Ohio Grand Assembly Friday July 13, 2018

I just got back from Ohio Grand Assembly 2018 and I am so excited about it I just had to write a web article.  But there’s so much I want to say that I am going to write an article for each day that we were there.  Their Grand Assembly starts on Thursday so we missed one full day.

Starting from the beginning, I woke up Friday morning far earlier than I like to at 4am, and I got packed because I was busy with my math and the Royal Arch dinner the day before.  We, meaning my mom, Zoey and me, piled into the car and were on the road a little after 5 am.  It was a seven hour drive to get to Gambier, OH and it was in the middle of no-where so we did get lost in a corn field because the navigation in the car became confused. 

Once we finally got to the Kenyon College campus we found the athletic center where the sessions were held.   We couldn’t register there and then had to find the dining hall.  We were met by Mom Crystal to get us registered and she rushed us off to get lunch since the dining hall was about to close.  The food was wonderful and there were so many choices!  After we ate Mom Crystal showed us the dorm we would be staying at and then we got unpacked and changed into short dresses for the afternoon session since we couldn’t sit in the east because we missed the beginning.

We got to the afternoon session after elections, but just in time to hear the grand appointments for the coming year.  This year it was announced that the girls who were only Grand Reps would have four jurisdictions each because Ohio Rainbow membership is so new that many girls weren’t ready to serve as a Grand Officer yet.  I found out my counterpart and was able to meet her and get her contact information.  The afternoon session ended and we were able to catch the shuttle back to the dorms so we could change into casual clothes for dinner in the dining hall.  Zoey and I happened to wear the exact same Rainbow shirt to dinner and so many people liked it and wanted to buy one.  Unfortunately, we were wearing the one for Rachael so there aren’t any more to buy.  I guess Harry Potter themed shirts are popular no matter where you go!  After dinner we made our way over to the Sock Hop Party for the evening, but not before stopping at the campus book store to get souvenirs! 

After the bookstore we walked to the party and started out by picking up some free snacks – cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones.  Then we started to play the carnival games.  At the party they had a “jail” set up that you could put someone in the jail by paying $1 and to get out you needed to get someone else to pay $1 so you could leave.  The proceeds went to a scholarship fund to pay for girls to go to Grand Assembly.  They had a DJ and the girls were dancing it up.  At about 8 pm the out-of-state guest Rainbow Girls were made the judges of the costume contest and Zoey and I got to judge the costumes.  They divided the girls up into three age groups and we judged the best costumes from each group.  It was fun and the contest was done around 9:30 pm.  After that I was so tired from the trip that we went back to our dorm for the night. 

Walking through the dorm halls was like nothing I’ve seen before.  Every dorm room door was completely decorated for this year’s theme!  You could actually tell one assembly from the next by how the doors were decorated.  This was another contest that they have each year.  Some assemblies picked pink flamingos, others poodle skirts, others did ice cream cones, and some did the rock ‘n roll theme.  Ohio Rainbow took up two entire dorms and one building was nine stories tall! It was so fun and festive!  I didn’t get to sleep until really late because it was so fun. 

Isabella

Grand Assembly 2018

On July 29th, 2018, Fairfax Assembly left for Grand Assembly. Those in attendance were Lorkin, Kayley, Paige, Mom Sherry, Mom Leslie, Katie, and myself. I had a lot of fun sharing a room with my Assembly sisters, and seeing all of my friends from other assemblies. We had Grand Choir practice, Grand Flag practice, Grand Representatives’ practice, and Lorkin and I even carried flags in the Cavalcade of Flags. The first session was really special, as I had the opportunity to give a tribute to the American Flag, and carry it.

That night, we had the Grand Representatives’ costume parade! It was so fun, and there were some amazing costumes.

