The Wonderful World of Davis Lodge Committees
By Dave Rosenberg, Past Grand of Davis Lodge #169
I am often asked about the Lodge Committees that we have at the Davis Lodge. It is certainly something that makes us absolutely unique among Odd Fellows Lodges in California and throughout North America. Some of these committees are internal and relate to the administration and operation of the Lodge, some are external and relate to our community and charitable work, and some are just social committees so that we can have some fun as members of a fraternal order. We are truly a three-dimensional Lodge.
And, yes indeed, we actually do have 43 Committees in this Lodge (an odd number, of course). We create committees when members have ideas on how to serve the community. We also create committees for the social enjoyment of members – even if the committee only serves a handful of members. Our five newest committees include:
Adopt-a-Highway Committee. We have adopted a 2-mile stretch of highway just north of Davis and will do environmental clean-up. We have posted a great sign with our name and the three-links logo which thousands of motorists see every day. Thirty Lodge members have signed up to work on this committee.
Davis Chocolate Festival Committee. This committee just started and will plan a community-wide chocolate festival at the Lodge. We hope it can become an annual event.
Needlework Committee. One of our new members suggested a committee for the needlework, stitchery, quilting, etc. aficionados. Seven members have signed up and they plan to meet at the Lodge once each month.
Odd Fellows Theater Committee. Thespians in the Lodge wanted a theater group. They are working on presenting the First Degree in costume with lines memorized. They are also planning to do storytelling at the Lodge in conjunction with International “Tellabration”.
Running with the Turkeys Committee. This committee is organizing a Davis Lodge run/walk team to participate in an annual 5K event held in Woodland.
I compiled the full list of our current committees, and here it is for your reading pleasure:
- Adopt-a-Highway
- Bingo
- Breakfast with the Bunny
- Breakfast with Santa
- Bylaws
- Cigar Lounge
- Classic Film Festival
- Community Support
- Communications & Website
- Davis Chocolate Festival
- Finance
- Good Fellowship
- Giants Baseball Game
- Golf
- Graffiti Clean-up
- Grand Lodge Officer Reception
- Halloween Party
- Historical
- Holiday Caroling
- Installation & Awards Banquet
- Membership & Initiation
- Music & Concerts
- Needlework
- New Year’s Eve Party
- Odd Fellows Theater
- Odd Poetry
- OddtoberFest
- Photography
- Picnic Day Float
- Picnic Day Breakfast
- Publicity
- Relay for Life
- Running with the Turkeys
- Saturday Morning Breakfast
- Scholarship
- Senior Project
- Social Services
- St. Patrick’s Day Party
- Take a Hike
- Taste of Davis
- Visiting
- Wine Club
- Zymurgy
The unique committee structure that we have in the Davis Lodge is a structure that was begun during my terms as Noble Grand and has expanded since those days. In addition to the 43 committees we currently enjoy, we have also had some terrific committees in the past that have very successfully accomplished their one-time missions, and are no longer active committees. These include: Dogtoberfest, Hope for Haiti, Neighbors for Nepal, World’s Greatest Bicycle Parade, 145th Lodge Anniversary, Dancing, and Foster Families Dinner. There are committees we will form in future years, such as the 150th Lodge Anniversary Committee. And there is always room for more committees, if Lodge members have the interest and desire, and there are members willing to chair these new committees. Almost anything is possible.