The Odd Fellow and Rebekah Lodges

Our lodges are social organizations; similar to the Elks, Eagles, Masons, etc. We began in England over 200 years ago and have been active in Oregon since 1852. (Oregon became a state two years later!) Like many organizations, the Odd Fellows were originally all male. Over 100 years ago, our lodges decided to create a "sister lodge" known as the Rebekahs.  Over the years, both lodges have become open to both men and women. In our local area, there are 13 lodges who support this United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth program. Our lodges are open to anyone 18 years of age or older and many of our beliefs come from the Bible.

Like any club or fraternal order, we meet regularly and work together for a variety of reasons. One reason is just friendship. Another is a sense of duty and a willingness to help our community. Our lodges regularly support local Little League and Softball teams, and donate to causes such as arthritis research, homeless programs, the Salvation Army, food banks, etc.  In Portland, we maintain a retirement center, the Holgate Center.  One new project we have initiated is a home for orphaned children in Cambodia.  You can learn more about this at: http://www.ioof.org/sos_village.htm

In 1949 our lodges created the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth program. In 1950, our first group of Delegates spent a week in New York. That first year we only had about 20 students involved.  Today, we average over 400 students per summer. Most of the U.S. states send students, along with countries such as Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Australia. 

To learn more about Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodges, visit our website at: http://www.ioof.org/