OUR HISTORY
The Beginning
The Masonic experience encourages members to become better men, better husbands, better fathers, and better citizens. The fraternal bonds formed in the Lodge helps build lifelong friendships among men with similar goals and values.
Square Work Lodge humble roots begin with the need to spread more Prince Hall Masonry, on the West side of Atlanta. Our goal was to be more visible in Lithia Springs GA., Douglasville GA., Mableton GA, and Austell, GA. After long hours of planning and dedication, we were able to start meeting and planning at one of our founding member’s home. We also held several meeting at Lindley Middle School in Mableton, GA. Which we later adopted as one of our schools to assist in any way that the administration of that school could utilize us. A successful relationship that we still enjoy.
We requested and were granted permission to form and after receiving our UD Status (Under Dispensation) in January 2008. We began to promote our special brand. While under UD status we were active in our community and during that time we promoted several local functions. To highlight a few, we continued to support Lindley Middle School and we were present at the, the Unveiling of Rev. Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. He was a Civil Rights icon and the Great Uncle of our members.
During Grand Session in Athens, GA on June 26, 2008, we finally achieved our goal, we were granted our Charter and Number, thus making us now Square Work Lodge #596. The following brothers are the Founding Members of Square Work Lodge #596:
Bro. Clifford Alston, Bro. Anthony Archie, Bro. James Burgess, Bro. Anthony Shy, Bro. Ephran Bryant, Bro. Jerrold Cosby, Bro. William Harper, Bro. Doug Simmons, Bro. William Harris(PM), Bro. Monte Hollinsworth, Bro. Gerald Johnson, Bro. Andrew Williams(PM), Bro. Joel Mends(PM), Bro. Ricky Ramond, & Bro. Johnel Regulas.
WM MONTE HOLLINSWORTH
1st Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596 (2008)
During our first full year, Square Work Lodge's initial principle officers were: WM Monte Hollingsworth, SW Cliff Alston, and
JW Gerald Johnson. Under this leadership, the lodge was able to support the community by volunteering in many of the local events put on by Lindley Middle School, local women shelters and the district feed the hungry programs. With this growth, Square Work Lodge #596 was able to bring in four new members, creating the lodge's first class. Class "Genesis" included Brother Phillip Arnold, Brother Sidney Bass, Brother Shane Carter, and Brother Anthony Stephens. We also were able to successfully heal our first member over to the Prince Hall Family, Brother Corey Lamb.
December 2008 marked the end of Brother Monte Hollingsworth tenure as the Worshipful Master, thus ushering in our very first Past Master (PM).
WM CLIFFORD E. ALSTON JR.
2nd Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2009)
Under Bro. Alston's tenure, the lodge continued to grow. We had several functions that brought success and recognition to our lodge. Most noted was our adoption of a local street in our community (Clay Road). This was a project presented to the lodge by our second class of new members, Second Generation. This class included: Brother Donraiel Carlisle, Brother Kevin Head, and Brother Julian Julius.
In December of 2009, the lodge elected the 3rd Worshipful Master, Bro. Gerald Johnson.
*PM Alston passed away in 2019
WM GERALD JOHNSON
3rd Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2010)
Under WM Johnson's direction, our lodge was able to continue our growth with the addition of our third class, One Unit. This class of brothers included Brother David Geter, Brother Milton Knight, Brother Darnell Reid and Brother Keith Stevens.
December of 2010 ended the tenure of Brother Gerald Johnson, ushering in our new Worshipful Master Brother Jerrold Cosby for the upcoming 2011 year.
WM JERROLD COSBY
4th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2011)
Worshipful Master Cosby’s year would be a turning point year for the overall awareness of Square Work Lodge. WM Cosby goal was to ensure that our lodge was active and visible not only in the community in which we serve, but the jurisdiction as a whole. During his year, the lodge supported several events which included the Friends of Sweet Water Annual cat fish rodeo. Square Work Lodge co-sponsored this event with State Representative Roger Bruce. The lodge also expanded our brand by planning a breast cancer benefit to support Sisters by Choice. A relationship that we continued to host.
Also during his tenure, we added another Past Master to our lodge, PM Elton Hampson from the Florida Jurisdiction. Square Work also initiated its fourth class, One Sound: Mr. Benny Bryant, Thomas Freeman and Mr. Lincolyn Simmons.
In December of 2011, we ended a strong Masonic year and elected Brother Anthony W. Stephens as our next Worshipful Master.
WM ANTHONY W. STEPHENS
5th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2012 - 2013)
January 2012 began a long and productive year for Worshipful Master Stephens. History was made within our lodge under WM Stephens as he was the first Worshipful Master to be initiated, passed and Raised in the Masonic order as a member of our lodge. Under Worshipful Master Stephens’s direction, the dream of PM Jerrold Cosby became a reality as the lodge was able to have its first ever Breast Cancer Benefit.
Throughout the year, the lodge hosted several functions, while raising two classes, one included Bro. James Ingram and the other was class, Conducting Square Business including Bro. David Burston, Bro. Leslie Walker, Jr. and Bro. Jabari Winfree.
WM Stephens also became the first Worshipful Master to serve two consecutive terms. Elections in December 2013 brought in Brother David Geter as the 6th Worshipful Master.
WM DAVID GETER
6th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2014 - 2015)
WM Geter served 2 consecutive years, 2014-2015. During which time the initiatives and efforts focused on transparency, accountability, and succession planning. He believed that we must always be a student of Masonry. That in order for continued success, we have a responsibility to hold each other accountable, to develop our replacement, and to ensure that the craft is always informed. Not just from an esoteric perspective, but also to include the business of the lodge. With the assistance of SW Carlisle, and JW Reid, we were successful at strengthening the core foundations of our lodge by practicing consistency towards the initiatives before us.
