar Club" was created and solicitations of $2,000 a year for five years, for a total com- mitment to the project of $10,000 per indi- vidual donor, was rolled out. The response in just a two-week period was impressive. To date, pledges total just over $400,000. We believe, based on the initial response in this short period, that in the next six months we should be able to raise at least a million dollars in pledges to minimize the amount of borrowing. All pledges and individual dona- tions will be made through the Elias J. Jacoby Historical Foundation to the Murat Building Fund so you might take advantage of any tax- exempt benefits for which you might qualify. If you are interested in getting into the Mil- lion Dollar Club, please contact me person- ally or any Divan or MTA Board Member and they will be glad to give you information and get your membership going in this very special club. Every elected and appointed Divan member pledged on the first day and is committed to the success of this project. Do not miss this opportunity! In addition to individual donations, we hope all Units and Clubs will support the Million Dollar Club and make this a focus of your fundraising ef- forts. We need to secure Murat's future with a debt-free remodeled facility. We have already established other ways you can give. Many individuals have given smaller amounts to our capital campaign. No amount is too small, and every donation will be acknowledged with our heartfelt thanks. Please refer to the last few Murat Magazines that came com- plete with an insert envelope for giving information. Although the amount of the project budget has been approved, the membership must approve any long-term borrowing or mortgage to cover the debt. Your MTA Board and Divan at a virtual or in-person Called Meeting will propose that we establish a line of credit for at least $1.4 million secured by a mortgage against our club space. We are required to give you a 20-day written notice of this meeting where the vote would occur. I assume this would be in either September or October. We need to get this done as soon as possible. In the interim, we will leverage our investments to cover the initial expenses of the remodeling project. We anticipate that the line of credit will be in place by November 1, 2020, and at that time will pay back the leveraged invest- ment accounts and use the line of credit for remodeling costs thereafter. When you are notified of this important meeting, please take time to attend. If it is virtual, we will take whatever steps are necessary to host a virtual meeting and accommodate any member interested in participating. My head is spinning with notices of can- cellations. Except for the Logansport Frolic on August 21 and 22, everything in August has been canceled. This included the Poten- tate's Ball. This was especially painful for me and Lady Cathy. When we rescheduled from March, we thought for sure we would be safe in August. We won't be rescheduling the Ball for 2020. The 2021 Ball is scheduled for March 20; be sure and mark your calendars. I would humbly ask that if you are able to
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