Julie Druker | Jan 27, 2016


Over 100 diners dressed in high style filled the Oso Hall on January 23 to celebrate famed poet, folk hero, pioneer of the Romantic Movement, and inspiration to the founders of liberalism and socialism, Robbie Burns.

Burns was born on January 25, 1759 and back in 2009 he was voted as “the greatest Scot” by the Scottish public. His poems and songs were front and center at the fundraiser, which was put on jointly by, and in support of the Central Frontenac Volunteer Fire Department and the Frontenac Masonic Lodge No. 621.

The annual event, which attracted lodge members from as far away as Napanee, Harrowsmith, Kingston and Seeley's Bay, continues to highlight the close relationship between the two organizations.

Back in 1949, when the Oso Fire Department was formed, seven Masons were among its 16 founding members and for decades after, the two groups shared the use of the lodge’s well and parking lot while working together on a number of community projects.

The newest members of each organization were honored at the dinner: firefighter/first responders Heather Rioux and Jamie Malone, who joined the CF fire department in December 2014, and the Frontenac Masonic Lodge's newest Master Mason, Matthew Innocente.

The program included words of welcome from CF Fire Chief Bill Young and the lodge's Worshipful Master, Bill Kennedy. Kennedy, who was born in Crow Lake and now resides in Kingston, said that he became involved in the Sharbot Lake lodge because two of his uncles were members, one of them a founding member.

The Masons currently number 50 at the Sharbot Lake lodge and the oldest member is Virgil Garrett, who was in attendance at the dinner. Summing up the work of the Masons, Kennedy said the organization “teaches a system of morality, veiled in allegory, and illustrated by symbols.” Kennedy stated, “Essentially the teachings are to make good men better by teaching life lessons and in particular, how to live your life with faith and hope and charity.” Kennedy added that long before there was welfare, there was the Masonic lodge and the churches. Charity given through the lodge was something that was just done and never advertised: “Years ago members would just show up with a cord of wood or a pair of shoes or a side of beef to help those in need. Nowadays we do things like tonight, where we hold fundraisers to support local groups and organizations.”

Currently, the lodge is also supporting renovations at the Child Development Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, which serves both children and adults with developmental disabilities. Lodge members are also asked to bring a food donation to their regular meetings to support the NF food bank.

Following the opening words of welcome, Jeff Donnelly and Kathleen White piped in the haggis, which arrived fresh from a butcher in Kemptville and was addressed by lodge member Bill Robertson in a rousing toast.

The full course meal included appetizers of Scotch eggs, Cock-a-leekie soup, stuffed pork loin with all of the fixings and sticky pudding for dessert. Afterwards guests were entertained by Philippe Archambault, who gave the toast “to the lasses”, to which Frances Smith responded.

Kingston lodge member Ross Morton recited Burns' epic poem “Tam o' Shanter”, in which Burns paints a vivid and humorous picture of the drinking classes in the old Scottish town of Ayr in the late 18th Century. Local residents, Ken Fisher, Janet Gutowski and Simon Spanchak also recited selected verses written by the famed poet and Brent Cameron made a toast to “The Immortal Memory”.

Musical entertainment was provided by famed local fiddler Jessica Wedden and the evening was capped off with diners singing Burns' best-known song, “Auld Lang Syne”.

Proceeds from a raffle held at the celebration went to support Villages Beautiful and the North Frontenac Food Bank.

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