Scottish Rite Donor
Recognition Program

Our Scottish Rite charities are a success because of those individuals who have donated to the Scottish Rite Foundations through pledges, bequests in wills, outright gifts of cash or property, gifts in the form of trusts or gift annuities, and gifts to the pooled income fund. We honor these donors through the Scottish Rite Donor Recognition Program in various ways. The donors’ names are inscribed in the Gold Book of Recognition located in the Supreme Council Library, on bronze nameplates in the Hall of Recognition, on prominently displayed portraits in the Supreme Temple Architects Hall of Honor or the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery, and on bronze plaques in the Pillars of Charity alcove. We are constantly adding new names to the Gold Book and nameplates in the Halls of Recognition.

In 2003, we completed the Hall of Honor with 33 oil portraits of Scottish Rite Masons. Since then, we opened the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery at the House of the Temple, and it has become quite a success. We now have ten portraits displayed in the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery or being prepared for mounting in the Gallery. These donors are: the late Mrs. Vee Hansen Lohmann, Mrs. Syble Gwatney, William “Butch” Giles, Jr., Mrs. Matsue Dewese, Elwin O. Studebaker, Jr., Terry Studebaker, Earl E. Walker, Theodore Leba, William L. Clark, and Billy Joe Hildreth. At the recent biennial Session, Ill. Bro. Woody E. Bilyeu made a pledge of $1,000,000 to the Scottish Rite Foundation, Southern Jurisdiction, and he presented his check for the first installment to Sovereign Grand Commander Ronald A. Seale (see photo left). His portrait will be the eleventh in the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery.

The Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery contains an oil portrait of any individual who donates $1,000,000 or more to the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc. or the Scottish Rite Foundation, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, Inc. Donors may also divide their gifts between a local Scottish Rite Foundation and one of the national Scottish Rite Foundations. As long as $500,000 of the gift of $1,000,000 or more is designated for either the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc. or to the Scottish Rite Foundation, Southern Jurisdiction, USA, Inc., the donor will qualify for this recognition. The donor’s name will be inscribed in the Pillars of Charity Alcove, and the donor will also be invited to a private luncheon or dinner with the Grand Commander.

The following section describes the Donor Recognition Program in more detail.

Contributor Levels
Scottish Rite Donor Recognition Program

Contributors
$1 to $499
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Executive Director

Sustaining Members
$500 to $999
Sustaining Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Most recent Supreme Council, 33°, Biennial Session Medallion
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Permanent Members
$1,000 to $9,999
Permanent Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Replica of the House of the Temple or Valley of the Craftsman
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Patrons
$10,000 to $24,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Patrons Panel in the House of the Temple
Patron Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Crystal vase inscribed with the Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Benefactors
$25,000 to $49,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Benefactors Panel in the House of the Temple
Benefactors Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Large Crystal vase inscribed with the Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Philanthropists
$50,000 to $99,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Philanthropists Panel in the House of the Temple
Philanthropist Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Gold-etched china plate with Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Founders
$100,000 to $249,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Founders Panel in the House of the Temple
Founders Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Small China bowl with Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Master Temple Architects
$250,000 to $499,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Master Temple Architects Panel in the House of the Temple
Master Temple Architects membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Large Round China bowl with Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Grand Temple Architects
$500,000 to $999,999
Bronze nameplate displayed on the Grand Temple Architects Panel in the House of the Temple
Grand Temple Architects membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, Inc.
Oval China bowl with Scottish Rite Double-headed Eagle
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Pillars of Charity and/or Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery
$1 Million and up
Bronze plaque in the Pillars of Charity Alcove
Original oil portrait displayed in the Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery
Membership in the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., or the House of the Temple Historic Preservation Foundation, S.J., U.S.A.
Duplicate Pillar of Charity as displayed in the Pillars of Charity Alcove
Framed copy of the oil portrait from Pillars of Charity Portrait Gallery
Name in the Gold Book of Recognition
Letter of appreciation from the Grand Commander

Any gift of $10,000 or more given to your local Scottish Rite Foundation for any purpose makes you eligible for the appropriate nameplate and Gold Book of Recognition by the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc. (Please note: tokens of appreciation such as crystal vases, china plates or bowls, and original oil portraits in the Pillars of Charity are sent from the Supreme Council only in recognition of contributions to the House of the Temple Preservation Foundation, Inc., or the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., USA, Inc., not for contributions to local Foundations).

The Scottish Rite Donor Recognition Program acknowledges direct gifts of cash and securities, approved real estate, contributions to the Scottish Rite Foundation Pooled Income Fund, the Scottish Rite Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity Program, Charitable Remainder Trusts, life insurance, gifts (bequests) through wills, and gifts through the Pledge Program. If you’d like to make a pledge, contact Ill. Earl E. Ihle, 33°, Grand Cross, Director of Development, at 1-866-748-3227, or Barbara G. Golden, Esq., Director of Planned Giving, at 1-866-448-3773 for a form. Also call us if we can answer any questions regarding the Scottish Rite Donor Recognition Program. We wish to thank all of our generous donors for their support and for helping the children we are serving throughout America.

To download a donation form, please click here. To visit the Mandatory Charitable Solicitation Disclosures page, click here. To download a form for a free analysis of a contribution to the Scottish Rite Foundation Charitable Gift Annuity Program, click here. If you do not have Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, you can download it for free by clicking here.
Please Note: This information is distributed with the understanding that the authors are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expertise is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. From: A Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers.

- Our Development Team -

Barbara G. Golden, Esq., is the team's Director of Planned Giving. Barbara is an attorney with experience in tax, corporate, and commercial real estate law. She managed a non-profit legal services organization for several years and has extensive experience in fund-raising, grant writing, and program operations. Contacts: Tel. 202-777-3163; Fax 202-884-0183; or call 1-866-GIVESRF (448-3773) Toll Free; bgolden@srmason-sj.org.

 

Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, is the team's Director of Development. He has been a member of the Fraternity for 30 years and served in 1978 as Master of Lafayette Lodge, #111, Baltimore, Maryland. He is also a member of Boumi Shrine Temple in Baltimore, the York Rite, and a dual member of the Scottish Rite Valleys of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Contacts: Tel. 202-777-3143; Fax 202-884-0183; or call 1-866-RITECARE (748-3227) Toll Free; eihle@srmason-sj.org.

Dr.Thomas M. Boles, GC, is the team's Advisor on Philanthropies. A member of the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Santa Ana Valleys, he has worked extensively in fund-raising for children's programs throughout our Fraternity. Contacts: Tel. 562-691-4227; Fax 562-691-5327; or call 1-800-SRMASON (776-2766) Toll Free; tboles@srmason-sj.org.