The purpose of this website is to communicate with all brothers and families associated with the Las Palmas - Ponderosa Masonic Lodge No. 366 in Fresno, California, and allow perspective members to better understand our organization.

New Years is usually a time for making resolutions and positive changes.  Most people think about these transitions in terms of their personal lives.  But change is not limited individuals; change may also take place in organizations.

As we embark upon not only a New Year, but a new decade as well, Lodge members may want to think about the following topics and provide feedback.  Your comments are always welcome, and you can e-mail them to the website editor.

More Activities - It has been said that the purpose of the "Blue Lodge" is to make Masons.  That is probably true.  But all work and no play makes for a very dull existence.  Should we plan more fun activities which take place away from the Lodge?  What are your suggestions?

Community Service - At present, Las Palmas-Ponderosa has two community service activities; the academic attendance bike reward program, and the Child ID program.  Should we be doing more for the community?  Should we team up with existing service organizations?  How do we increase the number of members participating in the programs?

Dress Code - There was some recent national controversy over comments made regarding under-dressing for specific Masonic occasions.  Have we become too casual or complacent regarding important occasions?  Should the Lodge mandate more formal dress-codes and turn away those inappropriately dressed for the event?

Lodge Consolidation - For years there has been talk in small circles about the consolidation of Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge 366, and Fresno Lodge 247.  What benefits would be derived from such a merger?  What would be the detriments?  Is a merger of these two lodges even possible?

Ritual Memorization - This has been a big subject among California Masons over the last several years.  Does memorization prevent or preclude capable men with superior leadership skills from becoming officers of the Lodge, or does memorization filter through only the most dedicated men?  In an age when there are more time demands on individuals, has memorizing large volumes of ritual become impractical?  Would we become more efficient as an organization if less time was spent on memorization?

If you have other topics you would like to address, e-mail them to us.

We hear the term "Worldwide Web" often when talking about the internet.  But we may not think really think about what that means in terms of exposure when we are referring to a local Masonic Lodge in Fresno, California.  If you think that only members of our Lodge look at this website, you'd be greatly mistaken.

In 2009, LPP 366 has received over 215,500 hits.  We receive approximately 350 unique visitors per month, some of whom review many pages of this website.  These numbers may seem very small in comparison to the hits and unique visitors that might visit mega-websites, such as YouTube.  But it's a surprise to us.

Most viewers look at the front page of our website, then head over to the event calendar.  We figure those are mostly members of the local Lodges.  But we also see a lot of IP's that examine our history section.  There are a number of people who look for genealogy information.

The majority of hits come from within the United States.  But you'd be surprised to see where other viewers originate from (as shown on the chart to the left).

So to all those viewers from outside California and beyond, welcome to our website.  We hope you enjoy it.

One of the major issues confronting Freemasonry for many years has been the aging of the Lodges; or to be concise, the relatively low number of younger men under the age of 40 joining the Lodge.  But over the last 16 months, that trend has started to reverse at Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge; enough to drive the average membership age down significantly.

With this influx of younger members, the issue now becomes how to keep these younger members interested and active in the Lodge.

Younger men are essentially bodies in motion leading dynamic lives.  Career advancement and meeting the needs of their young families are generally the focus of their daily existence.  Free time with friends is fleeting and precious, and they want to capitalize on activity and having fun.  Additionally, for many younger men, fulfilling activities must also include their spouse and children.

Any Lodge that doesn't understand this basic life stage fundamental about younger men will eventually loose the interest of their younger members, bringing that Lodge one step closer to non-existence.  Why?  Because younger members attract other younger members, and this phenomena feeds on itself.  If this phenomena is properly nurtured, and Lodge programming is geared in part to meeting the needs of younger members, soon the Lodge will be vibrant with young members setting a new course in Masonry.

The key is scheduling activities that don't necessarily occur at the Lodge, and often include other family members.  Organized picnics at local destinations with games are one example.  Bowling nights, baseball and basketball games, golf outings and tournaments are "bodies in motion" types of activities.  Poker nights, "Steaks and Stogies" nights, "Toasts and Roasts", and "Historic Epic Dinners" provide evenings of comradery and friendly competition. 

Blue Lodges are not just about "making Masons"; they are also about having fun with fellow members beyond rituals, monthly dinners, and stated meetings.  If you loose the fun, you loose the members to other organizations that fill this need.  If you attend to this need, you get a dynamic Lodge that grows.

Welcome to Lodge young members; it's time to have fun and be vocal about it.