Kyabram 1st Scouts joined the Kyabram Freemasons on Saturday, February 15 for a fundraiser evening. Photo: Dan Spencer.
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The Kyabram Freemasons group held a fundraiser event for the Kyabram 1st Scouts, highlighting the deep-rooted connection between the two community organisations.
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The Kyabram Masonic Lodge was bustling with over 50 attendees on Saturday, February 15, with many eager to support the scouts and celebrate a relationship that has flourished for years, as Freemason Peter Reade noted on the night.
Mr Reade read out the story of the link between the two groups, starting with scout leader and Freemason Charles Archibald ‘Arch’ Brooks Hoadley.
Arch joined the Freemasonry in 1915 and the Boy Scout Association in 1921, before becoming a scoutmaster for a reformed 1st Footscray troop.
In 1924, Arch was inspired by founder of Scouts, Lord Baden-Powell's vision for scouting while researching technical education.
This experience proved crucial when he later developed Scout leader training courses as a training commissioner and chief commissioner.
He then became a commissioner in charge of the Australian Jamboree contingent on the 1929 third World Scout Jamboree, where he drew on his values of freemasonry as well as scouting, which he thought were aligned.
Before the jamboree, Arch asked Lord Baden-Powell, with Lord Somers and William Kennedy, for permission to create a new Masonic Lodge in his name.
In 1930, the Lord Baden-Powell Masonic Lodge was completed, and to this day, the lodge celebrates the scouting movement every Founders Day meeting in February where local Scout groups are invited to celebrate.
Kyabram Freemasons and Kyabram 1st Scouts gather for a photo at the Kyabram Masonic Lodge. Photo: Dan Spencer.
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This cherished connection continues to thrive, as evidenced by the Freemasons' successful fundraising effort, which generated a generous $500 for the Kyabram Scouts.
Mr Reade said, “it was an enjoyable night” where there were plenty of opportunities for mingling.
The Widows Sons Motorbike Association made an appearance, a few travelling as far as Cranbourne to support the night.
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