UTICA  — The Utica Commandery #3 of Knights Templar NY along with the Rome Commandery hosted the Grand Commandery of New York during the 209th Annual Convocation last weekend at the Delta Marriott Hotel on Genesee Street.

More than 220 “Sir Knights” attended the session which incorporated youth activities, a marching drill team competition, education and fundraising for the Knights Templar Eye Foundation.

The new 2022-2023 “grand line” of Grand Commandery of New York officers were elected and installed, with 2021-2022 Grand Commander and former Oneida County Public Works Commissioner Dennis S Davis, of Camden, succeeded by David R. Barkstedt, of Massapequa.

The Saturday evening annual banquet included numerous Templar and Masonic service awards, promotion of “The Battle Within” — a Masonic outreach to veterans to deter veteran suicide — and encouraging news about the effectiveness of Knight Templar Eye Foundation’s research efforts.