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Listed below are details about the Grand Assembly of Florida.

Florida
updated on 08-29-01

Local (Assembly) Level:
Arlington Assembly No. 78, Jacksonville:

The new Sister of Faith gets baby toys and bottles at the installation for being the 'baby'. We pass along a piggy bank for her too.

We like to do the limbo, so sometimes the W.A. is presented with a limbo stick decorated to match her term colors.

We are very active with our DeMolay Chapter, often holding dances together.

Our Assembly used to use crowns, back in the 60's.

New girls get a 'big sister' to help them with proficiency and 'learning the ropes'.

Melody Assembly No. 100, Niceville: (Instituted 1960)

We were originally sponsored by the Order of Eastern Star in our area, but the sponsorship recently changed to being sponsored by Supreme Assembly.

We have a tradition of telling each girl to wear a formal on their initiation, and then informing them following the Initiation that they must ride a greased pig in their formal. (not true of course!) Ooga-booga is a tradition, usually performed privately in a girl's room during Grand Assembly.

Incoming Worthy Advisors choose a theme, colors, Bible verse, honor station(s), symbol, flower. The new WA always plans her opening and closing marchs for her term.

Installations are usually held on weekends, and the WA picks the date. She also picks the time of day, and what she would like to do afterwards, i.e., a reception, or a dance. The officers usually have carry-ins, and the WA usually gives each member of her installing team a gift. Each individual girls chooses her own dress to wear, one color is not mandatory.

Local DeMolay, Masonic, and Eastern Star chapters attend our installations, but presentations by these groups to the new Worthy Advisor are not mandatory. Usually the Worthy Advisor will request a special presentation from a certain group. (Ex. The GWA from Alabama attends an installation. The new Worthy Advisor might request her to give the Gavel Talk, just to make the installation a little more special or memorable.)

The WA pin is travelling, and the past WA receives a Past Worthy Advisor pin. Brag Rags are presented at each new girls Initiation.

At Installation, we present Past Grand Officers jewels (these are presented at the first installation following Grand Assembly). The Mother Advisor presents new service bars to the girls who have earned them during the term.
We have our Rainbow dads, and each year at Valentine's Day we appoint our new Beaux, Big Brother, and Little Brother from the local DeMolay chapter.

At Farewell, sometimes the Assembly will provide the outgoing WA with a small gift of appreciation.

We really do not have skits, but the incoming WAA plans a courtesy for the new WA in which all the new officers participate in, which usually includes some little skit or song, and presents for the new WA. The courtesy is always done before closing but after the altar service.

We are a sister Assembly with Panama #18, which is located in Panama City, Florida. Panama 18 and Melody 100 are both district 2.

Twilight Ridge Assembly No. 146, Haines City: (Instituted March of 1990)

Twilight Ridge Assembly meets at their local Masonic Lodge. They are sponsored by Order of the Eastern Star Chapter #68.

Assembly Traditions. "Any trip or overnight event we attend results in lots of toilet papered cars..."

For her term, the Worthy Advisor-elect chooses a theme, flower, colors, song, Bible verse or motto, service project, honor station, and symbol. She also plans her own Opening and Closing marches.

Installations. Our Installations are usually a weekend afternoon event with refreshments served afterward. The WA always has a cake made and decorated. Dresses are of their own choosing. Each officer has a carrying piece (anything from flowers to whatever). All officers are given a gift, usually something to do with the WA's symbol or theme.

At Installations, Occasionally the Masons or DeMolay will act as escorts.

There is a traveling Worthy Advisor pin.

At the January Installation, the Masonic Youth Award is given. Grand Choir and Grand Page are announced. Merit bars and pins are given at all Installations.

At farewell, the outgoing WA recieves a gift from her Assembly.

Other traditions. End of Initiation, Rose Talk. Sometimes at Installation, Gavel Talk.

Winter Haven Assembly No. 35:

They give an award named for a Past Grand Deputy in January.

Area (District) Level:

Our Official Visits are usually not ritualistic but more of a fun meeting with a theme.

Grand (State) Level:

The first Grand Assembly in Florida was held in 1946.

