| There have been many famous Odd Fellows, including Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin, Wyatt Earp, and more! It’s easy to get started — here’s the application form. Can women join? Yes! Are the Odd Fellows affiliated with any religious group? No! We welcome people of all faiths, or none at all. Do I have to be of any specific ethnic group? No! In the 19th century, some lodges were whites-only, but today’s lodges welcome members of all races and ethnicities. The only qualification is that you be 18 or older and interested in bettering the local community. Interested in joining Mousam Lodge and becoming an Odd Fellow? You’re welcome to stop by Will’s Copy Center at 33 Main St. during business hours to pick up an application, or you can print one from here, fill it out and bring it by Will’s as well. (Sorry, we’re old school and still do things with pieces of paper, so there is no handy on-line form as yet!) What happens when I put in a membership application to Mousam Lodge? It will sit patiently until our next scheduled meeting, where it will be put before the Lodge as part of regular business to be voted on. If you’re approved you’re welcome to attend the next meeting and start your Degrees for full membership! Do I have to go through the Degrees? Yes. Degrees of this type have been used by Fraternal Orders everywhere to teach the principles of the order, so that everyone is on the same page as to what the group is about. The degrees aren’t particularly secret these days but are meant to create an experience that all Odd Fellows members share. The Odd Fellows have 4 degrees, so do expect that a part of your first few meetings will involve a Degree presentation. Once you have all four degrees you’re a full member in good standing. The Odd Fellows degrees involve our core philosophy of Friendship, Love and Truth which aspire to help all people to live better lives, improve their communities, and the world around them! What is this “Three Chain Links” symbol the Odd Fellows use? They represent the values of Friendship, Love and Truth mentioned above. They’re represented as chain links because these important concepts are truly what connect people and society together! I’ve heard about Fraternal orders… Do you have “secret handshakes?” Yes, although they don’t get used much these days. Once upon a time it was difficult to get into a lodge and this was a sign nobody was trying to get in without being a real member. What are the membership dues? It is $35.00 per year to be a member of Mousam Lodge. Pretty inexpensive in comparison to most organization dues! They’re due around the end of each year. I have more membership questions. Feel free to email us here: mousamlodge@gmail.com. |