BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Masons dedicated their new facility on Feb. 10 with an open house and dinner for about 150 guests.
There were tours of the building, a catered dinner, awards and proclamations and other ceremonial events on the program.
A ‘laying of the cornerstone’ ceremony was overseen by the visiting Grand Lodge officers who made a grand entrance in their masonic regalia.
Special guests included wives, widows and other female family members of the local Masons.
Remarks honored the legacy and enduring impact of the dedicated service of three of the lodge’s late founding members – Bobby Loner, Hud McLean and Ray Kersey.
The ceremony, for the most part, focused on the facility, a stunning new home for the Blythewood Lodge, and gratitude to those who contributed to its renovation.
The journey to rehome Blythewood Lodge began with an unexpected, but significant event: the old lodge building, situated on four acres along Blythewood Road across from Sandy Level Baptist Church, was acquired by Richland County for the construction of the new Scout Manufacturing plant. Faced with the prospect of finding a new location, the lodge members found what the lodge’s Grand Master Jim Kersey says is the perfect location.
The transformation of a vacant church on Adams Road in Blythewood to the new home of the Blythewood Masonic Lodge – a fully equipped facility with lodge rooms, a dining area, lounge, storage, laundry, and a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen – in just six months is a testament to the dedicated efforts of the lodge’s building committee – Masons Jim Kersey, Rawl Scheibler, and Ronnie Mclean.
“The money from the sale of our other property allowed us to do a tremendous upgrade to the interior of the building,” Kersey said.
They are now mapping out plans for exterior and landscape improvements.
While the construction was going on, Kersey says, lodge members held their monthly meetings at another Masonic lodge in the area.
“When lodge members saw the finished renovation, they were blown away with what they saw. The members of the lodge absolutely love it,” Kersey says. “I feel good about that.”
What’s more, the lodge has money left over from the sale of the former lodge and renovation of the church to do something good in the community.
“What all this money has done for us, is positioned us for the future of what we want to do,” says Kersey. “We’re looking to establish some scholarships for several of the schools in Blythewood and some other good things.”
Nationwide, he says, the masons (which include Shriners, Eastern Star and other organizations) donate more than $5 million a day to charities – and he hopes to continue being a part of that well into the future.
One of the rules the masons have, however, is to not brag about their good works – so, Kersey says he can’t really talk about the ways they’ve sought to help charities and those in need.
“But we want to continue to serve as a beacon of Masonic fellowship and brotherly love for years to come.” Kersey says. “And we have some pretty big plans.”
Local Grand Master Robert Hall 
Blythewood Masonic Lodge treasurer Jim Kersey honors building committee members Ronnie McLean, left, and Rawl Sheibler.
