On this page, you’ll find information about the Order.
About Rebekahs
The Rebekahs, also known originally as the Daughters of Rebekah, is an international service-oriented organization and a branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In 1850, Schuyler Colfax was tasked to write a Degree for women. The Rebekah Lodges were founded on 20 September 1851, when, after considerable debate, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows voted to adopt the Rebekah Degree, largely due to the efforts of an Odd Fellow named Schuyler Colfax, U.S. Vice President from 1869 to 1873. The first Rebekah Degrees were honorary awards only, conferred on wives and daughters of Odd Fellows at special Lodge meetings, and recipients were known as “Daughters of Rebekah”. The name is taken from the Biblical character of Rebekah.
These early Daughters of Rebekah had no lodge system of their own, and operated in an informal and local manner. On September 25, 1868, the IOOF voted to establish Degree Lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah, mirroring the existing arrangements for their male counterparts. The Daughters were given the right to elect their own officers, charge for initiation fees, collect dues and undertake charitable and benevolent activities. The name was changed to “Degree of Rebekah” in 1874.
The general duties of the members are, “To live peaceably, do good unto all, as we have opportunity and especially to obey the Golden Rule, Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.”
“To Improve and Elevate the Character of Mankind”
Ask yourself:
Have you been searching for a way to help others and be a part of
something bigger than yourself?
Do you want to learn to be a better person and empower yourself to be more successful in all parts of your life?
Do you want to help make your community a better place and help those in need?
Do you feel lonely or crave quality social interactions and want to be part of something important?
By becoming an Odd Fellow you will learn to base your thoughts and actions on the philosophical principles of the Order.
We believe that life is a commitment to improve and elevate the character of mankind through service and example. Our legacy has been 200 years of helping each other and others without seeking anything in return. Odd Fellows are aware of the vanity of earthly things, the frailty and inevitable decay of human life and the fact that wealth has no power to stop the sureness of eventual death.
Now ask yourself, “How am I going to spend my life?”
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is one of the oldest and largest fraternities in the world. We are non-political and non-sectarian. Membership is open to all regardless of sex, race, religion, political affiliation and social status -all bound by the desire to improve ourselves and the calling to live and promote the principles of Friendship, Love, and Truth which transcends labels. We believe that by developing close friendships among each other and by working together in our communities, we can make a difference in the world and among ourselves! Discussing political, sectarian or any other debate is forbidden in the Lodge, so it breaks down the social walls and labels used to view others and opens hearts and minds to start seeing people as Brothers and Sisters.
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
A Philosophy for Life
We are a diverse group of people who want to make a difference in our communities and the world by turning the lessons taught in our Initiation and Degrees into direct action.
The degrees of initiation in our fraternity seek to improve and elevate the character of members by imparting moral principles exemplified through story, drama and symbols which we adapted from the Medieval Trade Guilds.
Our lessons aim to promote the lesson of tolerance which results to harmony and understanding between people from different walks of life. We endeavor to bridge the gap of differences and serve as venue where acquaintances and even enemies can become true friends using the purest and practical form of fraternity. We are simply about promoting the culture of caring and sharing, of not leaving each other behind, of thinking beyond self, and of helping others in need. The command of IOOF is to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.”
The Original “Social Network”
The Lodge provides a place to foster new friendships with people you can depend on. The structure provides a way to learn valuable skills that carry over into all areas of life and the flexibility makes each Lodge have its own unique culture. Members also enjoy an international social network of many thousands that extends to more than 30 countries worldwide. If traveling is an interest, membership can provide a valuable network that will very much welcome an international visitor, and assist in their enterprises, and certainly their travels wherever possible. Members can attend a meeting at any IOOF Lodge in the world.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Social Activities
One of the primary purposes of IOOF is to develop life-lasting friendships among people. In connection to this, many lodges also organize social activities where members can enjoy each other’s company.
An ideal lodge is a place for fellowship in all its forms – from meetings, to Initiation ceremonies, to dinners, to hanging out and just having fun, to discussion and collaboration on creative and constructive projects, all with an eye not only on our own satisfaction but on what we might offer to the community at large. We aim to be a good venue for a lot of positive energy and all members are encouraged to contribute their ideas in harmony.
Philanthropic Projects
The first lodges were first set up to protect and care for their members and communities at a time when there was still no welfare state, trade unions or national health insurance. The aim was and still is to provide help to people and communities in times of need. The Odd Fellows are also large fundraisers for local, national and international charities. Today, the highlights of the fraternal organization’s Philanthropic works include:
- Educational Foundation provides low-interest student loans and scholarships.
- Living Legacy Program focuses on planting trees and enhancing the environment.
- Arthritis Advisory Board works in donating over $500,000 annually to support research by the Arthritis Foundation (USA) and Arthritis Society (Canada).
- Visual Research Foundation endowed $2.5 million and continues to donate over $500,000 annually to support vision care and research through the Wilmer Eye Institute.
- Pilgrimage for Youth sponsors a group of high school students for an educational trip in the U.S. and Canada.
- SOS Children’s Village provides a caring home for orphaned children in 132 countries around the world.
- Annual Patriotic Pilgrimages to the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, USA, Canadian War Memorial and others.
- Odd Fellow and Rebekah Homes provide a caring environment for the elderly.
- Odd Fellow and Rebekah camps and parks provide recreation for the youth and families.
- Each Lodge is also involved in various local or national community projects.
Rebekah Emblems
The beehive, a representation of cooperative industry teaching the advantages of united efforts in all aspects of the order.
The moon and seven stars represents the never failing order which pervades the universe and all of nature, and suggest to the members the value of system, regularity and precision in all worthy undertakings
The dove, a universally recognized emblem of peace, has this significance in the Rebekah Degree. Through the mission of love and charity, of tolerance and forbearance, Rebekahs are to strive to bring happiness to others and to promote “Peace on earth and good will to men.”
The lily, long regarded as the emblem of purity, is a symbol of the purity of character, of thought, of word, and of action which are aspired to in the hearts and lives of members of the Rebekah Lodge.
Oak Leaf Rebekah Lodge #74 