About Us
The Work of Odd Fellowship
The Duties We Keep.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows provides a framework for personal and social development. Its lodge degrees and activities aim to improve and elevate each person; extend sympathy and aid to those in need; oppose vice in every form; and be a moral power for the good of humanity.
For members, the degree in Odd Fellowship marks a leaving of the old life and the beginning of a better one. It also calls members to welcome travelers and help those in need.
“Visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.”
A Lodge Is Made by Those Who Take Part
An Odd Fellows lodge is a place for fellowship in all its forms: time spent together, discussion, networking, and collaboration on creative and constructive projects. It asks members to consider not only their own satisfaction, but what they may offer to the community at large.
Lodges also provide an international social network of brothers and sisters extending to 30 countries worldwide. Members traveling elsewhere may find a welcome and assistance from fellow Odd Fellows.
What We Are Bound to Uphold
Friendship, Love, and Truth are the principles at the center of Odd Fellowship. Together, they set the standard for how members meet one another, carry responsibility, and act beyond the lodge.
Friendship
A lodge gives members a durable circle of fellowship. We gather, learn, work, and support one another through the ordinary and difficult seasons of life.
Love
Love is the obligation to act when someone needs help. It asks members to extend sympathy, relieve burdens, and take an active role in the care of their community.
Truth
Truth is the discipline of character. Through the lessons, symbols, and responsibilities of the Order, members are asked to act with honesty, justice, and purpose.
Why “Odd Fellows”?
The true origin of the name is not fully documented. One account says it described working people who formed societies for mutual help when such fellowship was unusual. Another connects it to people in “odd” trades who joined together because they lacked the security of a trade guild.
Whatever the origin, the name endures because it describes a fraternity built on mutual aid, fellowship, and the belief that people are stronger when they stand together.
