Dear Odd Fellows and Pledges,
1. Top Priority: Bell Ringers Still Needed. As we do every year, we will be doing bell ringing this year at the Davis Main Post Office on Friday, December 18, starting at 9:15 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. That works out to 8 shifts of 2 people each (we like to have two on a shift so you can have a buddy and someone to talk to). So, we need a total of 16 Odd Fellows, Pledges and/or family members to step up and do a one-hour volunteer shift, ringing the bell and raising some money that will all stay in Yolo County. So far, I have SIX volunteers: Jeff and Georgia Myers, Janis Rosenberg, Sue Treadwell, Donna Rutan, and Bill Rundquist. THANK you to our volunteers. But, we need TEN more volunteers to step up. Who will do so? Please write back to me and let me know!
2. Thank You For Helping. In the last Noble Grand Report I asked for your help for STEAC. The Lodge had “adopted” four single men who needed some food and gifts for the holidays. I am delighted to say that Odd Fellows stepped up right away and provided all the food and gifts requested. What a great Lodge! And special thanks to Jeff Oblinger for organizing this special opportunity to give to those who need some help.
3. Club Night at the Lodge. Club Night at the Lodge is this coming Thursday, December 10, from 5 to about 8 p.m. in the Lower Hall. Dinner will be available for those who wish to purchase it for $7 per person. The menu is teriyaki tri-tip with garlic mashed potatoes and Asian vegetables! Also, we will offer Trivia again, with prizes. Your Trivia Master is Dave Rosenberg. Just some good relaxed social time. The bar will be open and the big screen TV will be on. Table games will be set out. Club Night at the Lodge is brought to you by our Good Fellowship Committee.
4. Bowling Committee Launches. Our new Odd Fellows Bowling Committee visited Capital Bowl in West Sacramento last Saturday for its first bowling excursion. The 14 folks who showed up had a wonderful time! If you are interested in joining the Odd Bowling Committee, please contact committee Chair Bob Dovi at bdovi02@yahoo.com. Thank you, Bob, for organizing this new committee.
5. Odd Fellows Bingo Benefits the SPCA. Odd Fellows Bingo is back on Sunday, December 13. December’s beneficiary is the Yolo County SPCA – helping doggies, and kitties and other critters. Come by to play Bingo. Doors open at 12 noon and Bingo begins at 1:00 p.m. Usually, 15 games are played and cash prizes are awarded, including $250 for the winner of blackout Bingo.
6. How About Some Caroling. In the spirit of F-L-T, Dave Reed is, once again, organizing a Christmas Caroling group to visit a local retirement community. December 14, at 7 p.m. at Covell Gardens – 1111 Alvarado. If you are interested in joining the Caroling Group, please contact Dave Reed at dreedng@gmail.com. You don’t have to be a good singer – you just need enthusiasm and holiday spirit.
7. Three Degree Night Offered. If you have been initiated into the Lodge and hold your Initiatory Degree, and now want to obtain the remaining three Degrees of an Odd Fellows Lodge (the First Degree or Degree of Friendship, the Second Degree or Degree of Love, and the Third Degree or Degree of Truth), you will have the opportunity to do so on Wednesday, December 16, at 7 p.m. in the Lower Hall of the Lodge (typically, ending before 9 p.m.). This “Three Degree Night” is offered to you by the Membership & Initiation Committee, chaired by Dave Rosenberg. The cost for each degree is typically $10, payable to “Davis Lodge” but in the spirit of the holiday season, we will only charge a discounted $20 to obtain all three degrees on December 16. If you wish to reserve your spot at the Three Degree Night, please contact Dave right away at daverose@jps.net.
