Mayor Greg Sparrow officially has named March DeMolay Month for the city of DeKalb in recognition of the positive contributions of the international organization.

DeMolay is an international civic organization committed to the preparation of young men for productive and responsible lives, with more than 1,000 chapters worldwide, according to DeMolay.org.

The reason DeMolay is celebrated worldwide in March is to commemorate Jacques DeMolay, a 14th century French knight and martyr who was burned at the stake on March 18, 1314, DeKalb Chapter Adviser Wendell Haney said.

Sparrow said he was approached by citizens in early March to declare the month as DeMolay Month since it is acknowledged across the nation. Organizations regularly request their months to be recognized by the local government, Sparrow said.

The DeKalb chapter of DeMolay recently marked its first year of existence and currently has 16 members, Haney said.

DeMolay members are young men ages 12 to 21 who are willing to be mentored and bond with each other to become productive members of society, Haney said.

As a group, DeMolay participates in seven statewide events, such as a recent basketball tournament and an annual international conference based in North America, Haney said.

To join, qualified individuals may come to the DeKalb Masonic Temple and fill out an application. From there, each candidate is voted on, and, if approved, attends an induction ceremony and takes an oath to the organization, Haney said.

The DeMolay Web site lists alumni including John Wayne, Walt Disney and Walter Cronkite.

The DeKalb Chapter meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of every month at the DeKalb Masonic Temple, located at the the corner of Fairview Avenue and Route 23.