SEC: Community_Broadsheet DT: 03-05-2014 ZN: Orange ED: 1 ORANGE PG #: 1 PG: Cover BY: jgish TI: 03-03-2014 17:31 CLR: C K Y M City News AN EDITION OF THE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 20 1 4 OCREGISTER.COM/ORANGE Orange’s fraternal order, turning 125 this year, has 367 members of all ages, backgrounds. PHOTOS: MELINA PIZANO, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Members of Orange Grove Lodge 293 gather at the Orange Masonic Center. BY FERMIN LEAL STAFF WRITER E Orange Grove Lodge 293 very Tuesday night, they gather in the old opera house tucked inside a brown brick building at the Plaza. They’re a collection of retired military veterans, lawyers, real estate agents and bluecollar workers. Some are as young as 23, while others are in their 90s. They wouldn’t appear to have much in common, except for the bond they share – they are Orange’s Freemasons. The fraternal order of Orange Grove Lodge 293, celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, is one of the oldest in California, and one of the few that continues thriving. It boasts 367 members, many commuting from across The first chartered meeting of the lodge was Nov. 5, 1 889. It’s the second-oldest Masonic Lodge in Orange County (Santa Ana has the oldest). Some of the original members included Orange founding fathers, Alfred Chapman and Andrew Glassell. Home: Orange Masonic Center, 7 1 Plaza Square Members: 367 Annual dues: $60 To join: The overall requirement to join the Freemasons is that the candidate must be free and considered to be of good character, without any criminal record. To join the Orange lodge, candidates must petition. Following a background check, members vote on the candidate. To win acceptance, the candidate needs a unanimous vote in support by the membership. Online: ormc.us The emblem of the Orange Grove ILLUSTRATION: ANNA BERKEN, STAFF DESIGNER S E E M A S O N S ● PA G E 4 Huell Howser exhibit to open at Chapman on March 29 The late public-television icon donated much of his estate to the Orange campus. BY FERMIN LEAL STAFF WRITER A permanent exhibit at Chapman University dedicated to Huell Howser will contain some of the public-television icon’s favorite memorabilia, artwork and even some pieces from the Bunny Museum. Later this month, the university will open a permanent exhibit honoring Howser: “That’s Amazing! Thirty Years of Huell Howser and California’s Gold” will be inside the university’s Leatherby Libraries. It will feature a replica of Howser’s office, a quote wall, career artifacts, pieces from his eclectic personal art collection, and fan gifts from his travels throughout California. “It’s going to be fantastic,” said Candace Frazee, also known as the Bunny Lady, whose Bunny Museum in Pasadena was featured in an episode of the “Visiting With Huell Howser” TV series. “It will help introduce Huell to a whole new generation. I’m so thrilled and looking forward to checking out the exhibit for myself,” she said. Frazee said she will be one of the first visitors to the exhibit when it opens March 29. The free exhibit, sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, will on that first day debut a new documentary, “A Golden State of Mind: The Storytelling Genius of Huell Howser,” FILE PHOTO: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The late Huell Howser was known for showcasing the obvious as well as the obscure places around California on his television shows. created by Chapman film professor Jeff Swimmer. Howser, who died in January 2013, donated to Chapman his entire archive of more than 900 episodes of “California’s Gold,” a public-television series that spotlighted obvious and obscure places in the Golden State. He also gave the university his mid-20thcentury residence 20 miles east of Barstow, known as the Volcano House, and bequeathed money – more than $1 million by some estimates – personal belongings, and his extensive art and artifact collection. Last year, Chapman organized a Huell Howser Day to honor him. Besides the Bunny Lady, Howser spotlighted and made famous real-life characters, including “Lint Lady” Slater Barron and whistling champ Carole Anne Kaufman. For information, go to huellhowserarchives.com. C O N TA C T T H E W R I T E R : 7 1 4-704-3773 or [email protected] Southern California’s Finest Dining on the Coast NOW OPEN FIG & OLIVE A stunning space offering an elegant Mediterranean dining experience. RED O RESTAURANT Chef Rick Bayless offers upscale Mexican cuisine. LARK CREEK An award winning restaurant with a locally sourced menu. ShopFashionIsland.com | © The Irvine Company LLC, 2014. All Rights Reserved. Fashion Island is a registered trademark of Irvine Company. SEC: Community_Broadsheet DT: 03-05-2014 4 ZN: Orange ED: 1 PG #: 4 PG: Jump BY: jgish TI: 03-03-2014 17:29 FROM PAGE 1 ORANGE CITY NEWS CLR: C K Y M WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 20 1 4 PHOTOS: MELINA