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Odd Fellows give boost to veterans

Daily Democrat - 11/24/2017

WEVER - Odd Fellows. It's a strange name. This club came about in the 1700s in England, formed when a group of men decided to take it upon themselves to take from their own pockets to help support widows and orphans. People would say, "Those are odd fellows." And the name stuck.

And now lodges of this organization are scattered across the world. Even embedded in Wever is one of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellow organizations. And like all orders, several times a year they gather to help those in need.

IOOF member Ray McKee said this time around the Wever lodge had retired military personnel in its sights.

"On Nov. 16 a delegation from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Wever Lodge, travelled to Marshalltown to present a donation of sweatpants and t-shirts to the Iowa Veterans Home," McKee said. "The home has an ongoing need for these items."

McKee said the lodge donated about 3,000 of each item.

"Currently, the home has 508 residents about 20 percent of which are women," McKee said. "The old resident is 101 years old and the youngest is 32."

The Iowa Veterans Home was established in 1887 when the facility began providing housing for soldiers and spouses who were displaced due to the Civil War.

According to McKee, this is just one of many things Odd Fellows does throughout the year.

"We adopt a couple of families who have fallen on hard times and surprise them for Christmas," McKee said. "We use our annual club dues money to do this, but a lot of members are quick to pitch in their own money to help the families out."

McKee pointed out that even though he was interested in helping out the Veterans Home, this was not him doing it.

"All of the people at the lodge got involved," McKee said. "It seems like everyone knows what it's like to be needy at some time or another."

McKee said his wife, Sherry, is a volunteer.

"She works at the food pantry and is involved in the knitting club," McKee said. "They make beanies for babies."

McKee said the Wever lodge of IOOF is always looking for new members. To learn how you can get involved, call McKee at 372-2176.