A large group of people was ready to set sails at the Dennis Station boat ramp on Lake Sinclair as the first ray of sun lit the horizon on April 22.
The inaugural Masonic Bass Tournament attracted 51 boats with anglers from all over Georgia as well as from Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
The tournament was organized by Rising Star No. 4 Masonic Lodge of Eatonton and hosted by Georgia Bass Trail (GBT). Sixty percent of the tournament’s proceeds went to the Masonic Home of Georgia and other local charities, while 40 percent went to winning anglers.
Matthew Foster and Mitchell Dean took first place with fish totaling 18.47 pounds. Larry Cason and Peyton Cason placed second with fish weighing 17.78 pounds, and Jeff Pugh and Tommy Hensley placed third with fish weighing 15.54 pounds.
“The number of participants was unreal,” said Mike Tarrer, GBT owner. “Usually, the first year you do it, you don’t have too many. It was good no matter how many kids benefited.”
The Masonic Home of Georgia, which is a residential childcare facility located in Macon, has served more than 2,100 children in need since June 1905, according to tomasonichomeofgeorgia.com. It is a nonprofit organization funded by donations from private donors, Masons of Georgia and corporate sponsors.
“It started out as a home for orphans,” said Michael Cumbie, past master and junior deacon of Lodge No. 4, “but over the years it became a place for kids whose parents cannot take care of them.”
The facility houses children from newborn to 18 years old. The children are usually placed in the home under the order of the Department of Families and Children’s Services.
“It’s like staying at home,” he said. “They stay in cottages segregated by age.”
There the children get their education, go to different activities, and have picnics and summer camps.
According to Michael Gailey – Putnam County State Court Judge, Eatonton Municipal Court Judge and Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 4 – Masons from lodges across the state participated in the tournament. Senior Steward Greg Smith spent months coordinating this fundraiser with Michael and Dorothy Tarrer of GBT. Cumbie and Secretary Past Master Jesse Smith prepared food for the anglers.
According to glofga.org, freemasonry has existed in Georgia continuously since 1734. The Grand Lodge of Georgia, which has been in existence since 1786, has 402 lodges and 32,773 members. Chartered in 1818, Rising Star Lodge No. 4 is the fourth-oldest Lodge in Georgia with the first one being the Solomon’s Lodge of Savannah, started by the founder of Georgia, James Oglethorpe, as stated atrisingstar4.org. It counts 178 members, including 40 who attend on a regular basis.
Tarrer said that GBT was a regular fishing trail that is open all year round. GBT has two events per month and hosts a lot of charities for kids, veterans, and other groups.
“Next month, we do the FCA (the Fellowship of Christian Athletes) tournament,” he said.
This tournament isn’t the only fundraiser for Rising Star Lodge No. 4.
“We do a lot of work around the community,” Smith said. “We are currently working on a scholarship program and charity contributions to needy families.”
Although there is a scheduled tournament for the same time the following year, Gailey said, Lodge No. 4 may add a second bass tournament to its annual schedule due to many requests received from the participants.