S
IND
amaritan OF
The
NT ENDE ORDER P E
Vol. 7
“…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” ~ Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863
Issue 4 • September/October 2015
Union Lodge No. 213 is on the Beam page 8
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Welcome to
The Samaritan The Official Magazine of the New Jersey Grand Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellowship.
Honor by Odd Fellows
Please send any and all IOOF related news with any identifying info to ioof_nj@comcast.net This is YOUR magazine so any comments or suggestions are always welcome, too!
Our success depends on YOU! .O I.O .F.
International
PRESS Association
Promoting Odd Fellowship through Positive Communication
Beth Obiedzinski-Garvin Editor/Art Director
Pastor Roman Photographer
Robert Wooton
Proofreader/Assistant Editor
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Odd Fellows on the Move
Steven Wooton Fact Checker
Cover Photo: View of the Path Terminal while under construction at the World Trade Center (Nov. 2014). by Beth Obiedzinski-Garvin
6-7  
A Hog of a Good Time!
OF
INDE
DENT ORDER PEN
Debbe McClelland Grand Secretary
4527 Rt. 130 South Burlington, NJ 08016
United States of America
609-386-0025 or 609-519-8504 GRAND LODGE MEETINGS 1st Saturday of each month at 9:00 am
Grand Master Message........................................ 3 Grand Patriarch Message.................................... 4 Rebekah President Message................................ 4 Canton Corner.................................................... 4 Chaplain’s Corner............................................. 10 Good of The Order .............................6-10, 12,15 Philanthropy................................................ 11,13 Events ............................................................... 14 The Samaritan
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A MESSAGE FROM
THE GRAND MASTER
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Tom’s Adventure Begins With PA, Parades, And Pie
first like to congratulate Past Grand Master Guido Miranda on his successful Session. The Session committee did an excellent job with our transition to the Golden Nugget this year. It was an honor to be installed as Grand Master and I am looking forward to the year ahead. The Sunday after our Session I attended the Session in Pennsylvania. The trip allowed me to see firsthand how another jurisdiction runs their Session. During this time I also attended an Official Visit to a Lodge in Lancaster. The experience was a great way to start my journey as Grand Master. On July 4th, New Brunswick Lodge No. 6 participated in the Milltown Annual July 4th Parade. New Brunswick lodge had a float in the parade. The float and the Parade were a huge success. I feel I would be remiss if I did not mention that by participating in this event Odd Fellows are given an avenue
There Are No Coincidences...
The letter (right), was read by PGM Guido Miranda on Friday morning before the close of the Session. Apparently, our lovely bartender Nancy from the dinner on Thursday night, taught us more about Odd Fellowship than we could ever have taught her. Thank you Nancy! Photos on this page are from 180th Session of the Grand Lodge/173rd Session of the Grand Encampment at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City, June 17-19 2015. Thank you to PGM Guido Miranda, PGP Pastor Roman, and all outgoing officers. Congratulations to GM Tom Calabrese, GP Brian Simmons, and all new officers.
