After a week of record setting snow in the Keystone State many folks were wondering whether or not PA DeMolay could even pull off the annual Patriots Class in 2010! PA DeMolay does not give up easy though and that tenacity paid off with a fabulous Patriots Class!

Held February 13th, Patriots Class turned 4 this year thanks to the support of the Valley of Reading AASR. Just what is Patriots Class? It's pretty simple actually; its an induction ceremony held to honor patriots of our country.

This year the class saw three new Brothers with outstanding degree work performed by Bro. Carl Blew, serving as Master Councilor for the Initiatory Degree, Bros. Matt Eberts and W. Thomas Moyer, playing the parts of Master Inquisitor and Jacques DeMolay, respectively, and Bro. Anthony Kalhoff who wowed the crowd with the 4th Section of the DeMolay Degree where he served as Master Councilor. Everyone did a fabulous job!

Following the degrees Bro. Howard Wagner, State Master Councilor, presented a shield to the delegation from Friendship-Bray Chapter. This shield was presented as part of The League membership campaign. While not originally offered as a prize, FBC did so well in recruiting last year that the State Officers thought that they also deserved a prize for their hard work.

Stealing the show was "Dad" Ray Gotschall who attended the event in colonial garb and represented the character Christian Gotschall, a Berks County militia man from the Revolutionary War era. He discussed common tactics of the day, what kinds of weapons he and his fellow revolutionaries would have used, and how German American immigrants changed the Berks County area.

Special thanks go out to the Valley of Reading and their officers who attended, "Dad" Victor Frederick, Commander in Chief, "Dad" Herbert Swisher, 1st Lieutenant Commander, and "Dad" Christopher H. Tecklenberg, Secretary. A thank you is also sent out to "Dad" Ed Stein, District Deputy Grand Master for District for District 7.