Scottish Rite Month 2022: Celebrating Medical Service Provider Brothers
November marks Scottish Rite month, a time for our fraternity to come together and celebrate our brotherly bonds and the dignified men that make our Brotherhood great. For 2022, the Supreme Council dedicated this year’s celebration to our medical service provider Brethren. These men work tirelessly to care for and protect their communities and serve as an inspiring example of what it means to be a Scottish Rite Freemason and live by our six Core Values, like Service to Humanity.
We have many medical service providers among our Scottish Rite ranks. Throughout the past month, we have profiled these Brothers on our social media channels and have shared their stories, highlights from their careers, and how the Scottish Rite has impacted their life and work.
We invite you to learn more about your incredible Brothers by reading their full Scottish Rite month submissions below.
Meet Brother Christopher Sova, 32°, from the Valley of Michigan. Brother Sova has been a nurse for 8 years. He started out as a Licensed Practical Nurse, and recently obtained his registered nurse (RN) degree after going back to school – an opportunity afforded to Brother Sova thanks to an Abbott Scholarship he received.
Brother Sova enjoys helping others and being there for patients when they need someone. "I work in a skilled nursing facility and being able to help out the elderly and learn from them is the best."
How has Service to Humanity guided Brother Sova in his career? "Service to Humanity to me is the basis on which I have built both my personal and professional life around. It is the golden rule of helping others as you would yourself. It has greatly impacted my work because I am grateful for this life given to me by the Grand Architect of the Universe. The only way I can repay that gratitude is by helping all of God’s creations with my Service to Humanity."
Meet Brother Harry Mayer, 32°, from the Valley of Southern New Jersey. Brother Mayer has been coordinating federal medical teams during complex humanitarian disasters for over 20 years. As an Emergency Coordinator with the US Department of Health and Human Services, his job has taken him to many disasters both domestically and internationally.
"I enjoy my job because I'm helping people when they are having the worst day of their life. The work we did in providing COVID vaccines and medical countermeasures has been particularly rewarding."
To Brother Mayer, the Core Value of Service to Humanity helps him "focus on the things that really matter in life. It is truly a blessing to have a job that lets me embrace service to others every day."
Meet Brother Joseph Levy, 33°, from the Valley of Akron. He was a Respiratory Therapist for over 40 years before continuing his passion for healthcare as an Area Manager where he was responsible for front-line contract operations in 26 hospitals across seven states.
It is clear that our Core Value of Service to Humanity is important to Brother Levy, "Service to Humanity is a trait available to all humans, but unfortunately accessed by few each day. The Scottish Rite helps to draw attention to this trait and reminds you to be of service to mankind."
Meet Brother Timothy Page, 32°, from the Valley of Syracuse. Brother Page, MD, has worked in emergency and critical medicine since 1989, making a difference by caring for the ill.
The Core Values of the Scottish Rite have guided Brother Page throughout his career. In particular, abiding by the principles of Service to Humanity, Integrity, and Tolerance have helped shape his approach to work, reminding him to bring honesty and compassion to each patient - regardless of who they are or where they're from.
Meet Brother Ross Black, 33°, from the Valley of Cleveland! Brother Black was a family physician for 46 years and now works as the Medical Director of a local, free clinic that provides care for those without health care coverage.
"The privilege of working with people and their families through many generations is immeasurable. I've also enjoyed offering advice and care to many who are not my patients but friends, neighbors, and Brethren. I hope I've helped them better understand what is going on with their health, as well as why and how a treatment will be of benefit," says Brother Black.
"Providing Service to Humanity is for all Sublime Princes, irrespective of their background or training. As I retired from active practice a few years ago, others around me were concerned I would miss the busy life of my profession. I realized that caring for and about people is my life's journey and it goes on as long as I breathe. The setting may change but not the function or purpose."
Meet Brother Michael Sisno from the Valley of Albany. Brother Sisno has been an emergency room registered nurse since 2018 and has been working in emergency medical services since 2012. He loves taking care of people and being there to help during someone's worst moments.
"For me, serving humanity is the greatest kind of service. It is a reflection of how I am serving God. Being an emergency room nurse often means I'm there when a man is most vulnerable. It can be a stressful environment to work in. Reminding myself that 'by serving humanity, I serve God' keeps me motivated in what I do at work."
Meet Brother Saravia-Jimenez, 32°, from the Valley of Northern New Jersey. Brother Saravia-Jimenez is a healthcare supply chain manager with over 14 years of experience in the acquisition and inventory management of medical materials. He values his work immensely, as it contributes to overall patient safety and care.
Throughout his work, Service to Humanity is close to Brother Saravia-Jimenez's heart. "Service to Humanity impacts what I do on a daily basis because I'm in the profession of always being able to understand and share the feelings of others. Making sure that our medical professionals have the materials that they need to care for our loved ones in their most vulnerable moment is a clear demonstration of this Core Value."
Meet Brother Keith Hirst, 32° from the Valley of Boston, a Registered Respiratory Therapist of 24 years. He is also a Program Director for the Respiratory Care Program at Quinsigamond Community College.
His favorite part of the job is the daily challenges it brings; being an educator allows him to prepare the next generation of respiratory therapists to provide excellent, high-quality care to patients who suffer from cardiopulmonary disorders.
“To me, Service to Humanity means helping out anyone that needs it regardless of their situation in life. Anyone that I see who can't breathe will get my full attention until they are able to breathe comfortably on their own.”
Meet Brother Alexander Yurkiw, 32°, from the Valley of New York City. Brother Yurkiw is an MD, board certified in Internal Medicine. He graduated with his doctorate from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 2014. After his daughter was born, he was given the opportunity to step back from his typical 70-hour work weeks and is now managing nursing homes.
His favorite part of the job is having "the chance to calmly approach a problem in a time of crisis and help those in need along their path. This, alongside a practical ability to contribute back to the community that has given so much to me."
Service to Humanity plays an important part in Brother Yurkiw's life and career, in his words, "to put another individual’s comfort and wellbeing first stands as a shining example of Service to Humanity. I’m honored to be a Scottish Rite Mason and am privileged for the opportunity to have a chance to take that extra mile."
Meet Brother Jason Haag, 32°, from the Valley of Rochester. He has been an EMT since 2003. In 2014, he was put in charge of the training of a large commercial emergency medical services (EMS) agency and is now the Chief of Operations.
He loves mentoring new providers and teaching experienced providers something new to add to their everyday practice. "Service to Humanity has taught me to put others before myself. I have spent my entire life working to take care of patients and to make the EMS system better."
Meet Brother Mark Wise, 32°, from the Valley of Indianapolis. Brother Wise is in his last year of residency where he is training in anesthesiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He has always wanted to be a doctor and truly never considered any other career path.
Through and through, Brother Wise says that anesthesiology is such a rewarding field of medicine. However, he most enjoys performing nerve blocks for pain control, which makes the surgical experience more pleasant for his patients.
"We all have unique gifts that should be used to serve our communities and to create a better place for everyone to live and thrive. Service to Humanity is a humbling reminder that I have the honor and privilege every day to safely guide my patients through their surgery and recovery, which can be such a stressful life experience!"
Scottish Rite Month takes place each year during the month of November. Revisit Brother profiles from years past below.
A Look Back At Scottish Rite Month 2019
Scottish Rite Month: A Very Special Gift
Meet First Responder and Brother Steven Stefanakos, 33° (2021)