On Thursday, 28 January, Mr Randy Walton took his first step in Freemasonry and was admitted to our Order. Bro Walton was an exemplary candidate who, as he mentioned in the response to his toast at the Festive Board, was influenced to join the Order from Masonic sources in both domestic and social circles.

Randy's ceremony was attended by an extraordinary number of brethren: 36 members and 26 visitors. The visitors included: two very impressive fraternals, one led by W Bro. Sangeet (Sam) Gupta, WM Lodge Capitol, numbering 10 and the other led by W Bro. Mike Macnamara, WM Lodge Queanbeyan St Andrew, numbering 8; W Bro. Alan Carnall, WM Lodge Gowrie; Bro. Philip Purcell, SW Lodge Capitol; W Bro. Malcolm Mann, SW Lodge Gowrie; a delegation from Lodge of Truth Braidwood; brethren from Yass Lodge of Concord and Lodge Caledonia; and 5 EAFs and 4 FCFs - one of the EAFs, Bro. Ric Holloway, had been Initiated the previous evening at Yass Lodge of Concord and another EAF, Bro. Wayne Poulton, has recently posted to town with the Navy from Nowra. It was an exceptional and memorable meeting and one which Bro. Walton is sure to reflect on throughout his Masonic journey.

Lodge Capitol's Fraternal Delegation Prior to Entering the Lodge
 (L-R) Bro. Charanjiet Kashmirian, Bro. Niraj Ramdin (Caledonia), Bro. Jagjeet Basant,
Bro. Paul Cassell, W Bro. Sangeet Gupta (WM), W Bro. Richard Barrington-Knight (DC),
Bro. Philip Purcell (SW), RW Bro. Mike Dalton, Bro. Simon Hruza (JD) and VW Bro. Geoff Ludowyk

The WM presents Bro. Walton with the 1st Ritual Book

The North 
(clockwise from front) Bro. Randy Walton, Bro. Zaine Bulot, RW Bro. Ian Angus, Bro. Niraj Ramdin,
Bro. Ric Holloway, Bro. Wayne Poulton, Bro. Charanjiet Kashmirian, W Bro. Keith Cossart,
Bro. Nicholas McCaskie, Bro. Alex Slater (IG - obscured), W Bro. Greg Scott-Pacey, (obscured) and W Bro. Leo Praks

Bro. Wayne Poulton and Bro. Ric Holloway

The evening also celebrated the first regular meeting of Lodge Commonwealth of Australia following the December Installation. All officers and participants performed very well and our JD, Bro Ray Newcombe, is worthy of particular note because he had not previously held office - it was certainly not evident as he confidently embraced a significant role in Bro. Walton's ceremony.

The evening was not without incident however; the extraordinary attendance, totaling 62 brethren, required timely contingency planning by our JW, W Bro. Ben Bopf, who ordered pizzas to supplement the Festive Board and W Bro. Malcolm Mann, SW Lodge Gowrie, stepped in to provide valued and much appreciated assistance in the kitchen. The JW's Chair was filled during the latter stages of the meeting by W Bro. Peter Camiller, Lodge of Truth, while Ben organised the supplementary catering. The WM, who was in the Chair for his first meeting, required several sips of water, in several parts of the lodge, as he stepped through an uncharacteristically full and varied inaugural agenda.

If our first meeting can be used as an indicator 2010 will indeed be a year to remember.

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RW Bro. Bob Perriman, Randy's Mentor, proposes the toast to our Newly Initiated Brother

Bro. Randy Walton responds to his Toast

Bro. Walton Circulates with the Traditional Broken Column Guided by W Bro. Warren Barsley

Bro. Ross Penglase, Director of Music, Proposes the Visitor's Toast

W Bro. Mike Macnamara responds to the Visitor's Toast
(L-R) W Bro. Alan Carnall, WM Lodge Gowrie, and W Bro. Mike Macnamara,
WM Lodge Queanbeyan St Andrew

The Capitol fraternal image was supplied by Lodge Capitol, remaining images by VW Bro. David Slater