In 1998, in the Julio Iglesias room of La Hacienda Regional Recreation Center in the Lady Lake section of The Villages, Florida, the dream of a Masonic Lodge centered around The Villages in Florida first began to take shape.
This first meeting started a group of Masons on a path of gathering potential members, securing the necessary equipment, and putting in the time to show the Masonic world that this group was worthy of receiving a charter.
The Master at the time of Leesburg Lodge No. 58, Joe Price (pictured at right), helped the fledgling group procure much of the necessary equipment to start a Masonic lodge, receiving donations from several active and defunct lodges from around the state.
Also, many of the new potential members donated money to purchase the balance of those items necessary to outfit the lodge.
This new group then put in many hours of practice to perform the necessary ritual with proficiency.
A month later, on March 2, 1998 at the new group's second meeting, District Deputy Grand Master Warren Shippee in his official capacity representing the Grand Lodge of Florida, announced that there was, indeed, the possibility that the new potential lodge would be granted a charter at the upcoming Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge in June.
SUCCESS!
Indeed, on June 16th, 1998 the Villages Masonic Lodge received its charter to become an official Florida Masonic lodge.
The first meeting of the new lodge was a truly grand affair with over 130 persons in attendance including the new Grand Master of Masons in Florida, Jacque Couture (pictured at right).
Grand Master Couture dedicated and consecrated the new Villages Masonic Lodge No. 394, Free and Accepted Masons, and proceeded to install the first Master of the Lodge, John McCleve, as well as the other elected and appointed officers who served for the remainder of 1998.
Today, we are a vibrant, growing lodge meeting in the newly renovated Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge in Leesburg. We have fun "making good men better" and contributing to the welfare of both The Villages and surrounding communities.
Throughout the year, we contribute both time and money to many charities and organizations helping others around us.
We are also very proud that, quite ironically, the very first lodge of the Grand Lodge of Florida was also in a building shared with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows!
(See below)
At right is a photo of the oldest Masonic Lodge in Florida.
The Grand Lodge of the Territory of Florida was organized in this building at 202 South Adams Street in Tallahassee on July 6, 1830.
Fifteen years later, Florida would become a state.
The building was shared with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Note the letters below the upper windows on the building: "F. & A.M." and "I.O.O.F."
Unfortunately, the building suffered a catastrophic fire in 1926, but by then the Grand Lodge was safely lodged in Jacksonville.