On Saturday, we attended the Initiation, and Lorkin and I went to the Grand Representative and Grand Officer luncheon. It was so much fun, and we spent a lot of time laughing. After that, we performed the Cavalcade of Flags, and Mom Renn even jumped in! Once the Session was over, we went to the Grand Banquet. Lorkin got 2nd Place in the Costume Parade, our Assembly won 3rd in the Scrapbook Competition, and we now have 2 Flag Bearers, and 2 Grand Representatives.

On Sunday, we got up early for the Installation, and Lorkin and I were installed as Grand Representatives. I am so excited for this Grand Year, and I know it will be so much fun!

Until next year,

Zoë, Fairfax Assembly #3

Ohio Grand Assembly Saturday July 14, 2018

Ohio Grand Assembly starts early!  Breakfast is from 7 – 8 am and you need to arrive dressed for the morning session since that starts right after.  There are so many differences in Ohio Rainbow.  In Ohio as a Grand Representative I am considered a Grand Officer and so are Grand Flag Bearers and Grand Pages.  They have a trumpet call to order at the beginning of each session which is followed by the Supreme Deputy and all the Grand Deputies being escorted in by Grand Escorts that they choose.  Then the visiting grand officers are brought in and seated in the east.  Once that is done then the Grand Officers come in and do a huge marching number to different songs and they have props that go with the theme for the year.  Grand pages then collect all the props and then they go to their seats.  Then the GWA has an honor court that she walks through before she gets to the east.  It really is an impressive show.  After that I got to speak to everyone.  They then showed some ritual work and gave out the mascot awards to the different assemblies.  Once that was over there was the Courtesy to the GWA.  In VA we have the signing of the memory book, but in OH it is where they give gifts to the GWA and the Grand Officers say good-bye to her.  Kate received a quilt showing her theme for the year, a memory box, several scrapbooks for all of her travels, a special gift from her Grand Aide, and a hope chest to store all of it.  Her aide also gave her a tiara since Ohio doesn’t use crowns.

Following the morning session was lunch and then there was some down time for people to change into their Superteam clothes (each team had matching t-shirts and some even had matching hair accessories).  We made another trip to the campus bookstore before going to the competition.  Each district makes a team and then there was a team for the out-of-state visitors.  Zoey was on that team and competed in the balloon tossing contest and got second place!  Afterwards we realized we were running low on snacks so we made a trip to the next town over to go to Walmart and then change before going to dinner and the evening session.

The evening session was the installation of the new grand officers.  It was different from Virginia because they have two installing marshals.  It makes things move much faster.  Also, not all of the Grand Installing Officers are past GWAs – just the installing officer and the first installing marshal.  It was fun to watch.  The new GWA’s name is Shelby and her theme this year is:  Bows, Pearls and Rainbow Girls.  Her mascot is “Pearl the Pig” and her colors are: lavender, antique blue, mint green and peach.  Her service/charity project is M.A.D.D. and they will be selling Malley’s Chocolate Bars for the send Rainbow Girls to Grand Assembly scholarship fund.  We were given gift bags for attending the OH Grand Assembly too!  After the installation was over it was a race to get into line for pins, t-shirts, mason jars, and candy bars for this new Grand Year.  Once we were done with that we caught a shuttle back to the dorm so we could change and get some sleep for the night.

Isabella

On August 6th, Hampton Assembly attended a youth function put on by the Knights Templar. They threw a pizza party for the youth groups and there was an amazing turnout! So many people from Job’s Daughters, DeMolay, and Rainbow showed up. There were even multiple people from different assemblies, chapters and bethels. I was absolutely amazed by the support from our Masonic youth groups and it was wonderful to hang out with so many of my friends all together. After lunch we went to the Casemate Museum for a tour. Our large group split up into smaller groups and went together to each stop. The tour guides showed us many interesting artifacts and knew lots of history about Fort Monroe. We even got to go inside the church and meet a woman who had ancestral ties to the building. It was very fun to get together and tour the historical heritage that is right in our backyard! 

With Rainbow Love and Service, 

Lauren Ann