A BRIEF HISTORY

 

PEMBROKE PINES LODGE 1844 & CHAPTER 1056

 

 

Our Lodge began as Carol City Lodge 1844 on 10 March l962 In the VFW building, NW 37 Ave. and 207th St.

 

The Lodge was instituted with 64 Charter Members, after all those years Brother Scott Cushing is the only charter member still alive. The Chapter was instituted on 9 March 1963 with 50 Chapter members, we no longer have any charter members left on the rolls.

 

When we moved to this location we changed our name from CAROL CITY to PEMBROKE PINES as approved by Mooseheart in February 1991.  We kept our numbers 1844 for the Lodge and 1056 for the Chapter.

 

Carol City Lodge had a history of moving from one location to another around Opa-Locka and Carol City.  We moved to the PBA Hall on N.W. 27th Ave. and 151st St. for about a year. We moved back to the VFW building. Next, we moved to N.W. 27th Ave. at the railroad tracks in Opa-Locka which was Sandy’s Auto Parts. In 1967 we moved to the shopping center at the Palmetto Bypass and 37 Ave. Our Lodge grew to about 700 members, the Chapter grew as well. In 1972 we couldn’t afford the rise in rent and moved back to the PBA Hall. During the next year we began to loose members. We did buy property on Ali-Baba Ave. just west of 27th Ave. We were able to hang on for about eight years but lost more members. On 8 Sept. 1987 we sold the property in Opa-Locka and floundered for the next 11 months. We continued to loose  members the Lodge and Chapter did not earn any of its credits.

 

In February l988, we moved to this location. In April 1988 an installation was held (we had no license to open and operated as if a dry county; B.Y.O.B. and set-ups, the cash register was a cigar box). Bart Smith was the administrator. He resigned. Joe Vella was installed as Administrator, Hank Ahlbrandt was installed as Governor and Jean Vella was installed as Senior Regent. It took until 20 Aug.  l988 to have the premises in condition to even look functional. There was a lot of work to do, everyone pitched in to help. We moved in with high hopes and three bays and the expectations of a new location in which to grow.

 

As most of you know, things did not go as projected. The first sign was that our membership was decreasing, cash flow was not good. We gave up one bay.  Changes were made...WE DID NOT CLOSE!

 

January 1995 experienced a turn around and enjoyed an upward swing. Most of us have seen or have been part of that growth, both in membership and in financial standing. Participation and membership were on the rise. We opened up the third bay again. 2001 unfortunately revealed a slump both in membership and participation. Around 2004 we closed the third bay. We have been in a slump since then.

 

In early 2011, through the efforts of many including John “Perky” Perkins Barry, Paul, Leo, BJ, the Hallandale Lodge, those members of Pembroke Pines whom have pledged their monies, and last but not least Barbara Stanley, it looks as if good old Pembroke Pines 1844 and Women of the Moose 1056 were once again to take up new residence in a new location. However after last minute negotiations with our landlord we were able to secure a major reduction in rent and other lease consolations that once again allowed us to be able to keep our promise to  Mooseheart & Moosehaven that WE WILL NEVER CLOSE.

 

The saddest time for the Lodge and Chapter is when we lose a member or friend, to a transfer or in the extreme-death. When a member stops paying their dues, or just does not come around anymore, we all loose. Whether you realize it or not, we become more than Fraternity Brothers and Sisters, We become family. Family is forever.

 

 

LISTED HERE ARE THE PAST GOVERNORS AND SENIOR REGENTS

 

 

                     GOVERNOR             SENIOR REGENT

l962-l963---Robert Leonard

l963-l964---Robert Leonard                Betty Clayton

l964-l965---Scott Cushing                 Betty Tanner

l965-l966---Bob Start                     Chapter folded this year

l966-l967---Paul Sneel                    Patricia Pits, Chapter restarts

l967-l968--Tommy Evens                    Betty Cuoco

l968-l969---Richard Badilo                Helen Taylor(left office)

                                          Margaret Palmer Jr.Reg. took over                                                   l969-l970---James Avery                   Margaret Palmer                                             

l970-l971---Charles Henry                 Barbara Henry

l971-l972---Jim Herron                    Madelyn Smith

l972-l973---Bart Smith                    Teresa Schott

l973-l974---Bart Smith                    Frieda Stanley

l974-l975---Mel Williams                  Anna Gilmer

l975-l976---William Gilmer                Marcella Wright

l976-l977---William Gilmer                Virginia Jones

l977-l978---William Gilmer                Barbara Langdon

l978-l979---James Langdon                 MaeRose Morris

l979-l980---Ed Pechinsky                  Tina Pechinsky

l980-l981---Joseph Vella                  Patricia Ellison

l981-l982---John Russell                  Joan Pieretti

l982-l983---James Morris                  Gloria Szymula

l983-l984---James Avery                   Beverly Beynon

1984-l985---Edmund Ellison                Sally Tetreault

l985-l986---Skip Wynn                     Patricia Wynn

l986-l987---Skip Wynn                     Sharon Melodino

l987-l988---Hank Albrandt                 Alice Lewis

 

              THIS IS WHEN WE BECAME KNOWN AS PEMBROKE PINES

 

l988-l989---Hank Ahlbrandt                Jeanette Vella

l989-l990---John Melodino                 Sharon Melodino

l990-l991---Lawrence Short                Alice Lewis

l991-l992---Lawrence Short                Shirley Short

l992-l993---Lawrence Short                Teresa Brown

  

l992-l993-This was the year our bartenders Beverly Wyrick and Brian Cavanagh worked several months with no pay-only tips to help keep us alive.

In case no one could find us, This Governor and Senior Regent made it a point to let everyone know we were---THE LODGE BEHIND THE BURGER KING AT TAFT AND DOUGLAS...

 

l993-l994---Sam Wyrick                    Joyce Fredrick

l994-l995---Sam Wyrick                    Lucyann Kuznitz

l995-l996---Mark Kuznitz                  Judy Koger

l996-l997---Bolton Bunting                Valeri Bunting

l997-l998---Craig McCullah                Phyllis Baker

l998-l999---Ed Zablocki                   Eleanore McNamara

l999-2000---Craig McCullah                Gertrude Rosen

2000-2001---Kurt Makovsky                 Martha Guerrero

200l-2002---Rex Darling                   Sharon Darling

2002-2003---Rex Darling                   Joann Caliendo

2003-2004---Robert Barnes                 Donna Berry

2004-2005---Gary Norton                   Donna Berry

2005-2006---Gary Norton                   Cooky Norton

2006-2007---Ron Reid                      Maureen Perkins

2007-2008---Ron Reid/Barry Smith          Maureen Perkins

Ron became Governor but had to resign due to going on the Night Shift at work. Junior Governor Barry took over as Governor

2008-2009---Barry Smith                   Trudy Seiple

2009-2010---Barry Smith                   Margie Broda

2010-2011---Michael Blanco                Angela Nedorost

2011-2012---Michael Blanco                Madeline Complitano