Lawton has a big weekend ahead at the Hilton Garden Inn. Menes Temple No. 32 and Menes Court No. 164 are hosting their 2026 Joint Ball Weekend, a tradition that has run for at least two decades. Friday night brings a casual dance and ball at 8:30, and Saturday turns formal with a 7 p.m. ball featuring a four-course meal. Tickets are $20 for Friday, $50 for Saturday, or $70 for both.
Organizers expect 350 to 400 attendees, with members from other temples and courts traveling in from as far as New Jersey and New York. Illusurious Potentate Lamont Kemper describes the event as a celebration of a year of community service, and the list is long: book and clothing drives, hospital toy and car seat donations, breast cancer awareness efforts, and a diabetes walk.
Looking ahead, the groups plan to award $500 to $1,000 scholarships next year to students at Lawton, Eisenhower, and MacArthur high schools. Kemper says the goal is to put every dollar raised right back into the community. So whether you come for the Friday dance or the Saturday formal, you’re helping fund something bigger than one night out. Which local cause would you most like to see supported? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.