Burlingame Scottish Rite

The Venerable Master’s Annual Ystävänpäivä (Finnish Friends Day) & Sweethearts Brunch was hosted at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City. The first event of the year for Burlingame Scottish Rite to bring that special person in your life (friend or otherwise). Thank you to our Venerable Master Brother Jed Beyer and the First Lady Laurie for the lovely ceramic baking dishes!

Burlingame Scottish Rite created 8 new 14° Perfect Elus at our Fall Reunion this morning. Welcome Brothers!

Our Valley ritual team and tech team were phenomenal as always - and kudos to Ill. Gary Stephens, 33° for his role as both the Director of the Work and the 4° Ritual Master, and first time out of the gates Hon. Jordan Yelinek for his role as 14° Ritual Master. Thank you to all volunteers for your hours of tireless work!

On Monday, the Burlingame Scottish Rite hosted the annual Thanksgiving Dinner in conjunction with the Burlingame Council of Kadosh Feast of Tishri. A splendid time with 70+ brothers, family, friends and guests!

Gary Stephens, 33° gave the history of the Feast, then Hjalmar Nilsen, 32° KCCH, Commander of Kadosh, and Allan Young, 32° KCCH, Venerable Master, led the program with a series of toasts. Thank you brothers for planning another great event!

At our Monday night September stated meeting, we were treated with an oration from our Orator Gary Stephens, 33°, who presented a paper on the Constitution. It was lively, engaging and just as well presented as all historical orations that Gary has given in the past!

We also invited our Burlingame Childhood Language Center partners Speech Goals (speechgoals.com) to give our members an update on the children we serve in San Mateo County. Speech Goals have speech and occupational therapy centers in San Mateo, San Francisco, South San Francisco, Redwood City and Reno. Jasna Cowan, Founder and Director of Speech Goals, and her husband Tait presented a video of parents that have benefitted from our financial support.

The last speaker of the night was Jackie Tores Abundis, Administrative Assistant to the California Scottish Rite Foundation, who shared updates from our foundation. Jackie also has a degree in linguistics with emphasis in speech-language sciences and disorders and Spanish.

Another California Scottish Rite Honours weekend in the books! Thank you to San Francisco Scottish Rite for hosting the 20 Valleys spread throughout the Orient of California, Southern Jurisdiction.

Congratulations to the Knight Commander of the Court of Honour and 33° Inspector General Honorary classes of 2025, and special congratulations to our Burlingame Valley honourmen:
Roberto Diaz, Jr., 33°
Martin Chavez, 32° KCCH
Jordan Yelinek, 32° KCCH

📸 Marty Cusing, 33°