In the year 2000, J. Garrie Burr, Grand Master of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of the state of Illinois, added a “Grotto Mason of the Year” award to the list of appendant body presentations by the Grand Lodge each year. He asked the Illinois State Grotto Association to set standards and adopt a selection procedure for each year’s recipient.

The Association leadership felt that this honor should recognize those Prophets who had exhibited outstanding service to both the Grotto and Freemasonry itself. The recipient had to be a member of an Illinois Blue Lodge.

In 2003, the Grand Lodge stopped giving those appendant body awards out. However, the Association felt strongly that the Grotto award was worthwhile and decided that they would continue the process as an award of the Association presented annually at its luncheon in October at the close of each Grand Lodge Communication.

In 2007, the Association voted to open the eligibility to include any Prophet that is a member of an Association Grotto.

The recipients of this honor have been:

          2000 – Billy P Koukos, PM, PP of Aliabad Grotto
          2001 – Howard E. Schermerhorn, PM, PP of El Jaala Grotto
          2002 – Walter DeShara, PM of Zingabad Grotto
          2003 – Tony Presley, PM of Abbas Grotto
          2004 – John Rebman, PM of Gao Grotto
          2005 – E. Dale Crowcroft, Sr., PM of Zingabad Grotto
          2006 – Bradley L. Baker of El Jaala Grotto

If you would like to nominate a Prophet for the next award, click here for a form.