Twickenham-Milford DeMolay Chapter gives back to community

Nicholas Johnson and Alex Hood

By ANGIE HOOD / Special to the Record

Under the leadership of Master Councilor Nicholas Johnson of Madison, the officers and members of Twickenham-Milford Chapter, Order of DeMolay have had a busy and productive six months serving others in the community.

In January, the chapter presented the DeMolay Legion of Honor to Huntsville City School Board member Topper Birney. The Legion of Honor is the highest honor conferred by DeMolay International. It’s conferred on a Senior DeMolay, like Birney, for outstanding leadership in some field of endeavor or for success in fraternal life, including adult service to DeMolay.

The officers of the chapter, Master Councilor Nicholas Johnson, Senior Councilor Rhett Blankenship and Junior Councilor Tyler Hughes were installed in a formal ceremony to lead the chapter for six months. Master Councilor Nicholas Johnson is a 15-year-old home schooled high school student who lives in Madison. Past Master Councilor Forrest Buchanan was also installed as the Alabama DeMolay Association State Junior Councilor.  There are 18 members of the chapter. Also in January, several members of the chapter traveled to Nashville to participate in a regional leadership conference.

In February, the chapter created Care packages for two military units to support U.S. troops overseas.  The young men put their hands to work for the Asbury United Methodist church Oil Change ministry, assisting with changing oil and safety checks for single mothers and spouses of deployed military personnel.

The young men of the chapter observed DeMolay Sunday on March 21st at Master Councilor Nicholas Johnson’s church and the chapter turned out in Madison on March 27 for the annual pancake breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s restaurant on Hughes Road.

The young men also assisted the Scottish Rite with the annual dyslexia BBQ dinner fundraiser.  The DeMolay Chapter also volunteered at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life at John Hunt Park on April 30 and sold DeMolay Relay for Life rubber wristbands to raise more than $500 for the worthy cause.

The Twickenham-Milford Chapter recently participated in the DeMolay International Rifle competition.  Chapters across the country and around the world submitted scores in what is called the postal rifle competition.  The young men shoot and submit their scores for the chapter.  This is the first year that Twickenham-Milford has participated.  Several practices at Larry’s Pistol and Pawn in Huntsville and the Blue and Gray Range in Guntersville set the stage for the May 22 competition.  The chapter enjoyed the road trips to the range.

The chapter also held a dinner to honor teachers and parents on May 23.  Several chapter members turned out to help as a balloon crew at the Decatur Jubilee, the annual hot air balloon festival Memorial Day weekend.

The chapter also recently participated in the annual state conference for DeMolay. Chapter member and State Master Councilor Alex Hood presided at the DeMolay portion of the Alabama Masonic Youth Conference July 8-11 at the Scottish Rite Center in Birmingham.