Medina’s Aedan Bunch receives state-wide citizenship award through Masons
Provided photos: Aedan Bunch is honored as DeMolay of the Year during a recent ceremony.
First from WNY to receive DeMolay of the Year since 2006
MEDINA – Medina High School senior Aedan C. Bunch recently received an award from NYS Masons for his achievements in DeMolay. The DeMolay is a nationwide program sponsored by Masons to guide young men of all backgrounds toward good citizenship, community service, and personal responsibility.
The last time a young man from Western New York received this honor was in 2006. The award, known as the Order of the Tribune, was conferred in a ceremony by leaders from each York Rite Masonic Body and the Grand Master of Masons in New York, William M. Sardone. The award includes an emblematic medal and a knightly sword of honor.
Aedan Bunch is pictured in his DeMolay regalia. This award also includes a knightly sword and medal.
Aedan also received other DeMolay awards, including the ”Representative DeMolay Award” for leadership, and a “Distinguished Service Award” for his efforts in helping his peers during the pandemic.
Each DeMolay Chapter nominates a young man by submitting a recommendation to The New York Grand Chapter of the State of New York, Royal Arch Masons through the offices of the Grand Chapter Masonic Youth Committee who coordinates and presents the award each year under the control of the New York DeMolay Executive Officer.
To be considered for this award the candidate can not be a current or past State Master Councilor or Deputy State Master Councilor and he must clearly demonstrate that he lives by the virtues taught in DeMolay through demonstrated outstanding service to his Chapter, to DeMolay, to his community, his faith community, and to his school. Above all these virtues a candidate for this award should be an example and mentor to his peers, in his DeMolay Chapter and the community.
Aedan, a son of Steven and Ann Webster Bunch of Medina, represents the virtues and tenants of Order of York Rite Tribune through his unyielding kindness and unyielding quiet strength of character. Aedan set an example through his extreme ownership to challenges he faced. It is through this discipline, commitment, and hard work he shows his peers and community what commitment looks like.
Currently Aedan competes for Medina on the varsity cross country team. He attends The Norman Howard School in Rochester, New York through a placement from the Medina Central School District.
He has been recognized by his school as an example by scoring a school all time high score for the Pacer Test. In addition to his school, Aedan was selected by the leadership of Camp Talisman, North Carolina, to attend a session as mentor and planner tasked with helping those campers leaving home for the first time as well as planning and leading activities for an entire day.
He has been selected to return to Camp Talisman this coming summer as a member of Crew where he will be part of team assigned to lead and mentor a group of youth in the wilderness of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
This year’s Order of York Tribune was preceded by an awards ceremony for awards for merit and achievement. Aedan received numerous awards for merit so much that he was awards a “three-bar” hanger for his achievement pennants. He was also awarded with the Representative DeMolay Award which is a merit award earned through a reflective process where a young man provides examples of how he is improving his character, challenging himself, achieving his goals, and leading by example.
Aedan also receive a Distinguished Service Award for his efforts in helping his peers during the pandemic whereby he organized “Operation Cookie Drop” sending a few homemade cookies through the mail during the shutdown.
Aedan also was installed as the Lakes Region Master Councilor for New York DeMolay by the Grand Master of DeMolay International and the New DeMolay Executive Officer, Peter Brusoe.