for excellent exposure to the thousands. The morning of July 18th, the weather did not look promising, and many of us were wondering if the State Wide Picnic would be rained out. Fortunately, the smoke from the roasting pig kept the rain clouds away. We had a great turn out, plenty of good food and fellowship. I even took part in my 1st pie eating contest. During the evening of July 18th, I got to meet and eat dinner with the participants from the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth. Hopefully, NJ will have some students participate next year. This year as Grand Master I am introducing Members Benefits as part of my program. I am pleased to an-
June 18, 2015 Dear Mr. G., anization as I’ve rning about your org So I’ve been lea been ver y imve ha d an rtender) been ser ving you (ba erful way to nd wo all do. What a presse d at what you such a hugely is ed ne in ers oth help give back in life! To wonderful thing. ntioned the Gift lieve when you me I could hardly be bably not just by pro s It’ y! rit r cha of Life Ho use for you ight an d asked me ton ll we en d was not chance that my fri re the news of sha to How lucky for me ft. shi on d r he rk wo to husband ha d a sec Two years ago my was able he t our go od fortune. tha ate tun We are ver y for kidney transplant. ll now. We are an d that he is so we one d on sec a get to d. nte gra for take life k blesse d an d never o an d just how sic ck to two years ag d an r fea h When I think ba wit still makes me shiver my husband was, it an d a half years on dialysis for one en be d ha anxiety. He down to 124 lbs. s wa ker an d sicker. He man d ha d gotten sic we were that a wo failing. How lucky a kidney ate an d his heart was don to in ed pp with us ste an who works here
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nounce that the Grand Lodge Staff met with and approved a voluntary dental plan with Dental Services Organization. Dental Services will be available to Odd Fellows and Rebekah’s who choose to take advance of this program. The Grand Lodge will be mailing you detailed information regarding this voluntary benefit. You will be given time to look over the information and to respond. The effective date of the plan will be November 1, 2015. Hopefully, we will be able find a variety of companies that offer benefits and or discounts to groups. I would also ask anyone aware of companies/programs with Group Member discounts and or benefits to please send me the information. In Friendship, Love, & Truth, Tom Calabrese, Grand Master
Michele! say, we call her St. w to him! Needless to to tell you just ho is s thi g itin wr I’m Gift of Life But, the reason the ve ha to s wa teful I ver y, ver y, ver y gra a tor mente d time, ag ine during such e Ho use to stay at! Im the hospital, unsur exhausting day at the ho use, when after another to ” me “ho e com able to to of the future, being r soul, an d be able ing to eat, rest you of d tea Ins ! nd park, have someth dse a Go alone— it was such being able m, know you are not roo el hot ng ssi mped, depre a crawling into a cra ion), sit outside in t, watch TV (distract d an ce spa but to fin d space to res silence g to others, sit in cozy setting, talkin ! le!! ab alu inv s peace — it wa h a blesse d place contributing to suc So thank you for does make a huge lly rea it rs— to you an d fro m my heart DIFFERENCE!) difference. (A HUGE Nancy grateful bartender, d Your frien dly an out this but I ed talke d to you ab (I wo uld have lov ) witho ut crying wasn’t sure I could
A MESSAGE FROM
THE GRAND PATRIARCH
Good Bye Summer, Time To Spread The ‘ODD’ Message!
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hope everyone had a safe and fun summer. I am looking forward to seeing you all during the coming year and hope we can do a lot of good work together. We need to grow our membership within the Encampment to be able to help others and spread the word of Odd Fellows and the Encampment. Many people have never heard about us and we need to change this. The more people who know about us the better. The UN pilgrimage got off to a rocky start for the kids coming to New Jersey with a broken bus but they finally got to the diner several hours late. They were hungry and tired but in good spirits and ate like starving teenagers. Fortunately, they made it to Philadelphia, PA the next day. I went to Camp Chat and was very pleased at all the activities that were there for the kids to participate in. The kids were having loads of fun, very happy and friendly. I’m glad we support this organization. In Friendship, Love, & Truth, Brian Simmons, Grand Patriarch
Photo courtesy of Dan LeFever
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs during Camp Chat Visitation Day 2015.
A MESSAGE FROM
O OP S !
THE REBEKAH PRESIDENT
T
o all my Brothers and Sisters: As my year comes to an end, I would like to thank my Staff and the Brothers and Sisters who helped make this a good year. It has been a busy year filled with many wonderful memories. Thanks for all the support, words of encouragement, and most of all your friendship. In Friendship, Love, & Truth, Marcia Lopez-Araujo, President, Rebekah State Assembly
Canton o r n e r
with Steve Wooton PGM, PGP, Captain (R) Ridgely Canton No. 5 Clerk
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Sometimes we get it wrong...
n the Session Issue of The Samaritan and The Grand Patriarch’s program brochure, we incorrectly stated Marcia Lopez-Araujo as the District Deputy of District 1, Ladies Encampment Auxiliary No. 96. The correct District Deputy of District 1, Ladies Encampment Auxiliary No. 96, is Maruchy Lopez-Araujo (pictured above, right). Marcia Lopez-Araujo (pictured above, left) is President of the Rebekah State Assembly of NJ. We’re sorry for any confusion this may have caused.