The official publication of Florida is called "The Spectrum". It used to be called "Rainbow Notes". It is published monthly.

Proficiency. There are: the floor work 10 questions, ritual 10 questions, laws 10 questions and secret work (where the entire secret work is memorized), and the test oath.

Merit Bars. 125 for each color bar and officer pins, 200 for starter bar, 400 for pot of gold and 400 for wreath. 500 for Temple of Service, and 1000 more for Mom Brill service pin.

Term length in Florida is four months. Installations are in January, May and September. Some Assemblies are on six month terms, however.

Songs sung at Initiation. Love Divine, I love to tell the story, In the Garden, In the Sweet By and By, I would be true, America the Beautiful, and Somebody did a golden deed.

Choir marches in singing "Onward Christian Soldiers."

Florida has Pledge Groups.

There are no mascots in Florida.

Crowns are not worn in Florida.

Marching in the Assembly room. Girls walk in normally.

Dress Code. No black or very dark colors. Short dress for regular meetings, formals for Initiation and Installation. Grand Assembly is dresses-only (short dress during day, formal at night), even in halls, unless for sporting events. Special functions could be costume, formal, Rainbow appropriate pants or short dress.

Hoopskirts are not allowed in Florida, generally, although there's no set rule against them. Some girls like to wear crinolines under their formals, but crinolines are not allowed on the Grand Floor so everyone will look the same.

Selection of Grand Officers. Recommendations from each Assembly's Board are sent to Supreme Inspector in January (1st choice and alternate). They must be PWA and hold a current Proficiency card. 1st choice are given an interview with Grand Executive Board at Grand Assembly From these interviews the 22 floor officers are chosen. Anyone not chosen is named Grand Representative and then the rest of the Grand Representatives are plugged in from recommendations based on form filled out by Mother Advisor. Grand Officers and Representatives are equal in status.

None of our Grand Offices are elected by the girls, and the only Grand Office that moves up is the Grand Worthy Associate; she moves up to Grand Worthy Advisor the following year.

Other Grand Officers (besides the floor Officers) include Grand Editor and Grand Historian. The Grand Historian follows the GWA, collecting pictures and scrapbook stuff, then works all year on a scrapbook for her and presents it at Grand Assembly.

There is no limit to the number of times you can be a Grand Officer in Florida. To be eligible for a Grand Office, a girl must be a PWA, have current proficiency card, and be recommended by her Advisory Board.

Grand Officers, when their year is over, participate in the Pearl Ceremony, and receive a pearl from a Past Grand Officer.

Grand Officers' duties include serving at Grand Assembly, and attending all functions during the year.

Grand Representatives' duties. They are encouraged to go to their jurisdiction's Grand Assembly, but often these are at the same time (or before) ours. They have a costume parade and contest where they make costumes about their states.

More Grandie info. All our Grandies have their own personal page to get them water, keep them company, etc. Usually it's a "little sister" or younger girl in the Assembly, or a close friend. Grandies can wear their hair however they want, but are asked to keep it simple. The amount of Grand Appointments an Assembly gets depends on the amount of girls initiated that year. There is no age limit for Grand Officers, as long as they are a PWA. Girls can be a Grandie more than once (and many are).

Grand Choir. One girl per Assembly, appointed by the Advisory Board.

Grand Pages. Appointed by Advisory Board. Personal pages are selected by Grand Officers.

Tilers/Sentinels. Florida does not have them anymore.

Grand Officer's dresses. They wear white. Other colors are picked by the GWA for each group: Grand Representatives, Grand Choir and Grand Pages. All the dresses are of the same style. We don't make our dresses, we order them.

Other Grand Assembly appointments. Various deputies pick officers for Grand Cross or to make toasts or flag presentaions or tributes.

Special events at Grand Assembly. Baby dedication and Memorial service. Monday night Grand Officers are announced, after Initiation a sing along, anything to heighten the suspense.

Awards given at Grand Assembly. Miss Service and Mom Brill Service pin are announced at Grand Assembly.

Grand Cross designates are announced at their local Assemblies. Grand Cross designates can also be announced at the regional church services we have (to celebrate the founding of Rainbow). The degree is given at Grand Assembly, where you get your medallion.

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