Odd Fellows Sovereign Grand Lodge Sessions 2012 (Day 1)

This video gives you a little peek of what happens in an international meeting of one of the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Local, State, National and International officers of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Rebekahs representing several towns, cities, states, provinces and countries around the world hold a Sovereign Grand Lodge meeting once a year. In this event, you will meet proud and dedicated members who has served and led the fraternity in the local, national and international level and have been active members of the fraternity for at least 15 to 70 years of their life and has reached the top level of the organizational structure of the fraternity.

The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs are one of the oldest and largest ethical and humanitarian fraternal organization in the world dedicated to improving and elevating the character of mankind and helping make the world a better place to live by practicing the principles of fraternal friendship, charitable love and the pursuit of truth and by organizing charitable activities and aiding the community, the less fortunate, the youth, the elderly and the environment in every way possible. The fraternity first emerged in England sometime in the year 1700s and was organized in the United States on April 26, 1819. The Rebekehs was founded on September 20, 1851.

The fraternity believes that we have important obligations to promote: Good will among people, states, and nations under the guide of a Supreme Being as the catalyst for friendship, love, truth, faith, hope, charity and universal justice for all. These are the basic guides, which will create peace and harmony among all peoples, kindred and tongues. It is only through serving others that we truly embrace and understand the principles of Odd Fellowship.

Currently, our fraternity have over 12,000 lodges and some 600,000 members in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Around the world, the Odd Fellows undertake various community and charitable projects. Internationally:
- The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs spend over US$775 million in relief projects annually
- The Educational Foundation provides substantial loans and grants to students
- SOS Children's Village provides a caring home for orphaned children in 132 countries around the world
- Odd Fellow and Rebekah Homes provide a caring environment for the elderly
- Living Legacy focuses on planting trees and enhancing the environment
- The Arthritis Foundation
- Visual Research Foundation supports vision care and research through the Wilmer Eye Institute
- United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth sponsors a group of students for an educational trip to the United Nations
- Annual sponsorship of a float in the Rose Parade (Pasadena, California)
- Annual pilgrimages to the "Tomb of the Unknowns" (Arlington National Cemetery, USA), and other Tombs of the Unknown Soldier.
- Odd Fellow and Rebekah Homes provides a caring environment for the elderly and orphans
- Odd Fellow and Rebekah camps and parks provide recreation for the youth and for families

www.ioof.org





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