Vision Quest is an endeavor of the General Grand Chapter. We are proud to have PGP Brother Dean
Wyant as the South Region Coordinator. Below is his message to our membership.
"Visionquest and membership go hand in hand and we cannot discuss the goals of one without
including the other. I think you will all agree, beyond a doubt, that if we as members do not make a
concerted effort to increase our membership numbers and likewise increase the attendance and
participation by our current members, Eastern Star in Kansas will cease to exist in ten years. Now,
before you say, "Dean's not playing with a full deck," let it soak in for a few seconds. I don't make
this statement based on magical powers invested in me by virtue of my General Grand Chapter
appointment as Visionquest South Region Coordinator. I simply review the facts. We have lost
approximately 20,000 members and over 100 Chapters in the past fifteen years! That amounts to a
loss of approximately 1300 members per year. With our current membership being approximately
14,500you do the math. Do you realize that less than five percent of our members attend our
Grand Chapter Sessions to conduct its business? Am I scaring you? Am I making you angry? Good!
Do something about it.
At this point, you're probably saying or thinking,
"In all his infinite wisdom, what's he doing about it?"
Well, I am glad you asked. Here are more facts for you to consider. Of the approximately 14,500
members, only 3,300 are men. Whoa! That means that there are approximately 11,200 Masons in
our great State of Kansas that can join our beautiful Order TODAY! And, I'll assume that fifty percent
of them are married; that's another 5,600; and assuming they have mothers, daughters, sisters, and
on and on and on...againyou do the math. Here's what we started doing in our Chapter last year.
Our Chapter is giving "The Gift of Eastern Star Love" to our Masons and their ladies. Our Chapter
pays the per-capita and International Temple fees, which totals a mere $11.00 per new member.
After they're initiated, our new members can then attend our meetings and see for themselves
exactly what our beautiful Order is all about. At the end of the first year, they can then remit their
own dues and remain a member or if they don't like what our Order offers, they can demit and
they've lost nothing. If we, as members, work for the good of the Order and make our meetings
interesting, I'll lay odds they remain members. Remember, there is not anyone of us that has all the
answers and I don't think we'll get back to the mid-fifties when we boasted 91,000 members;
however, we can stop the decline, become more involved and increase our membership numbers.
The solution lies within each of us. What are you willing to do? Get a couple of petitions and give
The Gift of Eastern Star Love to one of those 11,200 Masons and his lady. We are interested in
hearing from you by email, telephone or face-to-face. Submit proven solutionswhat has worked
for you and in your Chapters? Do you need help? Would you be willing to attend a
Visionquest/Membership Seminar in your District or Area? Again, if you or someone you know has a
proven solution that has helped increase membership and/or attendance in your Chapter, share that
with others."
Dean Wyant, PGP
Visionquest South Region Coordinator,
General Grand Chapter, O.E.S.
1324 N. Milford Lake Road
Junction City, Kansas 66441-8327
785-762-4300 Email: eagle@flinthills.com
Kelly L. Herring, PGM
Membership Chairman, Grand Chapter of Kansas, O.E.S.
2013 Forest Park
Derby, Kansas 67037-3126
316-788-7829
Email: pkherring@sbcglobal.net
Visionquest in Kansas: Reuben Berg, PGP,
Visionquest/Membership Committee Members:
Beverly Rowe, PGM; Karen Clark, PGM;
Anna M. Chalmers, District 1; Mary Ellen Clark, District 2;
Marianne Masters, District 3; Charles Button, District 4;
Claude Roswurm, PGP, District 5; Mike Hamman, District 6;
Cheryl Sowder, District 7; Karl Fry, District 8;
Doris Kammerer, District 9; Patricia Lawrukiewicz, District 10;
Sarah Orr, District 11; Winona Gebauer, District 12
