Dear Dedicated Members for Change,
Leading up to the 2016 Grand Lodge Sessions, we are taking a tiptoe through the tulips of past DMC Newsletters. Today we offer a newsletter from May 22, 2012, offering some compelling statistics. Regrettably, the trend presaged by these statistics continues into 2016.
F – L – T
Dave Rosenberg
Grand Master
Jurisdiction of California
Dear Dedicated Members for Change,
Grand Lodge sessions were certainly “interesting” at many levels. But after all that “motion”, many wonder if there will be any “movement” on the primal issue that faces our Order in California: Declining Membership. Recently, I came into possession of documents showing the recent history of membership in Odd Fellows in California. The statistics are – to put it mildly – very concerning. Numbers don’t lie. Let me give you a flavor of those statistics:
* At the end of 2007, there were 5,440 Members in our Order.
At the end of 2008, there were 5,334 Members in our Order.
At the end of 2009, there were 5, 105 Members in our Order.
At the end of 2010, there were 4,987 Members in our Order.
At the end of 2011, there were 4,782 Members in our Order.
* In 2008 we had 149 Lodges in California.
In 2009 we had 145 Lodges in California.
In 2010 we had 141 Lodges in California.
In 2011 we had 131 Lodges in California.
* In 2008 35 of our Lodges showed a net gain of Members. 114 Lodges showed no gain or a net loss of Members.
In 2009 38 of our Lodges showed a net gain of Members. 107 Lodges showed no gain or a net loss of Members.
In 2010 29 of our Lodges showed a net gain of Members. 112 Lodges showed no gain or a net loss of Members.
In 2011 37 of our Lodges showed a net gain of Members. 94 Lodges showed no gain or a net loss of Members.
* In 2008 4 Lodges showed net gains of 10 or more Members. 6 Lodges showed net losses of 10 or more Members.
In 2009 8 Lodges showed net gains of 10 or more Members. 11 Lodges showed net losses of 10 or more Members.
In 2010 4 Lodges showed net gains of 10 or more Members. 9 Lodges showed net losses of 10 or more Members.
In 2011 9 Lodges showed net gains of 10 or more Members. 17 Lodges showed net losses of 10 or more Members.
* In 2008 there were 6 Lodges showing 100 or more Members.
In 2009 there were 7 Lodges showing 100 or more Members.
In 2010 there were 8 Lodges showing 100 or more Members.
In 2011 there were 6 Lodges showing 100 or more Members.
* In 2008 there were 64 Lodges showing 20 or fewer Members.
In 2009 there were 71 Lodges showing 20 or fewer Members.
In 2010 there were 70 Lodges showing 20 or fewer Members.
In 2011 there were 65 Lodges showing 20 or fewer Members.
In the coming weeks and months, we will be offering specific suggestions on what Brothers and Sisters, Lodges, and even Grand Lodge can do to reverse the trend of our declining membership., And we welcome any suggestions from YOU, the Dedicated Members for Change. We don’t want to merely TALK about this elephant that’s in our living room. We want to DO something about it.
F – L – T
Dave Rosenberg