Golden Trowel Award

Brothers, Family, and Friends:

A man is not honored for what he receives; honor is the reward for what he has given.  And so, this day, we honor Henry Urquhart with the Golden Trowel Award for his dedication to Richardson Freemasonry.

Our Golden Trowel Award originated in a place called “Armadillo Acres”—the get-away home of Past Grand Master Leonard P. Harvey.  In the Fall of 1989 while at Armadillo Acres for a bit of breather before the up-coming Grand Lodge Session, the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, and Grand Senior Warden were discussing the fact that nearly every lodge has brothers who day-in and day-out accomplish the “little things” for Masonry and for their lodges.  The cement, if you will, that unites a building in one common mass or, in our case, unites us as a true brotherhood.  While sitting in “the red chair” twiddling between his fingers a small golden trowel that was given to Brother Harvey’s father-in-law several years previously, the proverbial light came on and the Deputy Grand Master declared, “We can call it the ‘Golden Trowel Award.’”  And thus began the creation of this highest honor that a lodge can bestow.

The Golden Trowel Award is unique in that it is sanctioned by the Grand Lodge of Texas as an official award.

The Golden Trowel Award is exclusive in that only one can be awarded to a brother in a Masonic Year—and Richardson Lodge bestows this Award much less frequently.

The Golden Trowel Award is our formal recognition of a brother for his devoted service to Masonic principles in general and to our Lodge in particular.

A committee of past masters must nominate a brother for the Golden Trowel Award.  The Lodge must then approve the committee’s nomination.  And the committee this year was unanimous in its nomination.  And the Lodge was unanimous in its approval.

Brother Wardens please escort Past Master Henry Oliver Urquhart, Jr. to the West Side of the Altar.