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ello from Ridgely Canton No. 5! New Jerseys’ Highest Branch of Odd Fellowship, The Canton, also known as the Patriarch Militants. Membership is open to an Encampment member who has attained the Royal Purple Degree. The name “Patriarchs Militant” conveys the two-fold idea of peace and soldierly valor. This branch is semi-military in character and formed solely for the purposes of chivalric display. Members are admirably fulfilling its mission through the “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” dedication ceremonies held in Washington DC, Canada and other military dediThe Samaritan
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Check out these sweet sisters and their pie eating skills on page 7.
cation ceremonies conducted by Odd Fellows in various countries worldwide. If you are interested in becoming a Chevalier, please contact me at wooton335@ comcast.net. We would love to have you join usjoin us at our next meeting which will be held September 30th at Amity Lodge. The Canton meets on the fifth Wednesday of every month. Normally, we meet in Gloucester, New Jersey, but since we are the only Canton in the State we occasionally move the location of our meetings. So what are you waiting for? Come out this month and see what we do!
WE REMEMBER
HONOR BY ODD FELLOWS
The photos on this page represent Alvarez del Portal Lodge No. 285 and New Brunswick Lodge No. 6 remembering loved ones on Memorial Day 2015 and Flag Day 2015, respectively. Photos courtesy of Tom Calabrese and Pastor Roman
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GOOD OF THE ORDER
GRAND LODGE STATEWIDE PICNIC
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Hog Days Of Summer
Photos by Beth Garvin
There was record attendance of both young and old alike this year at the New Jersey Grand Lodge State Picnic on July 18th at Thompson Park, in Jamesburg, NJ. Odd Fellows, Rebekahs, friends, and family came from all over the state for a “hoggish” amount of food, drink, and competition. Educational scholarships were presented, prizes were won, and the Pie Eating Contest was a crowd pleaser as usual. The Picnic Committee’s hard work at organizing this event is obvious by the smiles seen on these pages— except for the (succulent) pig that was prepared in the wee hours of the morning by PGM Guido Miranda and PGP Pastor Roman.
Thank you Picnic Committee for a great day!!!
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A Beam of Hope for the Firefig
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n a Wednesday morning in April, a blanket of gray clouds hangs low over JFK Airport’s Hangar 17. There’s a spring chill in the air and the jets overhead provide a backdrop of white noise to an otherwise eerily quiet atmosphere. Chugging engines break the silence as Jim Smith, a volunteer firefighter from Absecon, N.J., pulls up in a little red fire truck, followed by a larger, empty-bedded construction truck. Smith has secured one of the remnants of the World Trade Center: a rusted beam from high up in one of the towers, which has been stored in Hangar 17. Smith is eager to memorialize the steel in his hometown of Absecon, a small shore town 116 miles south of New York City. The unremarkable sight a few small American flags flapping on his firehouse grounds on September 11, 2012, made Smith realize that something was missing. And then it struck him: Absecon needed a piece of the tower itself. “221 days later, I made it happen,” he marveled on the phone, the day before the pick-up. “And this is just the beginning.” The hangar, under jurisdiction of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is almost always off-limits to the public and the press. From outside, the only thing of note is a small green sign with the number 17 that reads, “Ring bell for assistance,” next to a door. It’s what’s inside Hangar 17 that makes it remarkable. Sandwiched between cargo from FedEx and Virgin Atlantic, the hangar is enormous—roughly eighty thousand square feet. Since 2002, it has been a foster home for World Trade Center artifacts, and up until four years ago it was filled wall to wall, floor to ceiling, with banged up taxis, PATH train cars, ambulances, fire engines, police cars, motorcycles, bicycles and all manner of twisted, melted
~
~
Congratulations! Your request for an artifact from the World Trade Center has been approved.
