On August 19, 2000, the Orient of Florida's statewide Millennium Reunion welcomed 820 new Masters of the Royal Secret to the Scottish Rite. As part of the Millennium Reunion, the Valley of Tampa's 254th class, pictured above, had 251 members.

The planning for the Millennium Reunion began at the Annual Meeting of the Personal Representatives and General Secretaries of the 11 Valleys in the Orient of Florida with Ill. Robert L. Goldsmith, S.G. I.G. in Florida, in Key West on August 8, 1998. What could be done to start the new millennium with excitement, enthusiasm, and a renewed interest in Scottish Rite? Preliminary planning provided for a Statewide Reunion on August 12, 2000, with each Valley hosting its own Reunion.

At the next Annual Meeting of the Personal Representatives and General Secretaries with the S.G.I.G., which was held on August 7, 1999, in Fort Myers, discussion of the Millennium Reunion was again brought up for final planning. Because of a date conflict with a Shrine convention on August 12th, the date of the Reunion was changed to August 19th, 2000. The Personal Representatives and General Secretaries of the 11 Valleys voted unanimously to proceed with the plans for the Statewide Reunion. It was agreed that a special petition would be prepared that would be used by all the Valleys and identify this Reunion as the Class of 2000. It also was agreed that the fee be set at $100 and that it would include the year 2000 dues. It was further agreed that the cost of the dues for the year 2001 would be added to the petition. A vote was taken to have a special medallion struck which would be distributed to each class member and all others who attended the Reunion. A history of the Scottish Rite in Florida would be prepared and given to each class member and attendee. Also a 32° pocket jewel was made available to class members hoping that this would motivate them in returning to their Valley's Regular Stated Meeting. The Deputy Grand Master and Senior Grand Warden were advised of the date and asked to consider the Reunion when making up their calendars.

Following our regularly scheduled Reunions in 1999, the Millennium Reunion was announced. The signs went up, and the Membership Committees began plans to reach the maximum membership goal. Among the special programs used were letters, inviting them to join, to all Master Masons who were not Scottish Rite Masons. Also, letters of invitation were sent to Master Masons who had been recommended for membership and pre-approved to join. Also, Personal Representatives wrote letters to all Honour Men in their Valley requesting them to bring in at least one petition and to be present during the Reunion and shake hands with everyone who came through the doors.

Some Valleys had Friend to Friend nights. On these occasions, Scottish Rite Masons invited their friends, non-Scottish Rite Masons and non-Masonic friends, to a dinner and an exemplification of a public version of the 17th Degree or the viewing of a videotape on the Scottish Rite or Masonry.

Our Blue Lodge Ambassadors visited all the Particular Lodges and informed them of our plans. Many of the Particular Lodges and Master and Wardens Associations in Florida posted our plans on their web sites. For eight months, the Scottish Rite's Millennium Reunion was the talk of the Sunshine State. Several of the Valleys coordinated with their local Shrine Temples to have "cold sands" ceremonials following the completion of the Scottish Rite class.

What were the results? What did it prove? Was it worth all the work? You bet it was! A total of 820 new Masters of the Royal Secret were welcomed to the Scottish Rite in Valleys across the Orient of Florida. Enthusiasm was at a renewed peak in every Valley, and the sidelines were crowded all day with Brethren watching the Degrees, each exemplified to perfection. We proved that there were Master Masons who are not Scottish Rite Masons waiting to be asked to join with us in searching for further Light in Masonry. Given this success, a repeat performance is in the making for the future!

David A. Eschrich is Personal Representative in the Valley of Tampa. He served as Grand Master of Masons in Florida (1990-1991) and was invested with the K.C.C.H. in 1977 and coroneted a Thirty-third Degree Mason in 1983. He currently serves as Chairman of the Masonic Jurisprudence Committee. A Scottish Rite Mason since 1966, he served as Commander of the Tampa Council of Kadosh in 1985, was Commander of the K.C.C.H. Organization in 1979, and has been a part of the 17th Degree Team since 1970. He also is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, Florida Lodge of Research, Texas Lodge of Research, Missouri Lodge of Research, and the Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 Correspondence Circle.