DDGM David Herman Joins Gate City II

District Deputy To The Grandmaster David Herman Joins Gate City II as a plural member. In his official announcement at the DCMA on February 12, 2009, David referred to GCII as his "fantasy lodge". He told the gathering of eighty six people that Gate City was what he thought a Lodge should be. David also expressed his satisfaction and happiness with his mother lodge, but, he was not looking for complacency, he wanted to be challenged. "Gate City," he remarked, "challenges him to be a better Mason."

Raised in Chamblee Lodge No. 444 in November of 1993 and installed as Junior Steward at the next meeting, David Herman has been a very active Freemason ever since. He has served as Worshipful Master, Secretary and Director of Work for Lodge 444; he leads services for the DeKalb Masonic Memorial Club; he has held various positions at district and state levels; and he is presently a DDGM, assigned to eight lodges in Rockdale and southeastern DeKalb counties, and President of the DeKalb County Masonic Association. Karen, his wife of 15 years, tries to keep him from overloading his wagon, which is why he is not at appendant body meetings as frequently as he would like to be.

David has been in Atlanta since his tour as a US Army Paratrooper and Intel Analyst ended in 1990, and has had a range of careers, including Horse Groom, Cab Driver, Typesetter, HAZMAT Instructor, Website Designer, Oracle Database Administrator and Storage Area Network Administrator. He is currently responsible for “letting the smoke out” of Industrial Automation Control Systems at Hegwood Electric in Doraville.

Welcome David!!!


David's Address To The DCMA:

"A few weeks ago, when Beaux asked me to give a testimonial tonight, explaining why I have joined Gate City as a plural member, I started thinking about it. There was no question in my mind that I wanted to participate in Freemasonry with these men, but that was sort of abstract, so I kept trying to put it into words, with real examples."

"Imagine, knowing what you know now, that you could create a fantasy lodge – one where everything was how you really thought it should be – perhaps not easy; perhaps not convenient; but somehow just as it should be – challenging, - something that prompted you to work at self improvement. What would that lodge be like?"

"For me, the details of external trappings are not as important as the effects they have on the members. Please do not infer by it that I am in any way unsatisfied with my Mother Lodge, for I am completely satisfied with it. The problem is that I don't want to be satisfied. I want to be challenged."

"I would create a lodge where, when looking at the calendar for the week, members would smile and say "oh, nice – lodge this week already!"

"I would create a lodge where the members knew what was expected of them in no uncertain terms – in ritual proficiency, in dress code, in contributions of time and labor – in every single way. And I would create a lodge where the members strove to exceed those expectations."

"I would create a lodge which didn't exist behind closed doors, but was public in the neighborhood, seen doing good works of community service and charity – a lodge that was part of its community, filled with men who, by their examples, inspired other men to seek membership."

"I would create a lodge where the members grew to become close friends, and regularly socialized together outside of the lodge."

"What I have described would be a wonderful lodge to belong to, don't you think? It reminds me of what some of the older brethren here tonight have told me about "how it used to be."

"What I have described is what I have found in Gate City Lodge No. 2."

-David Herman, Address to DeKalb County Masonic Association, February 12, 2009