steel. The Port Authority has been gradually distributing the hangar’s remnants to municipal agencies and nonprofits that cart away truckloads of metal and bring them to life by creating memorials or works of art. All that remains in the hangar are a few crushed yellow cabs, broken medical vans, burnt bikes and the poles to which they are still chained, a radio from one of the towers, rusted steel beams and a few other vehicles and PATH train cars shrink-wrapped into white silhouettes. An imposing American flag watches over it all. Several sentries stand guard at the warehouse’s main entrance, leaning against a small tractor. A group of four, they’re smoking, sipping coffee and laughing quietly but heartily. Eddie Vinciguerra, the leader of the pack, looks like a Brooklyn-accented, “Mom”-tattooed version of Bruce Willis. Wearing jeans, work boots, a blue polo and a black “Never Forget” windbreaker, he carries a stature that’s commanding but warm. He says he works for the Port Authority as a maintenance unit supervisor, “basically making sure everything’s clear so planes can take off and land.” The same crew—Vinciguerra and his colleagues Perry, Rudy and Billy— have been manning the distribution of Hangar 17’s materials since the World Trade Center Artifacts Program started in 2008. “It’s an honor,” says Vinciguerra, a sentiment each of them echoes. In the beginning, there were a few designated pick-up days each month, with twenty to thirty pickups each day. Vinciguerra says they’ve cut, boxed, The Samaritan 8
and shipped about nine hundred pieces of steel, though most artifacts are picked up in person, which is required for pieces heavier than 150 pounds. “It’s very taxing on us emotionally,” he reflects. “The people who come here have certain attachments to things. Many of them lost family; they lost kids. It’s pretty intense.” Pieces of the towers and surrounding rubble have found new homes in schools, gardens and other public spaces, becoming standalone sculptures or embedded within crosses and works of art, across all fifty states, as well as in several other countries and on the USS New York, a naval ship whose construction incorporates 7.5 tons of steel from World Trade Center rubble. For the biggest pickup, twenty-seven tractor trailers arrived, painted for the occasion with American flags and the New York City skyline. A group of people from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, home to the mill in which the towers’ steel was fabricated, were bringing some of the remnants full circle. “That was a little eerie,” Vinciguerra recalls. “We’ve met a lot of people,” says Vinciguerra. “I have patches, pins and medals and stuff that’s been given to me from police and fire chiefs, mayors, military guys. People send me videos of the memorials they make. I could travel cross-country and be able to stop in just about any state and know somebody.” Today, with most of the material gone, pickups have slowed to just a few per month. These last pieces of steel are highly sought after: some 1,300 parties applied to obtain the beam Smith was awarded.
Vinciguerra and his colleagues point a few feet away, by the fence. At 3,029 pounds, Smith’s beam is smaller than one would imagine, but it has a palpable gravitas; gently twisted and considerably rusted, with bits of cement and nails dotting its surface like dogged barnacles. “The steel dictates how high up on the building it came from,” Vinciguerra explains. “The thinner, lighter gauge is higher up. This one came from pretty far up there.” He leads us to the end of the building where, on a clear day, the new World Trade Center is visible.
ghters of Union Lodge No. 213 Smith, a tall sixty-five-year-old, enthusiastically hops out of the smaller truck. The aura of western sheriff that hangs in the air with his Winston smoke dissolves as he launches into traffic chat. Alongside him are Jim McManus, a soft-spoken Kline Construction worker whose boss lent out the truck for the occasion; Edward Vincent, a seventy-two-year old former chief of the Absecon Fire Department and current Atlantic County Fire Coordinator; and former Absecon deputy chief Butch Stewart. The firemen, dressed proudly in their uniforms, and McManus, in a V.F.W. t-shirt, are clearly anxious to see what’s taken more than half-a-year of tireless paperwork, email, phone calls and red tape for them to secure. “It’s a sixteen-foot long, twisted, bent and banged-up beam,” says Smith. “I am immensely proud of that.”
