Jimmy C. Humphrey
Sovereign Grand Lodge Representative
2304 E. 39th Street
Phone 912-232-0168
Fax 912-232-4917
E-Mail Jaysea2304@aol.com
Greetings,
It was indeed a pleasure to serve as your Grand Representative for the 2011 Session of the Sovereign Grand Lodge in Winston Salem North Carolina. As you know, I was nominated for Sovereign Grand Warden by Jon Petersen. Did not do as well as I would have liked to have done but I am encouraged to run again next year which I will do if you decide to send me to Cincinnati as Representative.
This report will be posted on the Web site close to the first of the year, (2012) and will have greater detail in some areas. I feel that there are a few items that we need to look at and consider before our Session in April. Any Bills that will affect Georgia are in the hands of the Legislative Committee by the first of the year. All the bills will be posted on the web site.
First, there is a Bill (#22) which is held over until 2012 that would raise the dues of every member. Everyone in each branch would pay to the Sovereign Grand Lodge $22.00 yearly. I do not support this bill; I don’t think the SGL should expect fewer members to pay more for less service. The SGL needs to cut expense; run more efficiently not expect to keep business as usual.
Second, 5 year plan. This is a positive step that was taken by the Executive Committee and adopted by the convention.
Promote World wide Odd Fellowship
- Develop strategies to network Odd Fellowship worldwide
- Acknowledge cultural differences
- Adopt best business practices
- Listen and learn from the differences
- Improve communications
- Internally Within the Order
- Externally Outside the Order
- Foster Public awareness of the Order
Live the Obligation/Make a Difference
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Educate members on the principals of Odd Fellowship
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Establish a mentor program
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Practice the Principals of the Order
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Energize Lodges with positive activities
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Encourage active participation by members
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Apply positive action to contribute to the Quality of the Order
Strengthen the Order
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Encourage use of social networking
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Enjoy the latest technology in communications
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Develop electronic reporting capabilities
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Ensure competency of officers and members
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Ritual
- Code
- Parliamentary Procedure
- Promote all projects of the Order
- Involve all ages and life issues
- Establish and promote realistic goals for membership
Celebrate what’s Right with Our Order
- Embrace our heritage
- Develop and implement program for Our 200th Anniversary
- Promote Positive attitudes
We need to look at this, see what we can put into practice into Georgia and get started on that. One item we need to start working on now, is the Birthday of Odd Fellowship, the 200 year anniversary will be here shortly. April 26, 1819
There is also a Report from the Revitalization Committee that we need to look at and consider.
The Revitalization Committee met twice during the year, discussed the Ad Hoc Report from the 1990's and a similar report from a SGL Committee from the 70's. These reports dealt with a declining membership.
We feel that the first step in revitalizing our Order is to have the information available, using modern technology. The SGL Office needs to make information and supplies available to the Grand Lodges On line.
We feel that the Order must start to consolidate our Branches to make better use of our declining membership. As we consolidate Our Branches we believe that our Ritualistic Lessons and Degrees must be retained.
Recommendations,
1. Upgrade Technology of the SGL Office to interact with Grand Lodges and Rebekah Assemblies for the purpose of transmitting reports, ordering supplies, updating membership reports, etc. Including making the IOOF news and other fraternal publications available on line in Real Time. The IOOF News should include relevant and timely information, not just promotional ads.
2. Hire personal in the SGL Office with the appropriate skills.
3. Within 3 years, have legislation to merge the L.A.P.M. and the P.M. into one unit and merge the I.A.L.A.P.M. and G.M.C. into one unit
4. Establish a dress code for special events and when interacting with the public to project an image of pride in our Order.
5. Communication Committee to publish a CD with a template for jurisdictional use for developing a web site. CD to include approved art work.
6. Informational packets to be available electronically with paper version furnished by SGL to any individual requesting copies.
7. Review projects of the Order to possibly reduce the number to be more effective.
There is a lot of information in these two reports, parts of them will come before the next session as resolutions, Bills, etc. We need to look these over, use the best parts for our Jurisdiction. Good Brothers and Sisters, we have got to use new ideas and start to plan, to work to keep our Order functioning and doing the things we want to do here in Georgia.
The Total membership of the branches at the start of 2011 was,
Odd Fellows, 118,699 L.E.A. 14,368
Brothers 113,692 Jr Odd Fellows 119
Sisters 5,007 United Youth Group 33
Rebekahs 81,553 Theta Rho Club 427
Sisters 74,860 Patriarch Militant 3,487
Brothers 6,693 Chevaliers 3,093
Encampment 35,243 Ladies 394
Patriarchs 34,740 L.A.P.M 1,582
Matriarchs 503
Our Membership of 216 at the end of 2011 means we are # 42 of 56
Budget
2010/2011 Proposed 2011/2012
Income 1,670,430 Income 1,385,472
Dues 1,382,733 dues 1,280,472
other 287,697 Other 105,000
Expense 1,146,677 Expense 1,383,790
The major Expense items are
Employee Expenses (Salary, benefits) 352,360.
Office, Building 155,100
Executive/committee Travel 104,300/ 31,430 135,730
Session 221,000
Membership Program 110,000
Special Programs 396,600
The bad news here is that the expense has been climbing while the membership has been declining, causing fewer members to pay more for less services.
Bills passed 2011,
Bill #5 (from 2010) Chpt 3, Section 12 C (Pg III-9) Associate Membership
Bill # 11 (From 2010) Chpt 14, Article 6, Section 1 A. Active Command
Bill # 12 (From 2010) Chpt 14, Article 9, Section 1. Elections
The rest are Bills from 2011
# 1 Chpt 2, Section 2 Issuance of Charters
# 2 Chpt 2, Section 18 (pg II-27-28) Qualification of Appointed Officers
# 5 Chpt 11, Section 2 A Number of units for a Grand Ladies Encampment Auxiliary
# 6 Chpt 24, Section 2, new sub sections dealing with Trustees/Finance committee
# 7 Chpt 26, Section 1 B Term Password, Check word
# 9 Chpt 30 , amending the defination, Honors of Office
# 10 Chpt 30, Add defination, Judicial Powers
# 11 Chpt 30, Amending Meetings,
An assembling of members of a component unit for the purpose of conducting business and/or performing ritualistic work or for some social function.
A. REGULAR, The meetings of all Lodges shall be held weekly, bi-weekly or semi-monthly. Terms shall be annual, except those lodges meeting weekly may have six (6) month terms. Local Units shall meet at the hour on the day specified in the Unit’s By-Laws.
B. One Regular meeting a Month could be conducted as a social/informal type of meeting if the Grand Lodge so provides.
C. Regular meetings falling on legal holidays may be omitted.
D. A Grand Body may grant a dispensation to a Local Unit enabling the Local Unit to dispense with meetings for a period not to exceed two months in a calendar year.
E. Special Meetings may be held at which no business shall be transacted that for which the meeting was called.
F. Quorum: See Chpt 30.
# 12 Chpt 30, amending definition, Trustee
# 14 Chpt 2 Section 4 A Amending, Duties of the Sovereign Grand Warden
# 15 Chpt 2 Section 18 Add C. Qualifications of Office of SGL elected officers
# 16 Chpt 30 Add definition, Model By-Laws
# 17 Chpt 30 Add definition, Motel Constitution
# 19 Chpt 31 International Association of Homes
Again, I thank you for the pleasure of serving as your Representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge. Please look at the web site for a more detailed report. Ioofga.com, or contact me for any other information.
Fraternally Grand Representative,
Jimmy Humphrey
