The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a service organization in North America with four membership criteria, including belief in a Supreme Being and loyalty to one’s country. The organization has different degrees of membership and was founded in 1819. The Rebekahs are an offshoot of the organization, and both groups contribute to service projects with an uplifting effect on humanity. Examples of their good works include an educational foundation, an orphanage for children with AIDS, and contributions to the Arthritis Foundation. Membership benefits include reduced-cost prescription drugs and vision care, tours, and pilgrimages.
While it may be difficult to tell from its name, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is the North American chapter of a service organization open to those who meet four criteria. The first is a minimum age which is stated as a range of 16-18. The second is belief in a Supreme Being who is both the creator and preserver of all that is. The third criterion is loyalty to one’s country. And the fourth is to be a good-natured person. Applicants for membership must be sponsored by current members. There are different degrees of membership.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is part of the larger collection of Orders of Odd Fellows which was formed in the eighteenth century. The North American branch was founded on April 26, 1819 in Baltimore, Maryland as an offshoot of the Order in England. The name “Odd Fellows” is said to come from the members’ lack of desire for publicity for their achievements.
Similarly, the Rebekahs are an offshoot of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with a creed based on the behavior of women who appear in the Old Testament of the Bible, although it is a rank that can be conferred on both men and women. The Rebecca Creed refers to God as Father, men as brothers, and women as sisters, as well as the watchwords of friendship, truth, and love.
Odd Fellows contribute to service at the local, state or provincial level or through national projects. The type of service Odd Fellows are involved in is meant to have an uplifting or ameliorative effect on humanity. Examples of the good works of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows include:
• The Educational Foundation, their first project, which has been providing low-interest loans since 1927 to help people improve their education
• SOS Village, also called Odd Fellow Village, is an orphanage that is being created in Battam Bang in Cambodia for children with AIDS
• Foundation and endowment for visual research
• The Global Fund for Hunger and Disasters
• Contributing more than any other corporate entity to the Arthritis Foundation
Membership includes benefits such as the ability to participate in a reduced-cost prescription drug and vision care program, as well as tours and pilgrimages to important and inspiring places, such as the United Nations Youth Pilgrimage and the Pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They also provide a float for the Rose Bowl Parade.
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