Valley Programs

The Johnny Knorr Orchestra will be featured at The Cleveland Masonic Center Auditorium on Friday, May 17, at 8:00 p.m. with “Music you Like....the Way you Want to Hear It.” Featured vocalists are Gay Hobbs and Howard Hill singing such favorites as “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “ Crazy” and “When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New.”

The Knorr Band has received numerous awards most recently from the U. S. Postal Service in conjunction with their American Music Stamp Series, and in 1997 he received a Glass Plaque for the People’s Choice Award for the Performing Arts as the best instrumental group.

At the age of nine, Johnny was on the stage playing violin solos made popular by Dave Rubinoff. During his Junior High School years, he performed as a violin soloist on programs with Helen O’Connell. At Toledo Libbey High School, he was featured as violin soloist with the orchestra and a saxophone soloist with the band and was awarded a scholarship to Ohio Northern University.

Johnny played with several traveling bands and stage shows, ice shows, circus and many different styles of bands. In 1960, he formed his own band and since then has gained national recognition while sharing the stage with Tex Beneke, Johnny Desmond, The Four Aces, Bobby Vinton, and others.

The members of The Johnny Knorr Orchestra have been with Johnny for an average of over 20 years, which assures the quality of the band. Gay Hobbs, the featured vocalist, has been with the band for 15 years.

Since 1979, Johnny has helped return big band music to the forefront. He has performed to record crowds in Indiana, Cedar Point and Mackinac Island. On September 16, 1996, he received a Proclamation from the City of Toledo for 35 years of performing big band music for the enjoyment and entertainment of thousands who live in the tri-state area. Johnny will celebrate his 81st birthday in May.

Johnny says,” So many of our memories are linked to music. We’ve played some concerts and I’ve seen tears coming from the faces of people in the crowd, even men’s faces, when we play certain songs. At the other extreme, we see some couples in their early 20s dancing the lindy and having a ball. I believe it when people say this music will last forever.”

He figures the band has played more than 2,000 different songs. His newest addition, by George Strait, is “I just want to Dance With You.” His most requested song is Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust.”

Johnny, a Mason, credits his wife, Jane, to whom he has been married for over 60 years, with saving his music. She went back to school and earned a degree in education at the University of Toledo so she could support the family when Johnny hurt his back in 1958 and 1973.

Knorr’s son Jerry plays saxophone in the Johnny Knorr Orchestra and helps write arrangements.

The Johnny Knorr Orchestra will be live and on-stage at the Cleveland Masonic Center. The cost of tickets is $8.00 per person and are available from the Valley of Cleveland office during regular business hours. When ordering tickets by mail, please enclose a self-addressed envelope to assure proper ticket distribution.

Join your brethren for an evening of “Music You Like....the Way you Like To Hear it.”

Travel and Adventure Series continues with a trip to England

The Valley of Cleveland continues the 2002 Travel and Adventure series with a Sunday afternoon matinee, March 10th, program featuring narrator Charles Hartman’s reflections, on film, of his recent visit to “Royal and Proud England.”

The Travel program begins at 2:30 p.m. It will be preceded by a concert by The Al Koran Shrine Band beginning at approximately 1:30 p.m., and the recognition program of Valley of Cleveland 50 year members, and Roy Nilsen, 2001 Mummer of the Year at 2:15 p.m.

The Travel and Adventure film series is just one of the many Family Life programs of the valley for 2002. Admission is FREE and open to members and their guests, We especially invite children who wish to broaden their travel horizons without leaving their Masonic Auditorium seat.

A donation to the Valley of Cleveland Food Bank is suggested and would be greatly appreciated by the hungry throughout northeastern Ohio.

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The last in the Valley of Cleveland Family Life 2002 series of Travel and Adventure programs will feature a trip to England.

Fascinating England has influenced our world, perhaps more than any other nation. We will begin our tour with a visit to London where we will observe the colorful changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Visiting Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Parliament, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square are just a few of the stops we take along the way. Shopping at Harrods is a real experience. Join us for a picnic in St. James Park, and we will travel to Epsom for “Royal Ascot.”

At the Thames Valley we will go to Hampton Court, the Windsor Castle, and nearby Runnymede. This is where King John signed the Magna Carta. Tour Blenheim Palace and gather at Oxford where we see the punting on the Thames. St. Albans, the Hatfield House of Elizabeth I and a medieval banquet. The National Rose Society Gardens, and then by boat we travel to Pangbourne for the Wind in the Willows.

