Masons rededicate James L. Eatmon Lodge in Kimball

After more than 100 years the Masonic Lodge in Kimball is still going strong and was rededicated on Wednesday, June 28, during the Grand Master's Road Tour.

The Grand Master of Mason's of Nebraska Rick Myers and his wife, Marsha, of Fremont, joined the Grand Master's Road Tour and Worshipful Master Kevin Wynne, of the James L. Eatmon Masonic Lodge #294, in Kimball, alongside many members of the local lodge for a tour of Kimball's lodge as well as the opportunity to rededicate the lodge after 101 years.

From Sunday, June 25 through Sunday, July 2, the Grand Master's Road Tour traveled through Nebraska, stopping in small towns and visiting local Masonic Lodges.

Wynne was joined by a few local members as they took to the road on their motorcycles to meet up with the road tour and escort them into Kimball.

The tour had begun that morning in Alliance and had already visited Chadron and Mitchell.

Once the tour arrived in Kimball, just in time for lunch, they were served pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and baked beans prepared by Wynne and his wife, Carrie.

Following their lunch all of the Masons gathered to practice the re-dedication ceremony, just prior to the main event – the rededication ceremony.

According to Wynne, the ceremony is about making sure the building is still fit to do its job. This is determined by three variables, square, level, and plumb, as each of these three tools are used in determine wether or not a lodge is suitable for use.

As the names suggest, the square symbolizes that the lodge is, in fact, square, while the level symbolizes that the structure is level while plumb means that all the walls are perpendicular and will not cave under pressure.

As the James L. Eaton Lodge was determined sufficient, the Masons concluded the ceremony.

With their purpose served, the Grand Master's Road Tour once again hit the open highway on dozens of motorcycles and a blue Mustang. The group was just half done with their work for the day, as they had several more stops planned.

The Grand Masters headed out for Bridgeport and had a stop in Oshkosh, and a few other stops along their way home.

Wynne said it was a good turn out from the members of the Kimball community joined for lunch on Wednesday afternoon and stayed to be a part of a "once in a life time" ceremony for the public.