Our Past Will Save Our Future -by Joseph Dowdy

And, in 1860, if you were an Odd Fellow traveling and needed emergency healthcare or if you were in financial distress and a local lodge was contacted, then someone would telegraph your lodge and verify your standing and then provide the aid you need. In your lodge, you would do the same for a travelling Odd Fellow in need. This was a big deal and big attractor back then because if you traveled and fell ill or became incapacitated then you would likely be robbed and left for dead. Today as an Odd Fellow you may wonder what kind of aid would be afforded to you if you were traveling to a state where Odd Fellows is no longer quite as active.

The Certain Future of Your Lodge -by Joseph Dowdy

In 50 years, the most senior members of your lodge are in their 20s and 30s right now. Your lodge, if it still exists, is going to be run by today’s millennials and their children. Those 20- to 30-somethings with beards and tattoos you see today are going to be the elders. The good news is that they care more about others than you may realize.

Communication Breakdown – by Seth Anthony

Let’s face it, with the average age of our membership, the most effective method to reach all of the Odd Fellows in Sovereign Grand Lodge is through a paper publication. It’s the single best way our leadership has to communicate to all of members. Yet, I’m willing to bet the vast majority of our Brothers and Sisters opt out of this communications device by choosing to not re-subscribe. By doing so, they are choosing to turn off communications with our national leadership, which in turn disconnects them from the fraternity.

Where is Your Lodge’s Focus – by Toby Hanson DGM

Since I joined the Executive Committee of the Grand Lodge of Washington upon my election as Grand Warden, I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling and visiting lodges in my jurisdiction. The experience has taught me a lot about the workings of various different lodges. One of the most important things I’ve picked up in my travels is that some lodges tend to have more of an internal focus and some have more of an external focus.

The Millenial Generation: Seeking The “Authentic” by Todd E. Creason

You see, Freemasons and Odd Fellows alike aren’t exactly sure what to make of the millennial generation. We don’t think they’re interested in what we have to offer. We believe they’d find our ritual too “old fashioned” and view our values as a relic left over from the long-forgotten past. But that’s not true at all. Ainslie said the millennial generation is searching for authenticity. They are seeking authentic experiences–something far more real than posting a photo on social media and seeing how many people “like” it.

Odd Fellowship and a View of Urban America

Do you hate living in the city? Or do you live in the country and you’re glad you don’t live in the city? Even though country living may be seen as the ideal by some, the truth is, the United States is becoming more urban each decade. There has been a decline in rural population […]

Do You Have a Plan? by Toby Hanson DGM, WA

In any organization there’s something called “institutional knowledge:” the knowledge inherent in the institution which is necessary to the function of the organization. This can be anything from procedural information, like how to file reports, to where supplies are stored or what day the garbage is picked up. In Buckley #75, all of our institutional knowledge was invested in only one person and, when she passed away, that knowledge was lost. Now we’re going through the difficult and time-consuming process of rebuilding that store of knowledge.