Photo provided Members of Flushing Masonic Lodge 298 pose after the election of officers for the coming year. In front from left are Gregory Starcher; Tyler Brian Murphy; Senior Steward Mitch Slotwinski; and District Deputy David Blazak. Behind them, from left, are William McGowan; Treasurer Donald Jones; Senior Deacon John T. Morgan; Rich Kidd; Senior Warden Gary Edwards; Master Dustin Bower; Junior Warden Denny Ballog; Secretary Al Wilson.

FLUSHING — Gary D. Edwards of Uniontown has been elected and installed as Master of Flushing Masonic Lodge 298.

Edwards was installed by District Deputy Mitch Slotwinski of the 23rd Masonic District. This 165th annual open installation of officers was held Dec. 9 at the lodge in Flushing.

In his position as master, Edwards is the presiding officer and head of the lodge. The title of “master” reflects the Masonic tradition of using ceremonies and titles from the stonemasons of the Middle Ages. When the great cathedrals of Europe were being built, the mason in charge of a building site was referred to as a “master of the work.”

Other officers installed during the ceremony were:

Rich Kidd; Senior Warden Dustin Bower; Junior Warden Donald Jones; Senior Deacon Al Wilson; Junior Deacon Brian Murphy; Senior Steward David Blazak; Junior Steward John T. Morgan; William McGowan; Treasurer Denny Ballog; Greg Starcher, Tyler.

Freemasonry is the oldest, largest and most widely recognized fraternal organization in the world. Today there are more than 2 million Freemasons in North America alone.

Charity is an important tenet of the Masonic fraternity. The 60,000-plus Freemasons in Ohio provide approximately $15 million in charitable giving annually, including scholarships and free training to Ohio teachers to recognize students at non-academic risk.