Hello everyone!
Just this past Sunday Kathy and I went to Manassas with Mom Norman to help the new assembly in their first service project. We put potatos in 10 pound bags for them to ship them off to any food bank that needed them. They called it a “Potato Drop”. We meet three girls and three pledges. After that we went out to lunch and talked about all the fun stuff that we do and some cool ideas for them
to start doing with their girls/pledges… !!

Click on the link to the right of this screen and shop for your Christmas gifts from the GWA fundraising items for sale.  Gift a gift, support GWA Charity Operation Gratitude and support Virginia Rainbow – all with just one purchase!

The Sadie Hawkins Dance and Carnival was also held on December 3 in Richmond but was from 7-11. Beginning at 7 was a delicious BBQ dinner. We had Rainbow Girls from each Assembly represented and a few Job’s Daughters who attended from around the state as well as many adults. The Carnival Games were set up around the room. We had a game where you spun a wheel and if you landed on a number, you received a prize, but there was also the chance that you either had to go to jail or win a jail free card. There was another game where you tossed a ball into a hole. If you tossed it in, then you got a prize, except one of the holes was a hole where you were sent to jail if you made the ball in it. If you went to jail, you either used a “Get out of Jail Free” card or had to get a friend to bail you out. I got sent to jail once and I had two girls (Lindsey and Kathy) who came to bail me out. We also had a photo booth for pictures which Claire and I had to do. Lastly, we had a fortune teller. The fortune teller was amazing and people would stand in line for hours to hear their fortune. My sister Kerry and I taught everyone a couple dances, Brigitte taught a dance, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I was so pleased to have such a great turnout and so glad to see that everyone was having fun.

In Rainbow Love and Service,

Nicole McLaughlin

Grand Worthy Advisor 2011-2012

The Cowgirl Pledge Party was held on December 3rd from 2-4 in Richmond. We had many girls from ages six to ten that were Rainbow Pledges or possible Pledges that attended. As the girls arrived, they decorated and bejeweled their cowgirl hats. We had a few Rainbow Girls help them with gluing. The girls then painted ornaments that they could put on their Christmas Trees at home. We had girls paint a cowgirl, a cowboy hat, a cowboy boot, a horseshoe, and a cactus ornament. They also made flowers that were the colors of the Rainbow. They decorated the flower with stickers and glitter. The Rainbow Girls gathered the Rainbow Pledges and possible Pledges in a circle. We introduced each other and then answered a few questions that were drawn out of a hat that enabled the girls to get to know one another. Before the Pledges and possible pledges left, I taught them a line dance to the song “Good Times” since everyone had a good time at the Cowgirl Pledge Party.

In Rainbow Love and Service,

Nicole McLaughlin

Grand Worthy Advisor 2011-2012

On November 10th, I had the opportunity to attend the Grand Lodge in Virginia. My dad and I went with Mom J and Dad J to the reception where we mingled with the dignitaries. There was an entire room filled with Masons and Dignitaries for the Banquet dinner. While we ate, there were students in the orchestras around the state of Virginia that played music for us. They did a wonderful performance and sounded beautiful. The Grand Master John Chambliss walked around each table introducing everyone. We then socialized before heading to bed. The next morning, we all got up bright and early to give our speeches before we left.

On November 18th, I had the pleasure to attend the Convention for Grand Royal Arch. There was reception for all of the Dignitaries and guests where I had the opportunity to speak with the Grand High Priest Danny Bowman and his wife Debbie. My Mom, my Dad, Mom J, Dad J, and I walk around the Banquet room to attempt to talk to everyone else who had attended. During the Banquet dinner was when the Dignitaries such as myself gave our speeches. There were four out of five young gentlemen from the Virginia Military Institute who received a Scholarship. Once the dinner was finished, I walked up to the new Grand Master Terry Ellison to receive is pin for his year since I did not get the chance to at Grand Lodge, and I also received his wife’s pen. We all mingled until we were forced to leave.

The very next day on November 19th, was the Grand Visitation in Hampton. The Hampton Assembly #2 girls performed the Founder’s Day Program. They did a wonderful job explaining in detail how the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls began and informed everyone what Rainbow was about. During my remarks, the girls helped me fill in the blanks to a story that was then read aloud. Every now and then you would hear a chuckle. Mom J and I were presented with a gift, we took pictures with the girls, and then we had refreshments before returning home.

On the last Saturday of November, Claire rode with me to attend the Job’s Daughter’s Pageant. We had the opportunity to meet Miss Job’s Daughter International Brianna Richards who was from Alberta and the Supreme Bethel Honor Queen Kristi Frazier who was from Oregon. They both sat at our table at the Banquet dinner. Also at our table was Miss Job’s Daughter Maralei Bunn, Miss Congeniality Karen-Anne Liller, Grand Bethel Honor Queen Jamie Marshall, and the Miss Job’s Daughter and Miss Congeniality from Maryland Sierra Cloud. Claire and I then attended the Pageant that was after the banquet. Before the Pageant, the girls voted for Miss Congeniality. There were fifteen girls who applied for Miss Job’s Daughter which was voted on by the judges. The contestants varied from ages twelve to nineteen. They were all very pretty in their formal dresses. The new Miss Job’s Daughter is Kelsey Koser and the new Miss Congeniality is Tasha Cook. Both of these girls will be traveling with me throughout the year around the state so I look forward to getting to know them. Claire and I followed the crowd to the dance and had a great time before we headed back home.

I have made some wonderful memories over the past month and look forward to making more in events that follow.

In Rainbow Love and Service,

Nicole McLaughlin

Grand Worthy Advisor 2011-2012

On September 24, 2011, Smithfield Assembly No. 5 visited Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The Grand Lodge of Virginia performed a wreath laying ceremony.  We watched the changing of the guards.  It was very cool to see how the soldiers have to walk.  Afterwards, we went to the museum and walked around the cemetery to see some of the famous graves.   Thank you to our military service men and women who have given their lives on the fields of battle.

The second day of the haunted temple, we were assigned rooms to work and we still painted faces.  We were all assigned to the bridal room.    We were very busy and had tons of fun scaring people.  Each of the rooms were decorated with skeletons, caskets, and scary creatures that sang and make scary noises.  We were able to turn off the skeletons when we didn’t have customers coming through, they were singing the same song over and over again.

Overall, we all had a really great time.  All of the actors did a great job.  We cannot wait till next year! We not only showed that all 3 youth groups could work together for one united cause but we could have fun doing it, teach people about our Masonic Youth groups and make some money at the same time.

Halloween weekend, October 29th and 30th 2011, Smithfield Assembly No. 5 along with DeMolay from Kempsville and Norfolk Chapter and the Jobies from several area Bethels gathered at Norfolk Masonic Temple on Granby Street for a haunted fundraiser. We had been meeting for months and planning the scary event.

The first day of the haunted temple was so much fun. Our Assembly was assigned to do the face painting. Abbey, Lindsey, Kendra and I dressed up as zombie ballerinas. Michelle was a lady bug, Lauren was a vampire, along with her prospect Lilian. Nellie was a leprechaun and her prospect Sydney (who is now a Rainbow Girl) were vampires. We didn’t have many face painting customers the first night, although Michelle did paint several small children’s faces. Instead, many of us walked through the haunted temple many, many times! The first time I went through I was scared, so I plugged my ears, closed my eyes and held on to Michelle’s arm so hard! What I didn’t realize was that Michelle had her eyes closed too! It was so much fun! It was really scary too.