2018 MW Charles W.Froessel Award
The early night sky was just speckled with a few stars to let us know that a true bright star was about to be honored this evening, September 28, 2019. The Queens Masonic Association (QMA) had this night chosen to honor RW Joseph J. Saglimbene with the Distinguished Service Award at Vivo Restaurant in Bayside. The QMA had also decided to have the wives and dates of all Brothers attend at no charge, hoping to get more Brothers to come out to participate! It worked, for two reasons, one, because RW Joe is a great Queens Brother, hard working and straight talking and two, it was a great way to get Brothers and their wives out! We had over two hundred (200) people in attendance!
There was another thing that was different about this Awards Night; we only had a few Brothers get up to speak about RW Joe’s achievements, as well as RW Joe, who does get right to the point. The Honors and Awards RW Joe has received over his Masonic career do not decorate his Masonry, but rather highlight the spirit which makes RW Joe a True Mason and a Man of service!
One of the few Masons unable to attend, but, sent a congratulatory letter was MW William J Thomas, he said that “Trees become a forest under RW Joe, because he knows how to get Brothers “Growing” in Masonry”.
RW George Wacob speaking for the Purple Circle, the QMA and the Trustees of the Masonic Home of the Grand Lodge congratulated RW Joe. RW Joe started the QMA College Grants, giving Mason’s children Grants for college, as well as many other great things not only in our district but through-out Masonry, RW Joe has truly earned ALL the awards he has been given!
I think RW Marino Cesarini hit the nail on the head when he said RW Joe was the “Workhorse of the Queens District”!
MW Vincent Libone had wonderful praise for RW Joe and said he changed the face of what the Trustees do for Brothers and Masonry.
The Worshipful Master of Springfield Gardens had praise saying that RW Joe has devoted his life to helping children. RW Joe favorite quote is “If you don’t change, you won’t live!”
RW Joe was the last to speak and he asked us all to honor RW Bob Olmo for all the hard work he has been doing in the Queens District. RW Joe also honored the late RW Thomas Nazario by presenting his wife Robin with the Distinguished Service Award. RW Joe said that we all must work together fore we are building the Queens District to be a better place to live, work and be a Mason. We have to pick members who are willing to work to build a better future. You meet strangers and they become Brothers, help aid and assist ALL people. RW Joe then thanked everyone for the help he received over the years. Then he presented RW Bob Servidio with a plastic spider, you have to ask them what that story was all about!
RW Jay Austin gave the benediction at the end of the evening. We also owe W Stuart Singer a tremendous amount of thanks for organizing this wonderful evening on his own, Thank you Brother for your hard work.
Respectfully Submitted,
W Nicholas V Isabella DSA
Queens Historian