During our tenure, classes Square Vision - Bro. Walter Griggs, New Light – Bro. Anthony Lawson, Bro. Floyd Rounds, Bro. Na-Quarn Evans, and Bro. Beyene Negustsi and Unbreakable - Bro. Eric Anderson, Bro. Kenneth Bivins, Bro. Hubert Owens and Bro. Edwin Thomas, Jr. were all raised to the sublime degree of Master Masons.
After serving 2 years as the right hand to WM Geter, SW Carlisle was elected on December 15, 2015 as WM elect.
WM DONRAIEL CARLISLE
7th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2016 - 2017)
On December 15, 2015 Square Work Lodge elected Bro. Donraiel Carlisle as their 7th Worshipful Master. During his two year tenure, there were several successful fundraisers to include Square Work Lodges first Paint & Sip event, Super Bowl Party and Spades party. Under WM Carlisle direction, Square Work Lodge continued its mission to be visible in the community by the partnership with the South Cobb Recreation Center, assisting with their community events to include the annual Book Bag Drive, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween Fall Festival. One of the most successful partnerships was the Thanksgiving Dinner giveaway providing 50 bags full of can food and dry food items and a Kroger Gift Card to those families in need.
The Growth of Square Work Lodge during WM Carlisle tenure included the addition of two more classes: Class Magnitude which included Bro. Darryl Smith, and class Always Squared Up which included Bro Vincent Mosby and Bro. Grady Pearson, along with one demit, Bro. Jesse Turner.
On December 19, 2017 ended WM Carlisle tenure and ushered in WM Leslie Walker Jr.
WM LESLIE WALKER, JR.
8th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2018 - 2019)
In 2018, under the 8th elected Worshipful Master, Leslie Walker, Jr., major growth in participation of events and membership
occurred in Square Work Lodge. Lodge events such as the Paint and Sip and Thanksgiving giveaway put us in position to give away $1,000.00 to families in the community during the Christmas Holidays. Due to bigger participation from the craft, our commitment to assist in community events, and Grand Lodge functions exceeded expectations. The growth in membership brought in one demit - Brother Adam P. Burgess.
Two classes were raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason in 2018. Class 3 Kings consisting of Bro. Frederick Gadsden, Bro. Tavian Pontoo and Bro. Thaddeus McCormick. The other class was Pyramid and consisted of Bro. Demetrius Ford, Bro. Quentin Thompson and Bro. Christopher Pierce.
During the election in December, Worshipful Master Leslie Walker, Jr. was elected to serve a 2nd year. This year was filled with continued growth as Square Work achieved new standards in fundraising and community involvement as we assistedCobb County with numerous events and donated $2,000 to local charity organizations.
WM FLOYD ROUNDS JR.
9th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596. (2020 - 2021)
On December 17th, 2019, Bro. Floyd Rounds Jr. was elected to serve as 9th Worshipful Master of Square Work Lodge
#596. Early in his tenure, he raised Class Clifford E. Alston, the first class to be named after a member of the lodge, that consisted of Bro. Houston Jemison, Bro. Darnell Adams, and Bro. De’Andre S. Pickett.
PM David Geter
10th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596 (2022)
On December 21st, 2021, PM David Geter. was elected to serve as 10th Worshipful Master of Square Work Lodge
#596. Having the honor to serve as the 10th Worshipful Master of this great lodge was truly a pleasure. Our mission for the year was very simple, DEVELOPMENT. Throughout the year, we seized every opportunity to provide, and transfer know. The mindset of, if you know better, you do better. It is so important that the leadership of any organization is diligent in ensuring that leaders of tomorrow are being developed. Brothers were exposed to new levels of engagement and held to a higher standard.
During this year, I also had the pleasure of raising 6 brothers, class True Elevation. A new instructor was also appointed and trained. We were awarded most improved lodge for the year. And last but not least, we established a District-wide leadership workshop series. Because of the established culture of DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT, our craft is much stronger and informed. I say once again, thanks to the brothers of Square Work Lodge for entrusting me to serve as your Worshipful Master for a third time.
WM Rev. Adam P. Burgess
11th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596 (2023)
On December 20th, 2022, Bro. Rev. Adam P. Burgess was elected to serve as 11th Worshipful Master of Square Work Lodge
#596. During the 2023 year with a directive and theme of “Visible”, WM Burgess focused on increasing the lodge’s presence in the community and jurisdiction externally. We participated in several lodge visits and were visited by lodges within the Jurisdiction. The Lodge also received recognition from Keep Cobb Beautiful “Civic Group of the Year” for our continued efforts with Adopt-A-Mile. WM Burgess served in many District, and Jurisdiction wide ceremonies and rendered Occasion and Benediction at the St. John’s Day Service held at the Grand East. In 2023 SWL began its partnership with the Big Brother Big Sister (BBBS) Atlanta program in their on-site mentoring program. During this year our lodge also became members of the “BUT GOD” Initiative and are recognized at the Grand East plaque along with other individuals and Lodges. During this year for the first time in lodge history we invested in CD products within our financial institution and reached $10,000.00 for all accounts. Lastly, during his Stewardship report, WM Burgess called for the institution of the PM Cliff E Aston Jr Memorial Scholarship with a personal pledge of $1,000.00 which was passed unanimously by the lodge.
WM De'Andre S. Pickett
12th Worshipful Master, Square Work Lodge #596 (2024)
On December19th, 2023, Bro. De'Andre S. Pickett was elected to serve as 12th Worshipful Master of Square Work Lodge
#596.