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December 2020
Mount Calvary Lodge partners with Children's Hospital
By Bro Shawn Strode
The Lodge entered into a partnership with The Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Children's Hospital of Akron. This past holiday season several sickle cell patients were recipients of some extra blessings.
The donation helped families in need during the unprecedented holiday season, in which families faced challenging circumstances the likes of which many had never previously encountered. With the donation, the hospital was able to help several patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease and their families.
A huge "Thank You" was given to the Lodge from the sickle cell teamand everyone at The ShowersFamily Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Akron Children's Hospital.
Pictured L-R (Back Row) RWDGM Jerry Ellerson, WM Steve Johnson, PM Terry Blash, SW Brian Ellis, JW Ray Woodruff
L-R (Front Row) Akron Children's Sickle Cell Team; LaTonya Lewis, Lauren Beck, Dr. Prasad Bodas, RWDGL 5th Dwight Morton and Joe Delagrange
The Lodge entered into a partnership with The Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Children's Hospital of Akron. This past holiday season several sickle cell patients were recipients of some extra blessings.
The donation helped families in need during the unprecedented holiday season, in which families faced challenging circumstances the likes of which many had never previously encountered. With the donation, the hospital was able to help several patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease and their families.
A huge "Thank You" was given to the Lodge from the sickle cell teamand everyone at The ShowersFamily Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Akron Children's Hospital.
Pictured L-R (Back Row) RWDGM Jerry Ellerson, WM Steve Johnson, PM Terry Blash, SW Brian Ellis, JW Ray Woodruff
L-R (Front Row) Akron Children's Sickle Cell Team; LaTonya Lewis, Lauren Beck, Dr. Prasad Bodas, RWDGL 5th Dwight Morton and Joe Delagrange
Akron Prince Hall Masons Day of Service
On Monday, June 1, 2020 during the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the following members of Mount Calvary Lodge delivered lunch to Essential workers: WM Ryan Vinson, RW Deputy Grand Master Jerry Ellerson, RW Deputy Grand Lecturer (5th District) Dwight Morton, JW Brian Ellis, PM Eric Kidd, Sr., PM Terry Blash, SD Ray Woodruff and Bro Steve Johnson.
PM Josh Dobson and Bro Todd Webb are both members of the Lodge and Fire Fighters in Akron.
The Lodge delivered pizzas and Chicken to Station No. 9 where both Lt. Dobson and Officer Webb work.
Station members, Capt Jim Knafel, Lt Brian Jagger, Larry Williams, Steve Arce, Brian DiLoreti, Nick Corriere, Randall Green and Logan Stinson were all very appreciative of the gesture.
PM Josh Dobson and Bro Todd Webb are both members of the Lodge and Fire Fighters in Akron.
The Lodge delivered pizzas and Chicken to Station No. 9 where both Lt. Dobson and Officer Webb work.
Station members, Capt Jim Knafel, Lt Brian Jagger, Larry Williams, Steve Arce, Brian DiLoreti, Nick Corriere, Randall Green and Logan Stinson were all very appreciative of the gesture.
RWDGL Morton and PM Dobson
RWDGL Morton, PM Dobson, WM Vinson, Deputy Grand Master Ellerson, Bro Webb
Meanwhile across town, other Lodge members participate in Movie and Awards Night for Akron Prepatory School. Along with Sr. Warden Shawn Strode, were Chaplain Cisco Moore, Bro Dierre Senter and Bro Glen Parker.
Pictured from L-R
Cherryl Williams (Marketing), Ashley Miles (Principal), Bro Moore (Dean of Students), Bro Parker, Bro Senter, SW Strode and Jamon McClain (Dean of Students)
Pictured to the Right SW Strode
AKRON URBANITE DIVERSIFIES 97.5 WONE THE HOME OF ROCK N ROLL
Bro Christavus Dominic is a member of Mount Calvary lodge No. 76 Prince Hall F&AM where he serves as Co-Chair on the Publicity Committee. He is the first African American to hit the airwaves of 97.5 WONE THE HOME OF ROCK-N-ROLL, but he is no stranger to Rock N Roll, entertainment or the broadcast industry. Christavus Dominic or “Christopher D” will begin his venture on the 60,000-watt gorilla on the weekends and is ready and geared up. WONE-FM – branded 97.5 WONE is a 60,000 watts commercial classic rock radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio. Owned by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc., the station primarily serves the Akron metro area but has a major footprint in Northeast Ohio. The primary music is Classic Rock.
