Ashler Lodge of Rockport held an exciding event to help support its Angle fund.  On August 22, 2004 Ashler Lodge sponsored the” Race to the Bottom” a wacky cardboard boat race. There was good food, t-shirts, good fun and lots of laughs. Ashler Lodge came up with this idea because we wanted to have a family-friendly event.  The event was to raise awareness, to raise some money, and to have a good fun time.  Ashler Lodge is really trying to build awareness in our community about who we are and what we do; we’re not just a bunch of stuffy guys in stuffed shirts who have “secret” meetings. 

Our Lodge members are members because they want to belong to an active organization, a group of men who make a difference. They want to belong to an organization where they can make friends, maybe even learn a little bit more about themselves.  Some of the members of Ashler Lodge are trying to make a commitment to the future of the freemasonry in Rockport by doing “whatever it takes”., whether it be by serving as an officer, planning events, sponsoring candidates or all of the above.  These efforts are bearing fruit, we are fortunate to have brought in several groups of wonderful candidates in the past couple of years, these members are becoming active in the Lodge activities, and their enthusiasm is contagious.  These days we are hearing fewer members of the Lodge asking “what’s for supper next month?” and more members asking “what’s going on next month.

   The race committee judged all of the contestants boats before they were put to sea.  There were (8) eight different categories the racers could win.

The contestants were provided with supplies of, two 4 x 8 sheets of corrugated cardboard, Duct tape, razor knife, paper clip, yard stick and spray Shellac.  They got two hours to build a cardboard boat, and then the real fun started.  This was one of the funniest events for both the contestants and spectators alike.

1) The winner of the race:                 Dip Ship, captained by Brother Ken Beck of Tyrian-Acacia Lodge of Gloucester.

2) Best designed boat award:           Banana Boat, captained by Brother Dana Griffin’s daughter Ashler Lodge.

3) Most in a boat:                            Big Red, this boat was a pontoon boat, and six people fit in it before it sank.

4) Best use of the paper clip:            Andrea Dory-a, captained by Brother Robert Lucas wife of Ashler Lodge.

5) Most Outrageous antics:              SS Blub, captained by Keith Dougwillo sponsored by a Brother form Tryian-Acacia Lodge of Gloucester

6) Most unusual boat:                       Team Patey, Wor. Stan Patey’s whole family was involved in this design.

7) First to sink:                                Titanic, built by the Rockport Boy Scouts-Troop 20

8) Sportsmanship Award:                 Submarine Squad,  by Employees of Den-Mar Nursing Home and Brother Sonny Favaloro of Ashler Lodge.

 The other teams involved in this event deserved a lot of praise for the effort and fun put into making there boats.