One of the best parts about being District Deputy Grand Master is the opportunity to perform the Installation of Officers. Installations are a meaningful and important part of every lodge. Simply put, you are reminding the Brothers and Sisters of each lodge about the importance of the positions within the Lodge as each position’s duties are read out loud. This ceremony reminds each of us of the time and effort that is required to run a lodge, and I hope makes us think carefully about the people we choose to fill them. The ritual reminds us of the duties of all the officers, but most importantly it reminds us that the Noble Grand is not just chosen to lead a Lodge, but is also chosen to be the face and voice of the Lodge. The happiness, cooperation, and spirit of the lodge depend upon him/her. 

    Over the past 2 years, I have had the fortune, due to Covid-19, to install 4 Brothers into the chair of Noble Grand. The pride and joy you feel when you are installing a person that you know have strived for his/her opportunity to be the face and leader of a lodge is very fulfilling. 

    This year, Covid-19 made this ceremony appear like a challenging task. How would we install the officers to their desks and chairs? How would we be able to read the ritual through our masks? How would we perform the exchange of collars? Easy. We used the true spirit of Odd Fellowship to communicate and work together. The District Staff and Lodge members all worked together to make sure we adhered to the most important part of the rituals, while at the same time doing our best to keep everyone safe. We asked for everyone’s patience as we worked it out, talked it out, and figured it out. And we got it. 

    I want to thank Dominic Oreste, Bill Bender, and Aaron Kupferberg, for helping me organize and put together the installations for Rockville Centre #279 and Mineola Pacific Lodge #125. A special shout out to Grand Master Mike Zurell whose advice and counsel was crucial, and to RVC Past Grand Tom Bogue who filled a spot in a pinch. We had different space limitations and different types of Installations to perform for each lodge, one was an open meeting and the other closed. But I believe we performed each of them to the truest spirit of the ritual. Thank you, Brothers!! 

 Dave Ajello 
District Deputy Grand Master 
Nassau County