Featured Image: Members of Allentown City Council present Proclamation to members of Allentown DeMolay to commemorate March as DeMolay Month in Allentown. (back row, l to r): Council members Julio Guridy, Candida Affa, Daryl Hendricks, Courtney Robinson, Ed Zucal, and Cynthia Mota; seated in middle, Roger MacLean, City Council President and Acting Mayor (front row, l to r): Ethan Flanagan, Senior Councilor, and Miles Green, Master Councilor, officers of Allentown DeMolay, a Masonic youth organization for boys 12-21 that meets in Allentown’s Masonic Temple. Contributed photo by Edward John White

Allentown DeMolay is celebrating DeMolay Month in March again this year to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Order of DeMolay.

Allentown City Council recognized the group with a Proclamation presented to Chapter officers on Wednesday, March 14, in Allentown City Council Chambers.

DeMolay is an international youth organization sponsored by the Masonic fraternity that builds character and leadership skills in young men between the ages of 12 and 21.

The Order of DeMolay was founded in 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri, by a Kansas City area Mason, Frank S. Land, who selected the name to honor Jacques DeMolay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar in France. 

Allentown Chapter was formed in 1926 by local Masons, who also built the local Masonic Temple located on Linden Street across from Allentown’s West Park.

Allentown DeMolay is sponsored by Allen-Beauceant Commandery No. 20 of the Knights Templar.

Both groups meet in the Commandery Asylum located on the first floor of the Temple.

Allentown Chapter includes boys from the City of Allentown and many neighboring municipalities and school districts throughout the Lehigh Valley, including Allentown, East Penn, Parkland, Salisbury, Whitehall-Coplay, Northampton, Nazareth, Bangor, and Easton.

The current Master Councilor, Miles Green, is a sophomore at Emmaus High School.

To encourage all Pennsylvania DeMolay Chapters to organize, execute, and document successful DeMolay Month observances during the month of March, Pennsylvania DeMolay again sponsored the DeMolay Month Award of Excellence.

As a part of this contest, each Chapter can earn points by completing certain tasks, and the winner will be recognized with the Pennsylvania DeMolay “DeMolay Month 99th Anniversary Award of Excellence.”

In addition to one Chapter winning the Award of Excellence, the top three Chapters in Pennsylvania will be recognized with certificates and cash prizes at the state organization’s annual convention, which is being held this year in Gettysburg. Last year, Pennsylvania DeMolay held their convention at the Holiday Inn – Allentown in Fogelsville from July 14-16.  

Allentown Chapter is seeking to win the Award of Excellence and the top cash prize to help offset the cost of chapter activities,” according to Edward John White, the Chairman of Allentown Chapter’s 14-member Advisory Council. 

DeMolay is recognized by the IRS as a public charity under IRS Section 501c3.

One of the ways each Chapter is encouraged to participate in DeMolay Month and for which it can obtain points toward the contest awards is to obtain proclamations or resolutions recognizing DeMolay Month from local, state, and national elected officials.

Wednesday’s presentation by Allentown City Council was postponed from last Wednesday due to the snowstorm.

Information Provided By:
Edward John White
Chairman, Allentown DeMolay Advisory Council