A few more firm handshakes and several minutes of traffic talk later, the Port Authority team has hoisted the beam onto the Kline truck. Smith, pacing back and forth on his phone, coordinates with people from home, anticipating the local news crews who will be waiting upon their return. Vinciguerra and his team hastily secure the beam with a chain, balancing it on two wooden planks. With a calm excitement, Stewart climbs onto the truck, flanking the beam with two American flags. “The World Trade Center steel means a great deal more than just a piece of steel. It has significance to it,” Smith muses. “People are going to look at that and say ‘Wow, that’s what we had—what happened?’” Smith speaks like a Clint Eastwood protagonist in a smalltown saga, peppering his dia-
logue with Frank Sinatra quotes (“I did it my way” is a favorite). He explains that once he resolved to bring a piece of the towers home to Absecon, he knew he was working against the odds, but that he had the gusto to make it happen. “People told me they thought I was nuts. That’s O.K., nuts its good. I’m crazy enough to drive a straight-three, I’d go under, over, and I’d get there.” In reality, it took Smith and his team a lot of organization in order to make this day happen. Stewart showed off a binder full of documents to prove it. The first email Smith sent to the World Trade Center Artifacts Program is dated October 2, 2012. The program stopped accepting requests for artifacts during the summer of 2011, but when they sensed Smith’s enthusiasm, they said they
would try their best to accommodate his request. Two days later, Smith attended a city council meeting to run through his plan and all of the bureaucratic tasks that it entailed. In his presentation to the council, he shared his ideas for fundraising and where the beam should be placed within Absecon. Many emails and four months later, he received a confirmation: “Congratulations! Your request for an artifact from the World Trade Center has been approved.” Among Smith’s carefully organized documentations of communication (which he plans to donate to the town museum), are nine pages of Excel spreadsheets and a written inventory of objects with names like “Tower Exterior Wall Spandrel,” “Steel Beam,” “Bronze Anodized Aluminum Panel” and “North Tower Antenna” that were at the time still up for grabs. It was not until April 17th that Absecon’s beam, artifact number I-0094K, was ready for pick-up. Smith thinks back to 9/11 and remembers speaking to his son, who was working in the South Tower as an architect at the time. “When I finally got through to him, I asked, ‘How far away are you from the river?’” TwoBeam continued on page 14
(Top photos, l-r) The team discusses how to best secure the beam onto the truck.; Butch Stewart, Jim McManus and Edward Vincent secure the beam on the truck.; The Yard.; Jim McManus tightens the chain. (Bottom photo, l-r) Vinciguerra and his reports, Perry, Rudy, and Billy from the Port Authory WTC Artifacts Program and Butch Stewart, Edward Vincent, Jim McManus and Jim Smith from Absecon, New Jersey. Photos by Sophie Butcher. The Samaritan
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GOOD OF THE ORDER
NEW BRUNSWICK LENDS A HELPING HAND
NB Lodge No. 6 members GM Tom Calbrese, Joe Lyons, and Dan LeFever (l-r) on hand to help with the VFW No. 133 5K Run in July. Photos courtesy of Tom Calabrese
Chaplain’s Corner with Walter Norris
H
ere’s a marvelous passage called, “A Parent Talks to a Child Before the First Game.” John Wooden in true “Mr. Rogers Style” counsels: This is your first game, my child. I hope you win. I hope you win for your sake, not mine. Because winning’s nice. It’s a good feeling. Like the whole world is yours. But, it passes, this feeling. And what lasts is what you’ve learned. And what you learn about is life. That’s what sports is all about. Life. The whole thing is played but in an afternoon. The happiness of life. The miseries. The joys. The heartbreaks. There’s no telling what’ll turn up. There’s no telling whether they’ll toss you out in the first five minutes or whether you’ll stay for the long haul. There’s no telling how you’ll do. You might be a hero or you might be absolutely nothing. There’s just
no telling. Too much depends on chance. On how the ball bounces. I’m not talking about the game, my child. I’m talking about life. But it’s life that the game is all about. Just as I said. Because every game is life. And life is a game. A serious game. Dead serious. But that’s what you do with serious things. You do your best. You take what comes. And you run with it. Winning is fun. Sure. But winning is not the point. Wanting to win is the point. Not giving up is the point. Never being satisfied with what you’ve done is the point. Never letting up is the point. Never letting anyone down is the point. Play to win. Sure. But lose like a champion.
It’s not winning that counts. What counts is trying.
IOOF NJ RE ORG MEETING 09.13.15. SEE PAGE 14 FOR DETAILS. Keep up on current events at www.facebook.com/IOOFNJ The Samaritan
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PHILANTHROPY
FRENCH LODGE PLAYS IN TRAFFIC On May 30th and May 31st, French Lodge No. 89 had their Annual Coin Drop at the intersection of Route 322 Lamb’s Road for six hours of real life Frogger. All money raised goes directly to local charities!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this a successful event! Photos by Beth Garvin
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ON THE ROAD AGAIN
ODD FELLOWS ON THE MOVE Kevin Mee seen at the right , is the driver of New Brunswick Lodge No. 6 Soap Box Derby Car. His father Mike is a member of East Brunswick VFW Post No. 133. Kevin’s Grandfather Joe Kafka won the 1957 State Championship.
