Decorah Odd Fellows to show off new lodge

-
DECORAH - The Winneshiek Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge 58 will hold an open house in its new quarters Sunday.

It is an opportunity for the public to see its new facilities and learn about the fraternal organization, according to Odd Fellows Trustee Duane Vine.

The group has moved from its previous location above T-Bocks to 326 Washington St., formerly the Fashion Floor Center, across the street from the Social Security office. The event will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and will include musical entertainment, refreshments and door prizes.

"We want people to come see what Odd Fellows is about and visit our new lodge," Vine said.

Odd Fellows recently purchased the building, which has three apartments on the second floor. The lodge, which includes a full kitchen, will be available for the public to rent for birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions.

The history of the Odd Fellows in Winneshiek County goes back to 1854. Today there are about 50 members, according to Vine, who was grand master of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Iowa from 2003-04. He noted the Odd Fellows is the only fraternal organization allowed to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, as provided for by President Franklin Roosevelt, who was a member of the organization.

In 18th century England, it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind, according to a brochure on the IOOF.

"Those who belong to such an organization were called 'odd fellows.' Odd Fellows are also known as the Three Link Fraternity, which stands for friendship, love and truth," the brochure states.

Today, Odd Fellows is a worldwide fraternal order with more than 10,000 lodges in 25 countries involved in a variety of civic and philanthropic efforts.

Anyone interested in joining the Decorah Odd Fellows should contact Vine, 382-2760; or Dean Holzer, 382-4909.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Odd Fellows Fraternity in Dumaguete receives Charter

-
Image
November 21, 2010 DUMAGUETE CITY, PHILIPPINES - Sovereign Grand Master George Glover III and Past Sovereign Grand Master Paul Cuminale of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows visited the City to turn-over the charter of Odd Fellows, Kapatirang Watchdog Lodge no.1, Dumaguete Encampment no.1 and Canton Dumaguete no.1. At around 6:00pm, a program was held at C&L Suites Inn function hall. Inspiring thoughts, intermission numbers and a fellowship dinner was prepared along with the turn-over of the charters. Brother Kahlil Reu Reyes, as Noble Grand, received the charter of Watchdog Lodge no.1. Brother Anatoly Karpov Buss, as Chief Patriarch of Encampment, was the one to receive the charter for Dumaguete Encampment no.1. On the other hand, Louie Blake Sarmiento, as department Captain, received the charter of Canton Dumaguete no.1. An award was also given by SGM Glover III to members of Odd Fellows Philippines in general, for their enthusiasm and dedicat
Read more

HISTORY OF ODD FELLOWS PHILIPPINES

-
Image
HISTORY OF ODD FELLOWS IN THE PHILIPPINES By Louie Blake S. Sarmiento Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Juris Doctor The origin of Odd Fellowship is already lost in the shadows of antiquity but fragmentary records do prove that there were Odd Fellows Lodges in England on or before the year 1730. The North American branch, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), was officially established on April 26, 1819 in Maryland, USA, by Thomas Wildey and four other English Odd Fellows. From there, the fraternity first reached the Philippine Islands long ago before the country even gained its independence. Many world conflicts, wars, and unfortunate events occurred along the course of time. A number of the early records were destroyed and only a few survived in the hands of several lodges and collectors today.   Early History According to Major O.W. Coursey, author of the  History and Geography of the Philippine Islands , the awakening of the Filipinos to a deep sense of
Read more

HOW FRATERNITIES STARTED IN THE PHILIPPINES

-
Image
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PHILIPPINE  FRATERNITIES By Louie Blake S. Sarmiento Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Juris Doctor Introduction        In all times and among all nations which have reached a sufficient level of cultural development, there have always been fraternal associations formed for higher purposes. The origin of fraternity, as a principle, is as old as humankind. Humans always have that natural desire to associate with each other for a common purpose – either for social, philosophical, political, religious, charitable, mutual-benefit, or business purposes. Fraternities or so-called brotherhoods existed since the early civilizations, first among sworn kinsmen, Roman  collegias , Orders of Knighthood, craft guilds, and burial clubs. Although ordinary men did not yet have a recognized “right to association” during the days of monarchy, fraternity as an idea existed in so-called ‘secret societies’ or ‘secret brotherhoods’- where the working class, middl
Read more