Indiana's Masonic Museum Gala Was Great Success!

by Christopher Hodapp

Our Night At the Museum Gala fundraiser in the Indianapolis Masonic Temple on Saturday night went off even better than we ever dreamed! We had a fantastic turnout- more than 160 people - touring the Temple and the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana, and participating in our silent auction. In 27 years as a Mason, I’ve never seen so many people in the dining room before!

My heartfelt gratitude to everyone for coming out and generously supporting us. We have to pay all the bills, count all the donations, and make the final determinations, but I do know that the initial money taken in from the Gala's tickets and donations before expenses was close to $30,000! We had many startup costs that won't be needed in subsequent years, but this was an astonishing figure for a first-year attempt.

My deepest appreciation goes to Grand Master Randy Seipel for his inspiration and support. And it was an honor to have our city councilman Nick Roberts at our table as my guest. Thanks also to the brethren and their ladies from Broad Ripple Lodge 643 for their great support and such great turnout!

Alice Hodapp, Heather Steele, and especially Thea Emard Campbell did an incredible job, not just with the silent auction setup, but with the decor that brought class and elegance to the dining room it’s never had before. Our interns Lauren Frieje, Taylor Porter and Nathan Dowell were tremendous, helping to make the auction itself run so smoothly. WB Bill Sassman, the Indianapolis Masonic Temple's building superintendent, was of incredible help to us in the weeks running up to the event.WB Barry White handled much of the check in which went pretty smoothly, considering we were making it all up as we went along!

My deepest appreciation to Tom Fallis at the Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral for recommending the string quartet from their orchestra, for providing the free parking, and for saying yes to anything else I asked for.

Our caterers, musicians, bartender, the rest of our committee - everyone did a fantastic job, and I owe all of you big time.

I also want to thank WISH-TV8 reporter Hernan Guttierez for interviewing Michael Brumback and I last week. (See the video HERE)

I have long believed that Masons would support efforts to support the Museum and our historic Temple if we simply asked them. For more than a quarter century, naysayers across the state have said, "Oh no, the membership outside of Indianapolis don't give a damn; they have their own buildings to worry about; they won't support this one, even if it is the headquarters of the Grand Lodge."  They said it to me time after time. But the funny thing is that they never ASKED the members if they really felt that way. It was clear Saturday night that it simply isn't so.

Thanks again to everyone. We'll see you next year!