From The Recorders Desk
By Paul W. Uttley, P.R

 

April, 2008

Greetings to all Nobles and Ladies:

     I am sure by now, everyone has had enough cold weather and ready for some warm springtime weather. Speaking of warm weather , Glenda and I just returned from a week in Destin, Florida vacationing with our kids and grandkids. Had a great time relaxing on the white sands of the beach. While visiting there, we had dinner one evening with Julie Lawson, our former Temple administrator and her daughter Angie, also a former employee at Mirza. She wants all to know she hasn’t forgotten all the good memories while working for Mirza Shriners and wishes everyone the best.
    After returning home, we spent the next week along with our committee putting the final touches on the decorations for the Potentate’s Ball. If you missed the ball, you missed a beautiful and fun evening. Glenda and I would like to thank the Ball committee for such a wonderful job of putting this event together. Illustrious Sir David and First Lady Denise were very pleased.
    The next few months are going to be very busy ones with all the fund raising events such as the golf tournaments, sporting clay shoots, onion sales and tractor pull as well as the Spring Ceremonial coming up. Also, don’t forget the Mirza breakfast on the first Sunday of each month.
    Another area that we are needing volunteers is drivers to transport our kids to the hospitals. We have had an unusually large number of patients needing transportation during the month of March and have several already scheduled in April. If you are a Hospital Dad and you are not on the list to drive and would like to, please call the office. If you are not a Hospital Dad and would like to join, call me at the office and I will be glad to help get you signed up.
    Remember, Spring Ceremonial on Saturday, May 10th. Get those petitions in. Thanks for your continuing support and have a great spring.

 “A family of friends helping kids and having fun. Come out and enjoy the ride.”

Fraternally,

Paul W. Uttley P.P.

Mirza Recorder

Jan 2008

    How time flies by when you are having fun. Seems like yesterday we were planning for 2007 and 2008 is already here.
    Congratulations to Thus. Sir John Lair and, First Lady Jana on a great year. So many things were accomplished in 07 it would be hard to list them all. It was certainly a fun year and a joy to serve under such a hard working Potentate. I am sure John and Jana are going to enjoy a lot more free time that they haven’t had over the last few years. Believe me; the title of Past Potentate isn’t all that bad.
    To Illus. Sir David Titus, congratulations on being elected to lead Mirza Temple as the 2008 Potentate. I know you and First Lady Denise will do a fantastic job. You both are very hard workers and I feel very confident that Mirza will continue to grow under your leadership. To both you and Lady Denise, enjoy the ride in 2008 as it will go by very fast.
    I would also like to congratulate all the other Divan officers elected to serve in 2008 as well as the appointive Divan.
    Membership continues to be our #1 project. Your membership committee worked very hard in 2007. We were hoping for a gain but fell a little short. However we continue to comea3it tie closer each year so let’s hope 2008 will be the year. Let’s all continue to work hard and just maybe this will be the year for a gain.
    Due to the timing of the election and the Mirzan going to press, I am writing this article prior to the election. If elected, I do want to thank the Nobility for your support and pledge to give my best to serving as your Recorder.
    Please give your support to Thus. Sir David and Lady Denise. They both have been hard workers for Mirza and have put together another fun year.
    Hope you all had a great holiday and wish the best for everyone in 2008.
Fraternally,
Paul W. Uttley, P.P.
Mirza Recorder

Oct 2007

 Greetings to all the Nobles and Ladies of Mirza. Hope you all had a great summer. Where did it go?
    It has been another busy year but also a fun year. A lot has been accomplished and we still have over three months to go.
    Once again we are preaching membership. About three months ago, there were almost 300 Nobles who had not paid their 2007 dues and stand to be suspended at the end of December. We just cannot afford to lose those members. Illus. Sir John, along with his membership committee have been very busy calling these Nobles and reminding them to send their payments to the office. As of this date, they have cut this list down to around 140. This is great news but we need to work even harder as time is getting short. If anyone would like to help, contact any Divan member as they all have a list of those who have not yet paid. If there is anyone on that list that you know or live close by, please contact them. We are still losing way too many members each year. With your help and if we have a good class for the November Fall Ceremonial, this could very well be the first year to have a gain in membership since
2001.
    The office has been extremely busy this month as we prepare to send out the 2008 dues notices as well as the January 16th, 2008 annual meeting notices. You should be receiving them around the latter part of October.
    If you missed going to CSSA in Kansas City, you missed a fun time. Uniformed Units president, Noble Terry Quarles and his Lady Pam along with the other officers and ladies did a super job with the hospitality room. Once again, Mirza had the best one in the hotel. I know it didn’t just happen, it took a lot of hard work and we certainly appreciate it. Great job!!
    As I write this article, Glenda and I are also. getting ready to start packing to go on our Potentate’s trip to New England and Canada the first week of October This will be a fun trip and we are looking forward to going.
    I know I have said this in the past, but where has this year gone? You have so many things each year that you want to accomplish but so little time to do it. It has been a real fun year and I can tell you that this group of 2007 Divan officers have been working all year as hard as any I have been associated with. They work hard but also have a lot of fun. It has been a pleasure serving as your Recorder this year.
    Please don’t ever hesitate to call or come by the office anytime if we can be of any assistance. Wishing you all the best for the rest of 2007 and even a better 2008.

Fraternally,
Paul W. Uttley PP.
Mirza Recorder