May 18th Monday : Flower Talk at Brownsburg May 28th Thursday : Meeting at Bridgeport 7 PM (Elections) ________________________________________________ July 23rd :Conclave 2009 Brotherhood on a Stick: Conclave Everyone has pondered about his “dream weekend.” Few are fortunate enough to experience it. For me, I have yet to spend a week on the beach with Maria Sharapova, but I have done the next best thing: Indiana DeMolay Conclave. This four-day weekend trip to, most recently, DePauw University in Greencastle, is probably the most non-stop fun weekend I have ever had. I have attended this gathering two years straight since becoming a DeMolay, and both times have been nothing but pure ecstasy. As far as official business goes, some actually does get done. The incoming state officers and sweetheart are installed at Conclave. In addition, one of the order’s biannual business meetings takes place at Conclave, where amendments to the bylaws are presented and voted upon, as well as any other business a chapter wants to present. These can be enjoyable, with brothers debating the topics most important to us, and the meetings are undoubtedly important, but fortunately, they are not the main focus of the weekend. The main attraction of the weekend for all present is the brotherhood experienced by all participants. This brotherhood manifests itself in different ways to different people. In my experience, athletic competitions release the great feelings of comradeship that can only be experienced in day-to-day life by participating in a team sport. I am the sort of person who is not having fun if I am not competing at something, and for me, everything is a competition. So it is at Conclave, if that is what you desire. In addition to athletics, ritual memory competitions are also held for the more scholarly among us. Many DeMolays really find their niche in these competitions, with some becoming true monsters of memory. Fortunately for many, though the glory goes to the victors in their various competitions, anybody can compete in anything just for fun, or even not compete in anything at all, though there is usually an event for almost everyone (Wii tennis, anyone?). Many DeMolays find they have the most fun socializing with their brothers in ways that are not spelled out in the calendar. Free time abounds in the evenings back in the dorms and in between competitions, and it is during these times that the unbreakable bonds of brotherhood are truly cemented. Near the end of the weekend, the socialites and lady’s men get their time to shine at the Conclave dance. This provides a nice chance for many guys to relax and unwind from the weekend’s competitions, and maybe even meet the girl of their dreams. Yes, there are girls at conclave, especially at the dance. One does not have to spend very much time around the Order of DeMolay to realize that the word brotherhood is thrown around quite a bit. To one of the uninitiated, it may seem like some intangible, abstract ideal that has no actual bearing on real life. But I would submit to you that once a young man has experienced Conclave, they will know what I am talking about. In a word, Conclave could be described as fun, but the source of that fun is brotherhood, and that is what this dream weekend is all about. By Bryce O'Neill
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