History of D.V. Lodge #182.
The ‘50s were booming in Drayton Valley with oil and more people moving to the area every year. Many brethren came together to attend meetings and decided to create a lodge in Drayton Valley.
Meridian lodge 129 was gracious enough to become our sponsor. That opened the door to us becoming a Canadian Rite Lodge.
With building the groundwork and allowing us to meet and practice. It ensured us to follow all the rules and regulations in becoming a lodge.
For one full year Grand lodge allowed us to practice as long as we had the officers of Meridian lodge 129 to guide us.
March 10, 1960 we were instituted by Grand Lodge which at this time, meetings were being held at the Scouts Hall. Around 150 Masons were in attendance to the ceremony with now 26 new Drayton Valley Lodge members.
During the 1960s lodges from all over helped by donating valuable pieces, to make up what is considered a working running Lodge.
With special thanks to all these lodges including:
Saskatchewan #92
Temple Centennial #167
Jasper Park #143
Meridian #129
Victoria #13
Onoway #138
October 7, 1961 we were constituted as lodge number 182 with the first 26 members of the lodge initiating 13 new members and two more by affiliation.In 1962 the lodge had a rough year with six members who had a calling for work in other areas. But with every negative comes a positive, our lodge started a mentor plan in which they traveled to Jasper Park to take part in a second-degree team. Our first master of Drayton Valley Lodge 182 was appointed to Grand Steward at Grand lodge communications in Edmonton in ‘64. In ’65, a member of Meridian lodge 129, that was instrumental in the creation of our lodge, passed away.With every passing year more and more members would start joining and growing up the ranks through our lodge, creating the building blocks to what we have today at Drayton Valley Lodge#182. Till 1985 we continued to use the Scouts Hall to hold our meetings. We purchased our current building in 1984 from a well known oil company. We then had to ask for the plot, where we now reside, from the town.
Once all the dust settled and we got our building moved to our current location. It was placed on blocks in the parking lot. We then began to dig the basement, to free the space upstairs to utilize it for rental space. Many of our members donated time and equipment to get the job completed. At which point we pulled the lodge over the basement, one of the members used his bed truck, and broke an axle completing this great task. With all the rain that poured during the week it did not make the job any easier.
Since late 1986 we have been holding our meetings in our lodge building. Now holding 60 members with all members doing their part over the years, we have kept our lodge moving and growing, helping our community. Our brothers grow and keep Freemasonry for what it stands for:
Equal men standing together and supporting one another.
The rich man leaves his rank and state outside the mason door;
The poor man meets his true respect upon the checkered floor.
Meeting:
Second Thursday of every month.
Except July and August.
Tile at 7:30 Pm Festive board to follow.
D.V. Lodge #182
5602-55 Street (Masonic Hall) Drayton Valley
A message from our Worshipful Master: