Oddfellows and Rebekahs 200th birthday party

Jeff Green | Jun 19, 2019

Ever wonder what the Oddfellows and Rebekahs are all about?

The roots of the International Order of Oddfellows go back to the medieval ages. In the days before the advent of social services guilds organised to take care of their members who fell ill or ran into difficulties. This commitment to community support was taken up by fraternal societies, and the Oddfellows became established in the United Kingdom.

In North America, the Oddfellows consider the founding of an Oddfellow Lodge in Baltimore in 1819 by Thomas Wildey as the start of the International Order on this continent/

In 1842, the North American order split from the order based in Manchester, England, and took on the name International Order of Oddfellows (IOOF) Women were welcomed into the order in 1851 with the formation of the daughters of Rebekah. To this day the command of the Oddfellows and Rebekahs is to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.” 

The Oddfellows and Rebekahs of Harrowsmith provide service in both Frontenac and Lennox and Addington. They also operate a hall that is available for community events, the Golden Links Hall.

This weekend they will be marking the 200th anniversary of the IOOF with a special celebration on Sunday afternoon (June 23) from 2-6pm. There will be presentations and memorabilia on display about the history of the IOOF locally and internationally. All are welcome to attend. For information, call Brenda at 613-372-2410