The Davis Odd Fellows Lodge, a fixture in Davis since 1870, has ended the 2018 year contributing over $43,000 to various community and charitable groups and individuals in need, the Lodge announced today. “This year continues a long history and tradition of good community works by the Odd Fellows in Davis,” said long-time Odd Fellow, Trustee of the Odd Fellows Lodge, and President of the Hall Association Dave Rosenberg.
“The Lodge has 300 members, making it the largest Odd Fellows Lodge in California and the United States, and the members dedicate themselves to community support and service, as well as fostering a convivial social atmosphere in the Lodge for members”, said Rosenberg. The Lodge primarily does its work through 50 committees, many of which are dedicated to community and charitable support. Said 2018 Noble Grand of the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge James Bledsoe, “We are proud to do our part to support the charitable and community groups that make Davis such a special place.”
In 2018, the following Committees made contributions:
- Odd Fellows Bingo Committee donated $8,857 to 12 community groups: Team Davis, Pioneer School, Davis Parent Nursery School (DPNS), Davis Encampment, NAMI-Yolo, Yolo Hospice, Community and Employment Services, Foster and Kinship Care Program, Yolo County Healthy Aging Alliance, Soroptimists of Davis, Unleashing the Possibilities, and Yolo County SPCA.
- Odd Fellows Community Support Committee donated $4,700 to 13 charitable and community groups: Yolo County Crisis Nursery, Yolo County Elections (Youth Summit), CASA, YCCC, the Mexican-American Concilio, Davis Phoenix Coalition (anti-bullying campaign), Davis Community Meals and Housing, Pine Tree Gardens, Newspapers in Education, Davis FFA Boosters, NAMI Homestead House, Soups On, Huntsman Cancer Foundation. In addition, the Community Support Committee co-hosted events at the Lodge on behalf of Patwin PTA, Birch Lane PTA, Korematsu PTO, the Davis Music Fest and the Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance.
- Team Bald-Fellows raised and contributed $4,524 for research combating children’s cancer.
- The Breakfast with Santa Committee contributed $3,325 to scholarships at King High School in Davis, and to provide support to young adults who have aged out of the foster care support system.
- The Odd Fellows Theatre Committee contributed $2,500 to support CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) to assist children in court.
- Odd Fellow Music Committee through its monthly “Thursday Live!” concerts contributed $1,200 to the Davis Encampment to send kids to summer camp or another summer experience, and another $1,000 to KDRT, the UCD campus radio station.
- Odd Fellows Chocolate Festival contributed $1,000 to the Davis Encampment.
- Odd Fellows Taste of Davis contributed $1,000 to Meals on Wheels.
- Davis Odd Fellows Charities, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) entity of the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge) funded two scholarships totaling $15,000, benefiting two young adults who were formerly foster children.
The Davis Odd Fellows Lodge was instituted and chartered in 1870, and is presently located at 415 Second Street, in Downtown Davis. It is a fraternal order which traces its history back to England. The Odd Fellows (known officially as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows) is identified by its three intertwined links: Friendship, Love, Truth. The Davis Lodge membership is almost equally divided between men and women, and members range in age from 17 to 97. The Lodge is known for organizing and hosting major community events such as Taste of Davis, Breakfast with Santa, Breakfast with the Bunny, Second Sunday Bingo at the Lodge, the Davis Chocolate Festival, the Odd Fellows New Year’s Eve Party, Thursday Live music at the Lodge, the Picnic Day Pancake Breakfast, and many more. Information on the Davis Lodge can be obtained at www.davislodge.org.