Can you tell me how to get to...? Last May, (l-r) Ben Burger (Amity Lodge No. 166), Wanda Burns (Miriam Lodge No. 112), Vicki Burger (Burlington Lodge No. 22) Karen Barker (Clinton Lodge No. 18), and David Barker (Clinton Lodge No. 18), took a trip to North Carolina. What a pleasant surprise they has finding the road to friendship, love, and truth.
The Samaritan
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PHILANTHROPY
THEY’RE JUST PEACHY
MORE, PLEASE!
French Lodge No. 89 held their Annual Peach & Pancake Breakfast, Aug. 8th. The French Chefs’ prepared bushels of fresh peaches in their special savory sauce Friday afternoon. Their reputation for this summer events’ mouthwatering efforts was confirmed by the overwhelming attendance on Saturday morning! Photos by Beth Garvin
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EVENTS
YOUR ATTENTION IS REQUESTED 3 3 3
September
September 13: Grand Lodge Re Organization Meeting for Staff and Committee Chairs, 2:00 pm, Chickie’s & Pete’s, 183 U.S. Rt. 130 N. Bordentown, NJ. RSVP to Debbe 609-386-0025 or 609-519-8504. September 16: Grand Encampment Meeting, 6pm, Dolphin Diner September 21: New Brunswick Lodge No. 6 Annual Charity Golf Outing, Peddie Golf Club, Hightstown, NJ. Contact Tom, 732-266- 4381 or Dan, 732-766-9192.
November
3 November 21: Testimonial Dinner for GM Tom Calabrese. All branches of the IOOF have received information so please ask your lodge secreatary for info or forms. Please see the ad on this page for general invitation about this event.
To all Members of all Branches of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows of New Jersey New Brunswick Lodge No. 6 cordially invites you all to the Testimonial Dinner of
Thomas Calabrese Grand Master of New Jersey
Deadline for Nov./Dec. Samaritan is Oct 1, 2015
Saturday, November 21, 2015 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm
On Sale NOW!
at the
Cranbury Inn
21 South Main Street • Cranbury, New Jersey 08512 Kindly respond with your intentions by
October 28, 2015 to
Diane Brierly • 732..996.0575 83 Avalon Lane • Aberdeen, New Jersey 07747
Contact Bob Wooton at 856.881.8414 or any member of French to get your tickets TODAY!
Union Lodge: Please Save the Date 2016 Union Lodge No. 213 donated $1,000.00 toward the construction of the Absecon 9-11 Memorial Project. The Absecon 9-11 Memorial Founders Committee, Inc.is a not for profit 501(c)(3). The City of Absecon received a 32” I-Beam 16’-0” long which weighs 3085 pounds, it came from the 39th floor of the South Tower. The Memorial pays tribute to those who lost their lives and to those who mourn their lives. The design concept (photo above)pays tribute to the three locations (The World Trade Center Twin Towers, Manhattan, New York), (The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia) and (Shanksville, Pennslyvania) With respect, honor and remembrance. Dedication of the Absecon 9-11 Memorial is slated to be on September 11, 2016. For more information about or to offer a donation to the project, please contactc Ed Vincent: fire.coordinator@atlanticcountyfireassoc.org. The Samaritan
Please contact your lodge secretary for information, dinner reservation, and souvenir booklet information. Beam continued from page 9 and-a-half blocks. “I said, ‘Get your ass down there and don’t look back.’” After a pause, Smith continues: “My dad was a supply commander and went to Hawaii during the war. He was bombed by the Japanese and was the only one who survived from his team. He was paralyzed for the rest of his life. Now I think, how ironic—sixty years later there’s my son in the World Trade Center.” Though Smith has a familial connection to September 11th (his son made it through the day unscathed), as well as to the firefighters who perished that day, he is resolute about the fact that this is more than a personal endeavor: “This is for all of the victims,” he says. Smith and his partners foresee the memorial as a space that will draw in visitors from outside the community. “It’s going to be a focal point when you’re going into Atlantic City,” says Vincent. The committee is still working on the final location; as of now the memorial is planned for Heritage Park, next to a lake. The project is slated for completion by September 11, 2014. A former sheet metal worker, Vincent did ductwork on the first World Trade Center and is eager to 14
