July 16, 2000 will long remain an important date in the history of The Valley of Cleveland. It will be remembered as the day that the 32° Masonic Learning Center for Children was officially opened for the dyslexic children in northeastern Ohio. It was also a day of Dedication for the facility, as the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Jurisdiction, was in the Valley of Cleveland for this exciting and momentous event.

Following an Open House of the facility, hosted by Center Director Mary Ann Glasgow and several of her staff tutors, the Learning Center program to officially dedicate began.

Bonnie Youngblood, Chairperson of the Valley of Cleveland Learning Center, presented the guest of honor for the event, Ill.·. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of The Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction.

Illustrious Brother Ralston told of the Learning Centers progress during the past 4 1/2 years. He stated that there will be 15 states with Learning Centers in 55 cities. In Ohio alone, there will be 10 sites. The Cleveland Learning Center is number 6. On line presently, are 1000 children in 27 centers throughout the northern jurisdiction.

Assisting Sovereign Grand Commander Ralston in the Dedication program were Illustrious Brethren John W. Young, Past Deputy’s Representative for the Valley of Cleveland, Steven J. Krekus, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Valley, James W. Salmons, Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Learning Centers for the northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Illustrious Brethren John Hall and Robert Maxwell, members of the Board of Governors for the Valley of Cleveland Learning Center, and Chairperson Bonnie Youngblood.

 The Ceremony of Dedication featured the Sovereign Grand Commander as he proceeded to dedicate our facility. In the Dedication Ceremony, he spoke of the “Guiding Lights of Freemasonry which burn brightly in the East representing wisdom to guide us, strength to support us, and beauty to inspire us. In the East there were four additional lights, which with the others illuminate our way of life. They are symbolic of Liberty, Tolerance, Loyalty and Truth.” He also explained the symbols used in the dedication of buildings. “The Flowers, symbols of hope and love as a memorial of all the valiant and devoted members of Freemasonry who shaped their lives with the symbolic working tools of our fraternity and have made this dedication possible, and salt, a symbol of hospitality. May every appeal for help be heard and every sorrow comforted. To assist children in their hour of need is our duty and fraternal privilege.

He then officially dedicated the Valley of Cleveland 32° Learning Center for Children to the Glory of God and Service to Children.

The dedication ceremony was closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

Music for the Dedication program was provided by Ill.·. Robert J. Bray, 33°, and Ill.·. Marvin J. Price, 33°.

Following the Dedication Ceremony, several presentations and introductions were made by Mrs. Youngblood.

* James W. Salmons, Jr., the No. 1 supporter of the Valley of Cleveland Learning Center. Jim is the liaison from Ohio to the Supreme Council.

* Judge Ill.·. William Batchelder, III, 33°, a member of the Board of Governors, who presented a proclamation from Governor Robert Taft of Ohio commending the Valley of Cleveland Masonic Learning Center.

* Belva Smith, Past President of The Ladies’ Association of the Valley of Cleveland who presented an artist’s rendition for display in the Learning Center.

* Junior Past Grand Worthy Advisor, Kathleen McCuen, who presented Sovereign Grand Commander Ralston with a check in the amount of $2209.44. To date Rainbow for Girls has donated $3414.56 to the Learning Centers.

* Presented the Board of Governors of the Valley of Cleveland Learning Center.

* Presented Mary Ann Glasgow, Director of the Valley of Cleveland Learning Center who introduced her staff, tutors Carol Wade, Debbi Scheffler, and Candi McCready.

* Introduced Ron Barrington, father of two students who spoke on a parents view of the Learning Center.

* Presented Steven J. Krekus, 33°, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Valley of Cleveland, and Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, who extended the good wishes of The Grand Lodge of Ohio and Grand Master, M.W.B. Ronald R. Rogers.

* Thanked the Scottish Rite Ladies Association for the wonderful refreshments, and Illustrious brethren Bray and Price for their musical contributions to the program.

* Introduced Illustrious Brother Salmons who presented Ill.·. Everett W. Allen, 33°, thanking him for his contribution to 32° Masonic Learning Centers, and presenting him with a plaque to be mounted in the Learning Center naming the main Tutor Room to the Honor of Everett and Eleanor Allen.

Capping off the Dedication program was the official cutting of the 32° Masonic Learning Center for Children ribbon by four students of the center, Mary Ann Glasgow, Mrs. Youngblood, and the Dedication Ceremony participants.

A reception for the Sovereign Grand Commander and his wife Susann was held following the program.

Learning Center Board of Governors are from left:
 Ill.·. William R. Freitag, 33°, Celia Lawson,
Donald L. Moll, Ill.·. Robert S. Bodenstein, 33°,
 Ill.·. Robert J. Maxwell, 33°

Ill.·. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander, center, dedicates the Valley of Cleveland 32° Masonic Learning Center, with the assistance of, from left: Bonnie Youngblood, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Ill.·. James W. Salmons, Jr., 33°, Ill.·. John W. Young, 33°, Past Deputy’s Assistant for the Valley of Cleveland, and Ill.·. Steven J. Krekus, 33°, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Valley of Cleveland.

The 32° Masonic Learning Center Dedication Team: from left, Ill.·. James W. Salmons, 33°, Bonnie Youngblood, Learning Center Chairperson, Ill.·. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Mary Ann Glasgow, Center Director, Ill.·. John W. Young, 33°, Past Deputy’s Assistant for the Valley of Cleveland, Ill.·. Steven J. Krekus, 33°, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Valley of Cleveland, and Ill.·. John A. Hall, 33°, member of the Board of Governors.

Assisting several students cutting the ribbon of the 32° Masonic Learning Center are from left: Bonnie Youngblood, Chairman of the Learning Center Board of Trustees, Ill.·. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, A.A.S.R., Ill.·. Steven J. Krekus, 33°, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Valley of Cleveland, and Mary Ann Glasgow, Learning Center Director.

Kathleen McCuen, Junior Grand Worthy Advisor, International Rainbow for Girls, presents Ill.·. Robert O. Ralston, 33°, with a check for $2209.44 as a donation from Rainbow to the 32° Masonic Learning Centers.

Carol Wade and Debbi Scheffler, staff tutors of the 32° Masonic Learning Center, welcome Ron and Jean Runion, Ted Brogan, and Walter Stuart to the Learning Center Dedication and Open House.

Special guests at the Dedication and Open House were Ill.:. Everett Allen, 33°, right, accompanied by his great-niece Renee and her husband Tim Shea. Also pictured is Mary Ann Glasgow, front, Director of the Center. 

Bonnie Youngblood and Sovereign Grand Commander Robert O. Ralston, cut the cake commemorating the dedication of the Valley of Cleveland 32° Masonic Learning Center.

Ill.:. Jim Salmons, 33° , Vice President of the National Board of Directors for the Children’s Learning Centers for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction , thanks Ill.:. Everett Allen, 33° , for his outstanding contribution to the Valley of Cleveland 32° Masonic Learning Center. 

Ill.·. John A. Hall, 33°, a member of the Board of Governors of the Learning Center, holds a dish of salt which along with the vase of roses was a part of the Learning Center Dedication.

Learning Center Board of Governors are from left: 
 Eric R. Schau, Ill.·. John A. Hall, 33°,
 Ill.·. Charles J. McCarty, 33°, 
and Ill.·. William G. Batchelder, 33°