Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 6050 FOCUS - NOVEMBER 2016 “It’s in my blood,” Ken Dowson says, smiling. “I enjoy giving back to the community I’ve lived in all my life, and I’ll keep it going as long as I can.” The “it” Ken refers to is the humanitarian work done by the Oddfellows, a service club celebrating its 146th anniversary in Port Perry this year. Despite dwindling membership – the busy schedules of modern life have savagely eaten away at all clubs’ numbers in recent dec- ades – the Oddfellows continue to provide funding for worthy causes and medical hardware for those in need. Ironically, a bi-product of the Oddfellows’ declining size has allowed the club to continue its path. “We sold our hall [on Simcoe Street in Port Perry] a couple years ago,” Ken explains. “The money from that sale we turned into our governing body. They invested it, and we get the interest it earns. That income allows us to continue supporting local charities and replace worn pieces of medical equipment.” The Oddfellows’ inventory of available supplies is extensive. “We keep two storage units full of things like wheel- chairs, walkers, crutches, canes, shower seats – all useful medical items, and often expensive to purchase. They’re all available to borrow from us, free of charge. “The occupational therapists around town are aware of what we have, and refer their patients to us. Last year, we loaned out about 125 pieces.” As current leader of the Oddfellows, the job of coordi- nating the loans often falls to Ken. While he acknowledges the importance of this aspect, Ken also stresses it is just one part of the Oddfellows’ ongoing charitable work. “The Oddfellows support Camp Trillium, an island in the Bay of Quinte jointly purchased by the Ontario chapters. It’s a camp for kids with can- cer and their families. We also help the Eye Bank and Arthritis Ontario.” Much of the group’s work passes silently under the radar. But while publicity might stimulate membership, Ken is satisfied with the quality of support his chapter is able to provide, this in spite of a scant 30 local members. “We’re still around!” he laughs. “The people who make use of our equipment are truly thankful for our help, and I find that enjoyable.” He must. Ken’s been a member of the Oddfellows now for 53 years. Membership and the responsibilities it brings ran in his family. “I was the third generation in my family to join,” he recalls. “The night I became a member, my father and grandfather were there! My mother belonged to the la- dies’ arm of the Oddfellows – the Rebekahs – and I had a number of uncles and other relatives who were also part of it.” The organization has a storied history, dating back to 18th century England. “Back then, a group of British workers banded together to help the less fortunate. That was unusual in those days and for that reason, they became known as the ‘odd- fellows.’ The name stuck.” And so did the group’s founding principle of helping others with humanitarian works. Ken speaks proudly of his chapter’s contributions and encourages those in need to continue to contact them. “If people need medical equipment and phone Com- munity Care or the hospital, they’ll be put in touch with us. We’re always glad to help out. It’s what we do.” And have done in the community for nearly 150 years. Quietly, you might say, and finding that the greatest re- wards of their good deeds lie simply in the doing. The old saying tells us that in simply doing good works we reap greater compensation than receiving anything of material value. I N DEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFEllO w s Friendship. love. Truth By Scott Mercer, Focus on Scugog 1680 Reach Street, Port Perry 905-985-4441 www.emmanuelcc.ca iPod? iPad? Try iPray... God is listening. C o m m u n i t y C h u r c h Sunday 10 a.m.