Masonic Ball To Honor Obama

Source: theBulletin

By John P. Connolly, The Bulletin

Published: Tuesday, January 06, 2009

A Washington-based Freemason’s lodge will be hosting a first-ever inaugural ball in honor of President-elect Barack Obama.

William R. Singleton Hope-Lebanon Lodge No. 7, of Washington, D.C., will host the ball in honor of Mr. Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. It is the first inaugural celebration to be hosted by Freemasons.

Tickets are $65 per Masonic visitor, and $75 per guest from the general public. Proceeds will go to the Masonic Foundation, the charitable arm of the Grand Lodge of D.C., which funds various programs in the D.C.-Metro area. These programs include the Special Olympics, Child ID programs, Youth Leadership Development Programs, and other activities.

The lodge describes Freemasonry as “a unique institution that has been a major part of community life in America for over [250] years.”

According to the the lodge’s Web site, the list of noteworthy Freemasons includes George Washington, Paul Revere, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, Teddy Roosevelt, John Hancock, Roy Acuff, Buzz Aldrin, Gene Autry, Gen. Omar Bradley, Ty Cobb, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry Ford and  Benjamin Franklin, among others.

John P. Connolly can be reached at [email protected]