8. A Special Movie Showing on December 20. Hold open the evening of Sunday, December 20. That’s the evening our Lodge’s Classic Movie Committee will offer you a special showing of the holiday comedy classic: “A Christmas Story” [you’ll shoot your eye out] in the Lower Hall of the Lodge. This special showing is only open to members, Pledges, family and their guests. The movie is fun for all ages. This is a family-friendly event and we encourage you to bring the kids! No chairs will be set up so you are asked to bring sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, bean bag chairs or lawn chairs. It’s going to be a big, fun sleep in. We will have popcorn and hot apple cider. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the movie will start at 6:00 p.m. For more information or questions contact Dave Rosenberg at daverose@jps.net.
9. Breakfast with Santa Sold Out. This is our 10th year providing Breakfast with Santa (BWS) to the community. The event this year is Saturday, December 12. All 360 tickets are sold out!
10. Wine Club and Holiday Party. Please mark your calendars for the next gathering which is our December Wine Club and Lodge Holiday Party. This year it will be at 700 p.m. on Friday, December 18 at the home of Lea and Dave Rosenberg – 1112 Westfield Terrace, Davis. Bring your favorite wine or bubbly to share, and an appetizer to share, as well.
11. Collecting Furniture and Household Items. Barb Geisler, Noble Grand of the Davis Rebekah Lodge, has organized a “furniture closet” in partnership with “Make It Happen for Yolo County” to provide furniture and household items to under-served young people moving into independent living status her in Yolo County. Your donations of furniture, kitchen and household items (such as pots and pans, kitchen tables and chairs, small couches, etc.) is desperately needed and most welcomed. Please contact Barb directly at bcgeisler@ucdavis.edu. Thank you.
12. Helping a Young Boy with His Project. You may have recently read in the Enterprise about a young boy, age of 12, by the name of Aidan Cohan who is working on a community project. He is working on collecting used smartphones, tablets, laptops and other devices that will be refurbished and donated to kids and others in the community who need them, but can’t afford them. One of our Lodge members, Robin Sweeney has asked that we help. Contact Aidan’s mother Joy Cohan at joycohan1@gmail.com for more information on dropping off your used smartphones, etc., or to ask questions.
13. New Year’s Eve Party with Mumbo Gumbo. This was such a great success in 2014, we are doing it again! Our Lodge’s 2nd Annual New Year’s Party with Mumbo Gumbo is open to the public and is our way of helping the community welcome 2016 in style. The party starts on December 31 and ends on January 1. Doors open at 8:00 p.m. and the music starts at 9:30 p.m. Lots of fun music suitable for dancing; light fare of gumbo and corn bread will be available, no host bars will be open. Tickets are $50 each – tickets are now on sale at Avid Reader Active, or you may purchase them on line at www.showclix.com/event/MumboGumbo1231. Juelie Roggli is the overall coordinator of the event and you can contact her at juelrog@gmail.com. Coordinating Lodge volunteers to help at the event is Mary Superak who can be reached at mericanary@mac.com. Only 225 tickets are available for this popular event, and they are on sale right now.
14. Volunteers for the Picnic Day Float? Even though Picnic Day is not until April 16, 2016, our Lodge’s Picnic Day Float Committee, chaired by Janis Rosenberg and James Bledsoe, is already submitting registration forms and planning for our Lodge Float. In 2015, our Lodge float one won one of the top prizes in the parade, and the committee is determined to do it again. Plus, the committee members have a lot of fun, with potlucks and other activities, while building the float. If you are interested in joining the Picnic Davy Float Committee, please contact Janis Rosenberg at janisrosenberg@outlook.com.
15. Looking for a Chair for the Breakfast with the Bunny Committee. Our Lodge has organized and hosted the annual Breakfast with the Bunny (BWB) for five years now, and I have chaired or co-chaired this event every year. It’s time for me to pass the torch to a new chair. In 2016, BWB will be held on Saturday, March 26. I am looking for a volunteer or two volunteers to take over as chair or co-chairs. I will impart all knowledge to the new chair or co-chairs. Who wants to take over this very fun activity for the community? Let me know!
Lea Rosenberg
Noble Grand