May 25, 2006 - 12:00 AM

By Jillian Follert

DURHAM -- Who are the Freemasons?

Flip through The Da Vinci Code and you'll find tales of a shadowy society, with ties to the Knights Templar.

Big screen blockbuster National Treasure paints a picture of a brotherhood that smuggled priceless artifacts into the United States and hid them from the British during the American Revolution, leaving a trail of clues in famous landmarks.

Even The Simpsons has spoofed the organization in an episode about the "Stonecutters," a secret society that rigs Oscar night and tries to keep Atlantis off the map.

Dr. Thomas Hogg chuckles when he hears these references.

"We are a society that has some secrets, but that doesn't make us a secret society," he said. "We're just a group of men keeping a tradition alive."

Seated behind his desk at the Taunton Road Animal Hospital, Dr. Hogg, a longtime Oshawa resident and veterinarian, reflects on 13 years with one of the most misunderstood organizations in the world.

He said his interest in Masonry was peaked randomly one day, after noticing a ring worn by a man who brought a dog into his practice. He asked about it, and the rest is history.

Today, Dr. Hogg is District Deputy Grand Master for the Ontario District, which includes 15 lodges -- most in Durham Region.

As the district prepares to celebrate 150 years in the community, local Masons are hoping to use the anniversary as a chance to dispel some of the myths.

"We want to say 'here we are, here is what we do," and let people know we're just like everyone else," Dr. Hogg explained. "We do a lot of good in the community."

Freemasons have been around for centuries, in every corner of the globe. The fraternal organization has its roots in medieval Europe, when working stonemasons who built churches and other religious buildings, met at lodges to socialize and share knowledge.

Sometime in the 1600s, the membership transitioned from working stonemasons, to a fraternity of "speculative" freemasons, brought together by shared beliefs.

Members use rituals to develop a deeper understanding of concepts like brotherly love, honesty and equality. Masons are also involved in charity and community work and participate in social activities through the fraternity.

And just how does one become a Mason?

"I'm letting the cat out of the bag here," joked Dr. Hogg. "But to get in, the most important thing to do is just ask about it."

There are a few other requirements, although they vary from lodge to lodge. Generally, a man who wants to become a Mason must make the decision through his own fee will, believe in a supreme being, be at least 21-years-old, and in some cases have a reference from a current Mason.

While women can't be Masons, there is a separate organization open to them called the Order of the Eastern Star.

The Central Ontario District currently numbers about 1,500 Masons, ranging from young men, to a 96-year-old who recently received his 75-year pin.

To mark 150 years in the community, local Masons are celebrating with a special community project that Dr. Hogg said is close to his heart as a vet. All 15 lodges in the district have been raising funds to purchase seeing-eye dogs, which will be donated to local residents. So far, they have raised more than $40,000 -- enough for seven dogs.

"This will give people their independence, and a companion," Dr. Hogg noted. "Our original goal was to raise enough for three dogs -- this is just wonderful."

The dogs will be presented to their new owners at a special Masonic event called Walk in the Park, on June 17. The public is invited to attend this free family day of food, entertainment, and information about masons.

Walk in the Park gets underway at noon at Memorial Park in Oshawa.