On Sunday, July 4, the Regional Webmasters' Workshop was held at the Queanbeyan Masonic Centre. The Workshop was attended by 13 representatives from Region 10 and one representative from Region 12. The attendance was lower than expected however all Districts within Region 10 were represented.

The Lodge Website Project is intended to provide a method by which Lodges can establish a website with minimal administrative, technical or financial overhead. Whether a Lodge choses the Project to realise a website, or establishes a website themselves, Lodges are encouraged to consider establishing an Internet presence.

The Workshop kicked off at about 1:15pm after some extra time was given to several attendees who had registered their intention to participate but had not yet arrived. This conveniently provided those in attendance time to enjoy a coffee and a selection of light snacks including jam filled donuts, chocolate cake and lamingtons.

The facilitator, Roman Cholawinskyj, welcomed the attendees and conveyed the apologies of RW Bro Graham Charlton, RGC10, and RW Bro Hugh Davies, Regional Training Officer, who were both unable to attend. Particular acknowledgment was paid to those attendees who had travelled long distances including RW Bro Richard Dawes, Chairman Masonic Education and Training, and Secretary of The Discovery Lodge of Research, Region 12.

The Workshop began with an overview of the Project from conception through to the present day deployment strategy. Attendees then experienced the process of creating a website article including image editing techniques. Thanks to Bruce Davies who took the photographs for this section of the Workshop. This was followed by the steps for creating calendar entries and configuring the online document library.

Several attendees had their own laptops which were enabled for mobile broadband services and were subsequently able to update their own Lodge websites during the Workshop.

The Workshop in Progress

Regrettably, poor Internet connectivity through the local mobile broadband service, which was also experienced by at least one other attendee, slowed the delivery of the subject matter in the latter half of the Workshop. Don Ray provided the facilitator with his laptop which also failed to maintain Internet connectivity. Several topics intended to be delivered on configuring the document library could not be completed and the creation and administration of user accounts was not delivered at all. However, online Webmaster Tutorials are available for these and other topics.

The Workshop concluded with a wrap-up, on schedule, at 5pm. The facilitator expresses his sincere appreciation to all those who gave up their Sunday afternoon to attend this Workshop namely: Geoff Bunn #26, John Church #974, Bruce Davies #164, Richard Dawes #971, Peter Ellis #938, Jack Garside #164, Jeff Le Faucheur #715, Geoff Ludowyk #612, Alan Puckeridge #124, Don Ray #56, Bob Sekhon #612, David Slater #633, Alan Webb #974 and Dick Yeomans #550.

The Attending Webmasters - Bruce Davies is holding the camera

Photograghy: RW Bro Bruce Davies