Salute to the Odd Fellows!

Written by admin on August 14th, 2010

It was really a privilege this week to congratulate attendees of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at their international meeting held in Gaithersburg.  This benevolent society has a long history of supporting communities and individuals in need, especially those with needs for whom traditional resources are not available. Their meeting drew participants from throughout the world — the United States, Canada, Europe and the Carribean. I was delighted to present the group with a citation from the General Assembly acknowledging their long history of service and many accomplishments.

The Odd Fellows are a wise group! Early on, they recognized the value and importance of the contributions from their wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts and other women in their circle. To bolster their community service efforts, the Odd Fellows created a women’s auxiliary, at a time when other charitable groups rejected participation by women.

There’s a strong connection between the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Maryland. The Order started in England in the 18th century, when it was considered “odd” for a group to band together to aid the disadvantaged.  The first Order in North America was founded in Baltimore in 1819, and its influence quickly spread throughout the state.  The historic Odd Fellows Lodge, located on Route 108 in Sandy Spring, illustrates the group’s strong presence in District 14.  I’ve been so pleased to support efforts to restore the Lodge to its former glory!