Happy Valentine’s Day! As this special day comes around, don’t forget your loved ones.

At this month’s meeting, we want to show some love to our Worshipful Masters from around the Valley. Please be sure your WM has received our invitation to join us on February 27 for a special night of recognition, honoring both them and the Blue Lodges they lead. We will also hold our Ring Ceremony and the Knighting Ceremony for new members of the Knights of St. Andrews.

We had a tremendous start to the new year with our January meeting and the Annual State of the Valley recap. Our Valley continues to carry the banner for the Orient of Florida by leading in so many ways. We paid homage to Brothers who have worked diligently for the Valley, including 15 years of dedication from Ill. Chet King and more than two decades of service from Ill. Keith Albright. In addition, we recognized those who received Honors last year.

One key to our future success is the Lodge Ambassador Program. We must stay connected with our Blue Lodges and offer our help and support in all they do for our Fraternity. These Brothers will work closely with our Lodges to promote Scottish Rite by informing the Craft about our work and events. My thanks to Brother Tracy Chastain, 32° KCCH, for leading this effort as our Membership Chairman. The Knights of St. Andrews and the KCCH Club are also poised to do great things to enhance the Scottish Rite experience this year—please keep an eye out for their upcoming events.

Another important area of focus is our local Scottish Rite Clubs. There is no better way to keep the spirit alive in your community than by supporting and attending the SR Club in your area. We are concerned that the New Smyrna Beach Club may fold unless Brothers from that area step up to organize regular meetings and bring the Club back to life. Thank you to all who carry this mission forward and help bring our local Brothers together.

Last year, we raised an incredible amount of support for our Speech Disorder Clinic, contributing well over $72,000 to continue their work with children in our area. However, we cannot rest on past accomplishments—we must push ourselves to do even more this year. Our Assistant General Secretary, Ill. Jay Cebollero continues to lead this effort and keeps us focused on giving our very best. We extend our sincere thanks to him.

To promote the teachings of the Scottish Rite in a way unique to this Orient—by the Valley of Orlando conferring all 29 degrees within a single year—requires active membership. That is where each of you comes in. We must replenish our rolls every year so that we can continue this important work. In 2025 alone, we lost more than 60 members who passed to the Celestial Lodge, 60 who failed to pay dues over multiple years, and 20 who did not maintain their Blue Lodge membership—a total of 152 members. To ensure the future of our Valley and preserve these vital teachings, we must bring in new Master Masons to backfill these losses.

To that end, please remind your Brothers of the upcoming Reunion on April 11–12. Encourage them to return and renew their ties with us, or to join in the ceremonies and become one of us. Remember why you are a Freemason. Today’s society struggles with doing the right thing. We teach how to do the right thing, and it is up to each of us to be the moral fiber so desperately needed in this world. If we do not step up—then who will?

Fraternally,

 Rickey Ricks

 Valley of Orlando Personal Representative to SGIG