PIZANO, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Photographs of past Orange Grove Lodge 293 masters dating to 1 888 are displayed along the walls in the Tiler’s Room of the Orange Masonic Center. Today, the lodge includes 367 members, many of whom commute from throughout Southern California. The first Orange Grove Lodge master, A.C. Collins, is pictured in 1 888. The Orange Masonic Center has a balcony with original seats from the 1 920s. The lodge’s stage is at right. The Freemasons also rent out a portion of the building. MASONS F R O M PA G E 1 Southern California. Among the members is the charismatic Marshall Tipton, the 33-year-old master, or sort of the president, of the lodge. He wears crisp suits to most meetings, and often pops on his ceremonial top hat, golden medallion and apron adorned with the iconic Masonic emblem to show his pride in the group. “This is such a fun lodge,” said Tipton, an office manager from Anaheim. “We’re very family oriented. Everyone here truly cares and has respect for each other.” Freemasons such as Paul McDonough and Alex Gonzalez are the lodge comedians, constantly cracking jokes and razzing other members. Karl Sandhoff from Riverside serves as the lodge’s unofficial historian. Ask him about famous Freemasons throughout history and he rattles off a list of names. Point to any of the old portraits on the wall, and he’ll give a detailed account of who’s in the photo, A photograph of current Orange Grove Lodge 293 master Marshall Tipton is on display at a desk in the lodge. The lodge’s library contains books dating to 1 888, such as this book of proceedings. Masonry Founded: In 1 7 1 7, the Freemasons organized as a fraternal group with the establishment of the first governing body, called a Grand Lodge, in London. Who they are: Masonry is the world’s first and largest fraternal organization. It is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to help make the world a better place. Their philosophy is to lead by example, give back to FILE PHOTO communities and support numerous This photo found in the Orange County Register archives shows the Orange Plaza philanthropies. in the 1 880s. The first Orange Grove Lodge was a room on the second floor of the Membership: 80,000 bank building shown here. According to tradition, the two men in top hats are members in California, Orange founding fathers Alfred Chapman and Andrew Glassell. 2 million in the United States, 3 million worldwide Members through history include: Presidents: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush Other notables: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Walt Disney, W.E.B. Du Bois, J. Edgar Hoover, John Wayne, Shaquille O’Neal Reagan Disney Wayne O’Neal when it was taken and why it’s important to the lodge. Sandhoff drives nearly an hour from his home to the lodge each week. “I could have joined the lodge that’s five minutes from my house, but it just doesn’t have the same history as this one,” Sandhoff, 61, said. Several members drive in from Norco and Victorville. One member drove from Bakersfield until he moved to Orange County. The Orange lodge is one the few in California with such an active membership and scores of candidates continuously petitioning to join. Membership in other lodges has dwindled over the past few decades. “When people think of Masonic lodges, they think of an old boys club,” said Rob Scott, a Freemason for more than 30 years. “But that’s definitely not the case here.” The lodge encourages members to bring their families. Some wives are actively involved in organizing events. Children chase each other through the hallways. The lodge’s location also is a draw. The 1912 building, on the northwest corner of the Plaza, once served as the Campbell Opera House. Inside, there is a stage, balcony seating and large hall. The Freemasons purchased the property in the 1920s. They rent out a portion of the building to Café Lucca and COBA Academy. The rental income allows the lodge to charge membership dues of just $60 per year. Through the lodge, Freemasons run a series of fundraisers, youth programs and other communitybased events. They award annual scholarships to college-bound seniors, recognize teachers and other public employees, and promote literacy programs. “It’s very important for us to be involved in our community,” Tipton said. “We’ve been here in Orange so long, it’s now a part of who we are.” C O N TA C T T H E W R I T E R : 7 1 4-704-3773 or [email protected] ADVERTORIAL Beautifully Updated Pool Home with a Main Floor Master Suite Welcome to 3837 Grandview Drive located in the beautiful city of Brea. This exceptional and beautifully upgraded Western Paciic Pool homefeatures4bedrooms,3fullbathsandover 3200 Sq-Ft of living space on an exquisitely landscaped lot with the convenience of a three-car tandem garage. No luxury has been overlooked in this highly upgraded home. 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