Elmwood Assembly was instituted on January 4, 1958, with 34 charter members. By the end of the year, the assembly had grown to 76 members and received its Charter and the number, "285" in January 1959. . Elmwood has been very fortunate to have two of its members become Grand Worthy Advisors of Texas.
Carol Smart was appointed Grand Drill Leader in 1967, and went on to serve as Grand Worthy Advisor in 1970. Vedra Clavin was appointed to Grand Fidelity in 1989, and advanced to Grand Worthy Advisor in 1993. Through the years, the assembly has learned that no life is complete without a knowledge of:
LOVE .... sharing love by participating in various Charity projects, such as donating red wagons and a wheelchair to Scottish Rite Hospital, parties at the Masonic Home and the Denton School, adopting needy families and benefit dinners for various organizations.
RELIGION
.... a highlight of each Rainbow year is attending church together. For many years, Elmwood had in excess of 150 girls and adults attending church together. One year, there was 208!
NATURE
... countless weenie roasts, hay rides, swim parties, sunrise breakfasts, and picnics have enabled the assembly to enjoy the beauties of nature together.
IMMORTALITY
... our own immortality was brought home to us in 1963, when a member died and the girls conducted a Rainbow funeral service for her and presented a wheelchair to Scottish Rite Hospital in her honor.
FIDELITY
.... loyalty to each other and to Rainbow enabled the assembly to recommend members for the Grand Cross of Color in 39 of our 40 years. Love and loyalty were also demonstrated in 1983, when the assembly celebrated its 25th birthday by having an Elmwood Family Reunion. Over 50 Past Worthy Advisors and 12 Past Mother Advisors came from all parts of the country to join in this celebration of love and remembrance.
PATRIOTISM
... was demonstrated when Elmwood presented a U.S. flag to a newly organized assembly in Richardson, and as the girls sent Care packages to the troops during Desert Storm.
SERVICE
... to the assembly by participating in money-making projects through the years, and to others by giving of our time and our love to others around us has been demonstrated throughout the years. One of our members, Ami Mahone, was rewarded for her Rainbow service when she was awarded the Whitfield Scholarship in 1993.
There have been many fun times - like trips to McAlester, Oklahoma, chartered buses to Grand Assembly, countless slumber parties, come as you are breakfasts, bake sales, and spaghetti suppers. We have worked and played together, laughed and cried together, and look forward to the next
45 years of love and service at
Elmwood Assembly #285.