draw up the initial renderings of the memorial. Already, Smith and team have received a number of requests from people who would like to donate plaques and engrave victims’ names onto them. “We want this to cost the city nothing,” Smith says. They prefer to raise all funds needed themselves, with volunteers handling the manual labor. The beam finally loaded onto their truck, the mini-caravan heads home to Absecon. And as one epic work of construction nears completion across the city at Ground Zero, so does a sort of deconstruction—adding one more emotional point to the steel web that fans out from New York City. This article, by Sophie Butcher and Jaclyn Einis, was originally posted on www.narrative.ly/stories/ a-beam-of-hope on July 13, 2013. The Absecon dedication is now slated for September 11, 2016. Sophie Butcher and Jaclyn Einis met on assignment through Narratively, and found they were kindred spirits in exploring New York City stories. Two minds are always better than one, they thought, and thus started their collaboration. ollow them on twitter @sophiemmbutcher and @JLE84.
GOOD OF THE ORDER
CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE Meet Maritza Rodriguez
I
n June 2015, Maritza Rodriguez, graduated from Liberty High School in Jersey City, NJ. She was in the top 25% of her class, a member of the National Society of High School Honors, and received the Presidential Award for Academic Improvement and Excellence. Maritza will be attending Bay Path University in September 2015 where
she looks forward to the quiet surroundings of the suburbs of Longmeadow, MA. Maritza was initiated on June 4, 2015 and is one of two pioneering women of Alvarez del Portal Lodge No. 285 of which she is the youngest member (17 years old). Maritza is the daughter of Raul and Aclis) Rodriguez and is a fourth generation Odd Fellow.
Welcome Alexander!
P
astor and Noris Roman welcomed grandson Alexander Roman Spoon into the world on July 15, 2015. Pictured with Alexander are his grandmother and great grandmother. Congratulations and welcome to our Odd Fellow family Alexander! Pastor y Noris Romana bienvenida nieto Alexander Romano cuchara en el mundo el 15 de julio de 2015. En la foto con Alejandro es su abuela y bisabuela . Felicidades y bienvenido a nuestra familia Odd Fellow Alexander !
‘Odd’ Bo wling
T
he Grand Lodge of NJ Family Activities Committee hosted their Annual Statewide Bowling Challenge at Knob Hill Country Lanes in Manalapan, NJ on Sunday, June 7, 2015. All funds raised go directly to The NJ Grand
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Photos courtesy of Steve Wooton Lodge’s Charities. Individual Trophies were awarded to Joe Lyons for the Highest Game Score, Cheryl Wallace for Rookie of the Year, and French Lodge No. 89 for the Most Money Pledged. See you next year!
OF
Independent Order of Odd Fellows Grand Lodge of New Jersey 4527 Route 130 South Burlington, NJ 08016 September/October 2015
family
women
youth
universal justice fun
help
hope
reliable
humanity
volunteer
love truth
faith unity leadership universal justice relief fellowship honorable
research
what iscommunity an odd fellow? charity friendship men
respect harmony
I AM AN ODD FELLOW! I believe in the Fatherhood of God, and the Brotherhood of man. I believe in Friendship, Love and Truth as basic guides to the ultimate destiny of all mankind. I believe my home, my church or temple, my lodge, a nd my community deserve my best work, my modest pride, my earnest faith, and m y deepest loyalty, as I perform my duty "to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan" and as I work with others to build a better world, because, in spirit and in truth, I am and must always be, grateful to my Creator, faithful to my country and fraternal to my fellow-man; I AM AN ODD FELLOW!
creative
faith
pro active
education conscientious devlopment universal fraternity
What’s so ODD about helping others?
visit the sick bury the dead educate the orphan relieve the distressed
INDE
DENT ORDER PEN