Is It Time For Your GL to Call It Quits? A Historical View.

The number we keep seeing is 200. We see this number from research conducted by Dedicated Members for Change (God bless ye!), and also mentioned by others on various Facebook posts and direct messages some of us receive. What’s the number 200? The consensus seems to be, that if your jurisdiction has fewer than 200 […]

Odd Fellows: 200 Years of Riding the Goat – Presentation by Ainslie Heilich

A special program, “Odd Fellows: 200 Years of Riding the Goat”, will be presented by Ainslie Heilich at the DeMoulin Museum. Heilich will explain who the Odd Fellows are, what they do, and how they factor into DeMoulin history. Odd Fellows artifacts, made by DeMoulin Bros. & Co., will be showcased.

THE LONELINESS EPIDEMIC: Make Odd Fellows Your Tribe.

A terrific video about why we, in the 21st century, are considered by some to be the loneliest people in world history. This video interview has adult language.

Should Your Lodge Have A Pledge Period for Candidates?

To answer the title question, I’m not sure. Just tossing this idea out there, so I may change my mind. I first became aware of the notion of an Odd Fellows pledge period through the reading of the Davis Lodge #169 of California website. Davis Lodge #169 has new candidates go through a pledge period, […]

Coming Together Where the World is Shut Out – New Art by Ainslie Heilich

I started thinking about the physical and spiritual sacred space of the Lodge and how it acts to bring people together. During the Opening Ritual we physically seal the room by securing the doors and covering the windows from the outside world and its influences and we spiritually strip ourselves of who we are on the outside and take on the mantle of our respective office.

Nine Odd Fellow Scholarships and Loans for Education

Below are 9 ways Odd Fellows can help you go to school to better yourself. Check these out! THE LOAN PROGRAM: Who Is Eligible to Receive a Loan? It is required that applicants must be, or have a relative who is an active member of an Odd Fellow or Rebekah Lodge. A student desiring a […]

Odd Fellowship, Religion, and Compromise

The issue of religion in Odd Fellowship pops up often these days. And for those who aren’t Odd Fellows, nearly all members understand The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is NOT a church. In fact we have less religion in our Order than many other fraternal orders. It’s just that many U.S. Odd Fellows want […]

200th Anniversary Products by Ainslie Heilich

I have designed and added a variety of 200th anniversary products available for order on the Heart in Hand Zazzle.

If ordering, make sure you check all the customization options like shirt color, custom text, other product versions.

All royalties benefit my Lodge.

Advice For Initiates

A Mystic Master once said, “To visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan is the command of our laws, and a duty which we require.“ There’s not a better statement than the one above for a new Odd Fellow to hear. The statement is both a warning and an […]

SIX SUPER AWESOME THINGS THAT WILL AFFECT THE ORDER!

It’s an exciting time to be an Odd Fellow! One more time for the people sitting way down by the VICE GRAND: “ITS A SUPER AWESOME AMAZING EXCITING TIME TO BE AN ODD FELLOW!” As it is now, we have SIX AWESOME THINGS coming together at nearly the same time that I think can really help boost […]

Odd Fellowship, Humanitarianism, PREACH IT!!

Can you do without human sympathy? Humanitarianism is the view that all human beings deserve respect and dignity. Humanitarians work towards advancing the well-being of humanity as a whole. It is the antithesis of the “us vs. them” mentality that characterizes tribalism. Humanitarianism drives people to save lives, alleviate suffering, and promote human dignity. Humanitarianism […]

Thomas Wildey’s Life and Love of Odd Fellowship

True, he was known to many now living; but even they were not admitted to the knowledge of his private walks, or to witness those home scenes which more than any other indicate the man. He was at all times reticent, or entirely silent, about himself, and his solitary life gave no glimpse into the obscurity of his domestic secrets. He was manifestly of humble extraction, and might be ranked one remove above a common laborer.