In Sussex we travel with Chaucer’s pilgrims to Canterbury, Brighton, and the Price Regent’s royal pavilion, recalling William the Conqueror at Winchester.

In the West Country, we visit Wessex, Devon, and Cornwall, searching for King Arthur. Take in the myths and legend at Tintagel, Glastonbury Abbey and Bodmin Moor. Visit Salisbury and nearby Stonehenge, the Roman and Regency bath, from Drake and Raleigh to pilgrim colonists at Plymouth. A devon cream tea at Totnes, and original cheddar cheese at cheddar cheese gorge.

At the Midlands experience Shakespeare and the age of Elizabeth I at Stratford-Upon-Avon. Take a ride to the Cotswold’s country and villages, travel by narrow boat on a canal journey to Chester and take in the Warwick Castle, Lincoln and Peak District.

The North Country includes Lancashire, Yorkshire and Northumbria. In Lancashire we visit the Lake District of Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. Travel the Yorkshire moors and dales, visit Roman and Viking York and Yorkminster. Experience Harrowgate and Ripon and Fountains Abbey. In Northumbria see Hadrian’s Wall and St. Aidan’s Lindisfarne, the “Holy Island”. We end our visit in Durham, the Norman Castle and Cathedral.

A reception honoring Valley of Cleveland 50 year members, Roy Nilsen, Mummer of the Year, and our guest speaker, Charles Hartman, will be held following the Travel and Adventure Series program. Stay and enjoy the great refreshments and greet our distinguished members and guest.

Winter Dinner Dance

Robert Childers, High Priest of Bahurim Council, Princes of Jerusalem, host for the Dinner/Dance greets Roman and Anna Vaynshtok. Roman is a member of Collinwood Lodge.

One of the first guests to arrive at the Valley of Cleveland Dinner Dance was Emma Hall and Donald Price. Donald is a member of Dover Lodge.

Duncan and Ginger McVean, Joanne Oberturf, and Helen Maye help themselves from the appetizer table at Pine Ridge Country Club.

The dance floor was completely filled with line dancers at the annual Scottish Rite Dinner/Dance January 26th.

Virginia Stephanoff, wife of Boris Stephanoff, M.S.A., and Helen Maye, Bob Childers mom, pose for the camera at the Valley of Cleveland Dinner/Dance.

Annual meeting and election of officers May 6th
Installation of officers to follow election

Official notice of the annual meeting of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the Valley of Cleveland on Monday evening, May 6th, is hereby given to all members. The meeting will be held in the Cleveland Masonic Center, 3615 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.

The annual meeting is similar to a corporate shareholders meeting when those responsible for the operation of the organization report on the progress to date. As shareholders in the Scottish Rite, all members should be present to exercise their voice in the future of the valley.

Arthur G. Quade Thrice Potent Master of Eliadah Lodge of Perfection, will preside at the meeting. The agenda has been carefully planned to assure a well-organized session. Reports will be given by the secretary, Ill.·. John H. Youngblood, 33°, Ill.·. Wilbur B. Smith, 33°, Treasurer, and other committee chairmen.

The principal order of business is the election of officers for 2002-2003. Officers will be elected to the lines of Eliadah Lodge of Perfection, Bahurim Council, Princes of Jerusalem, and Lake Erie Consistory.

Following the election, the officers for the 2002-2003 term will be installed. Your attendance is requested.

17th Degree to be presented at
Four Coordinate Body meeting

The April meeting of the Valley of Cleveland, to be held on Monday, April 1st., will feature the portrayal of the 17th Scottish Rite degree.

The degree presentation makes it possible to achieve another portion of viewing all 29 Scottish Rite degrees. It has been the goal of the Supreme Council/Northern Jurisdiction and the Valley of Cleveland, beginning with the Spring Millennium Class of Candidates, that every member have the opportunity to view all the degrees of the Scottish Rite in a timely manner. Brethren, who view all the degrees presented, will be recognized by the Supreme Council

Six of the degrees (14-15-16-17-18-&32) are presented at the semi-annual reunions presented by the Valley of Cleveland. Usually two other degrees are presented to complete the reunion program.

In order to complete the Supreme Council degree program, additional degree presentations are being made. The special degree that will be presented April 1st is entitled “ Commander of the Temple”. It teaches that Scottish Rite Freemasonry believes in the concept of a free church in a free state, each supreme in its own sphere, neither seeking to dominate the other, but cooperating for the common good.

Be in attendance April 1, see the degree, greet your brethren, and get your Passport signed by the Secretary. It will be a great night of Masonry.