Chris has been working out with the Tim Daugherty, known as “The Rock-N-Roll Authority” a major icon in the Akron Community since early inception of WAKR. Jeff Lynn, PD of the radio station, met Dominic while teaching together in Cleveland, Ohio at The Ohio Media School, where Dominic teaches a marketing and sales. “I was playing around doing “a rap”- in radio terminology-it means you a practicing what you are going to say on the radio.” “Jeff called me on the carpet and told me he was looking for someone, so I went in on a Sunday to do a show and Tim Daugherty liked what he heard.”
With microphone in hand or behind the scenes, Christavus (Christopher D) has played a role in the entertainment community since 1989. Having worked with local, burgeoning artists and independent labels, he has negotiated and networked with many local and national promoters and executives in the industry. Furthermore, Chris has worked with nationally-recognized organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, Akron Weed & Seed Strategy, Clear Channel Worldwide, and as an intern at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame demonstrating his professionalism and dedication to his community and the arts. Chris has, in some way, promoted, managed, booked and marketed many groups from several genres of music, some of them including Junkman, Ace & Dee, Struggling Souls, TROOP, 1-900, Howard Street Blues, The Rude Boys and a list of others.
Christavus attended The University of Akron where he studied Communications with a concentration in Rhetoric. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication, which included a minor in Marketing and Music. While studying at The University of Akron, Christavus served as Music Director and On-air Announcer for WZIP FM 88.1. As a former Zippy, The University of Akron mascot, Dominic abounded with school spirit, helping raise the energy of Akron’s fans. After many years working in the corporate and non-profit sectors, Christavus returned to The University of Akron where he completed his graduate studies in Arts Administration with a Marketing concentration. Honoring his passion for and knowledge of music, he also completed an internship through the Development Department at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
After several years of working at The University of Akron teaching Public Speaking and Effective Oral Communication, Dominic decided the next move would be Montgomery, Alabama and “renew” himself. He worked for Atuagaville radio under “Killer Diller” Roscoe Miller, a native to “Deep South Alabama” and no stranger to Good Ol Country Blues radio broadcasting. While serving in Montgomery, Alabama Dominic made a move to Dothan to work for Wiregrass radio, which was a short lived dead-end, but Dominic dealt with the adversity.
Dealing with adversity is no stranger to Dominic, he discusses some of his own personal life issues and growing pains that he states, “Only GOD can get you through difficult situations-not man”. When GOD works with you, he is remolding and restructuring your life and It is a “PROCESS.” “When GOD is working with you, no one can count you out because he is and will always be in control.” Chris gives all the honor for this opportunity due to his faith. Chris has seen the rough side of the tracks but continues to have faith in his own prayer closet.
Chris states “It is an honor to be a part of the Rubber City Radio Group. It is also great to be at trendsetter and a diversity agent” “If you asked me a year ago would I have been working at the number one Classic Rock-N-Roll station in Akron, I would have just smiled with uncertainty and said I wish.”
Chris states, “I am ready to build a new brand.” Christopher D can be heard on 97.5 WONE THE HOME OF ROCK-N-ROLL ON WEEKENDS from 2pm-7pm Saturday’s and filling in on other days as needed.
Akron firefighter wins national chili cook-off
Posted by Shawn Strode
AKRON, Ohio — In 2019, Akron firefighter Damarcus Wilkinson and member of Mount Calvary Lodge No. 76, walked away a winner after competing on the daytime television talk show Pickler & Ben.
Pickler & Ben is an American syndicated daytime talk show hosted by country singer Kellie Pickler and media personality Ben Aaron, focusing on lifestyle, beauty, celebrity and advertorial segments, along with the subjects of human interest stories. The series premiered on September 18, 2017. The series also had a "shop the show" feature that allowed viewers to buy featured items from HSN via the show's website and HSN.com. In March 2019, it was announced that Pickler & Ben was cancelled after two seasons. The final episode aired on May 22, 2019.
Wilkinson competed in the show's second annual chili cook-off and his recipe was so good it won him the chili bowl trophy.
The cook-off was judged by chefs Marc Murphy from Food Network's popular cooking competition Chopped and Pat Neely.
Wilkinson was invited to compete in the "Pickler & Ben" chili cook-off after show staff members searching for winners of various chili competitions found his chili from a story about his win in an Akron Firefighters Chili Challenge, according to an article by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Dare if you try to relive the chili cook off experience by making your own pot. Enjoy and good look, here's the award winning recipe: