HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 72Section 3, Page 20 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE .WNE 28, 1973
Rebekah Lodge active since 1947
AUDREY MaCGREGOR
Rebekah Lodges have been
established for more than 150
years. What is Rebekah's?
It is one of the first
organizations to fight poverty,
relieve the distressed and assist
the needy. They teach the
meaning of Faith Faith in God
and Faith in your fellow man.
They are crusaders for Peace
and Harmony,
The Oddfellows lodge No. 67
Exeter has been active since 1871
and it was felt a Rebekah Lodge
could also be an asset to the
community. On June 2, 1947, ten
men and women went to Clinton
where they were initiated and
they became the ten charter
members and later the first of-
ficers of lodge No, 338.
Mrs. Elizabeth Fletcher,
President of the Rebekah
Assembly of Ontario called a
meeting in the old opera house
(now I.G.A. parking lot) Exeter
on June 9, 1947, for the purpose of
instituting a Rebekah lodge. The
first Noble Grand was Mrs. Wm.
Cann and the Vice Grand was
Mrs. Jim Kirkland.
Other officers were Mrs.
Gertrude Hamilton, Mrs. Adeline
Ford, Mrs. Norah Taylor, Mrs.
Gladys Chambers, Mrs. Mable
McKnight, Mrs, Irene (Sweet)
Blackwell, Mrs. Grace
McKnight, Wm. Cann, Mrs. Amy
Etherington, Mrs. Gwen Gibson,
Mrs. Jean Morgan, Miss Mary
Gardiner, Wm. Etherington and
Mrs. Lena Willard.
The degree staff of Edleweiss
Rebekah Lodge, Seaforth, con-
ferred the degree on some 40
candidates. All new members
were proud to be residents of
Huron County and thus the name
"Pride of Huron" became the
name of the new lodge.
Twenty original members are
still active in the lodge. Through
the years, 266 members have
signed the register and today
there are 153 members.
There have been 25 Noble
Grands - Mrs, Kay Cann, Mrs.
Lena Kirkland, Mrs. Gladys
Chambers, Mrs. Irene Blackwell,
Miss Mary Gardiner, Mrs. Gwen
Gibson, Mrs. Ruby Beaver, Mrs,
Verna McDonald, Mrs. Honor
Dick, Miss Ruth Skinner, Mrs,
Jean Johns, Mrs. Luella Taylor,
Mrs. Mary Fisher, Mrs. Gladys
Skinner, Mrs. Lois McFalls, Mrs.
Alice Bowen, Mrs. Lillian Pym,
Mrs. Iva Idle, Mrs. Mary Hem,
Mrs. Lila Smith, Mrs. Audrey
MacGregor, Mrs. Bernice Ford,
Mrs, Mary Fisher (second term)
Mrs. Gladys (Gerald) Skinner,
Mrs, Loretta Ball.
Of these, four have been
District Deputy Presidents - Mrs.
Kay Cann (1953), Mrs, Gladys
Chambers (1959), Mrs. Ruby
Beaver (1965), Mrs, Lois McFalls
(1971),
Mrs. Kay Cann and Mrs. Lena
Kirkland both received the
Decoration of Chivalry from the
Rebekah Assembly of Ontario in
recognition of faithful per-
formance of lodge duties, Fifty-
six members proudly wear their
20 year veteran jewel as active
members of the Order.
Our musician, Mrs. Lena
Willard, has been faithful at the
piano for the full 26 years. We
have seven mothers and
daughters as members. Mrs, Ella
Fisher has thirteen members of
her family as members of
Oddfellows and Rebekahs - Glen
& Mary Fisher, Ben & Marie
Fisher, Harold & BeIva Rowe,
Bob & Iva Blair, Wayne Rowe,
Ross Rowe, Bill & Audrey Rowe,
Dennis Rowe.
We furnished a room at South
Huron District Hospital, and
through the years we have
donated a portable rescusitator,
a bake-heater, a T,V., heated
crib, mixer and a blender.
Uniting our efforts with the
Oddfellows, under the C,P.T.
program, head office records
show that Exeter is one of the
leaders in the province. A great
number of people in this com-
munity have used free of charge,
crutches, wheelchairs, hospital
beds etc. when needed.
We help sponsor a trip to
United Nations each year by a
youth in Huron County. We help
families in need of money
through disaster, and the lonely
and needy are remembered at
Christmas time, Groups in
nursing homes are entertained at
Christmas, at parties and pic-
nics. Gifts are sent to the
Children's Aid at Christmas.
The booth at Exeter Fair has
been a project since September,
1947. When proceeds were $93.49.
Proceeds have greatly increased
over the years. We have also
entered floats in community
parades.
This town is blessed with a
great many Senior Citizens who
needed something to do, so in
February, 1954, our Rebekah
Lodge helped organize the Senior
Citizens Club. Each February we
serve lunch at their meeting to
help celebrate their birthday
party.
We have co-operated with the
Oddfellows in furnishing the
lodge rooms and in any social
activities when asked to par-
ticipate, It has always been a
pleasure to work in such har-
mony with the men of the Exeter
Lodge,
The accomplishments of our
Lodge have been numerous,
varied and successful, Social
activities are always interesting.
We have entertained every lodge
in the surrounding area and
returned visits, exchanged ideas
and taken part in many friend-
ship nights, The friendliness
when visiting other lodges is
always warming to the heart.
These women who take time in
their modern world to-day to
come together and learn
fraternity and practise
brotherhood are much closer to
understanding of the words
Peace, Faith and Humanity.
These are not objects which can
be handed out to members, but
are the rewards for living up to
the obligation of Friendship,
Love and Truth.
Smyth's
SHOE STORE
We Salute
Exeter's
100th
birthday!
JIM GLASGOW
Put your
best foot
forward
in the
next
century
in a
pair of
shoes
PAUL NE WANDS
MAIN ST. PHONE 235-1933 EXETER