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12FOCUS-JANUARY2013spreadworldwide.HereinPortPerryourlodgewasthe75thcharteredinOntario.x1dEachofthethreemencitesasomewhatdiffer-entmotivationforjoiningtheOddfellows.x1cItwasinourfamilyx1dexplainsKenthelodgex19scurrentleaderitsx18NobleGrand.x19x1cWhenIstartedIwastheyoungestofthreegenerationsinthegroup.x1dx1cMeIhadnofamilyconnectionx1dsaysEarle.x1cButIenjoyedthefellowshipofthegroup.x1dLloydnodshisagreement.x1cItwasthesportsprogramswhichcaughtmyattentionat9rstbutthesocialaspectx13withotherlodgesaswellaswithinourownx13reallymademembershipcomealiveformex1dhesays.TheOddfellowsx13anditswomenx19sbranchtheRebekahsx13providehumanitariancommuni-tyservicessimilartotheworkdonebyKinsmenandKiwanis.Kenquicklydrawsadistinctionbetweenthosegroupsandhisown.x1cWex19reafraternalorganizationliketheMa-sonssopotentialnewmembersx19backgroundsaresubjecttoinvestigationbeforetheyx19reac-ceptedintothelodge.KinsmenandKiwanistheyx19recommunityserviceclubs.x1dMuchoftheOddfellowsx19mostvisiblechari-tableworkrevolvesaroundmedicalhardware.Thegroupmaintainsasubstantialinventoryofvarieditemslikewheelchairscrutchesshowerstoolsandevenhospitalbeds.Onrequestx13mostfrequentlyfromlocaltherapistsKenreportsx13theOddfellowsloantheneededequipmentfreeofcharge.Therewasatimehesayswhenthegroupwouldevendelivertheequipmentalsoatnocost.x1cUnfortunatelywecanx19tdothatanylongerx1dheexplains.x1cWejustdonx19thavethemanpower.x1dAnditx19sthatdilemmax13withitsnumeroustentaclesx13whichliesattheheartofthemenx19sevidentfeelingsofdisappointment.x1cWhenIjoinedtheOddfellowswehadover200membershereinthePortPerrylodgex1dLloydrecallsglancingatEarlewhonodsincon9rmation.x1cNowwex19relessthan40.x1dx1cItx19sdif9culttoattractnewyoungmemberstodayx1dEarlesays.x1cPeoplehavesomuchgoingonintheirownlivesnowtheydonx19thavetime.x1dx1cYouhavetorememberx1dcontinuesLloydx1cthatbackwhenthethreeofuswerenewtothemovementtherewerelessleisure-timeactivitiesavailable.Solodgenightwashighonmembersx19calendarsx13partlyfortheactivitiesitofferedbutalsoasavenueforsocialinteraction.x1dKenpointstotwootherfactorswhichhelpedsignaltheThesethreelong-servingmembersofthePortPerryOddfellowsLodgehaveallservedasNobleGrandofthelocallodge.FromleftareEarleGeerwhoheldthepostin1957-1958LloydShortin1962-1963andKenDowsonin1970-1971.PhotobyJ.PeterHvidstenContinuedfrompage11slowbutsteadydeclineofmanycommunity-servicegroupslikeOddfellowsonelessobvioustheotheranoften-namedculpritindiscussionsofsocietalchange.x1cTownslikePortPerryhavebecomemorex18bedroomcommunities.x19Commutingtimenaturallycutsintoleisuretimex1d.x1cTelevisionx19sanotherbigreason.Asittookholdasadominantmediumpeoplegravitatedtothenewformofentertainmentandawayfromactivitieslikelodgemembership.x1dFortheOddfellowsthesteadydeclineinitsnum-bershasrecentlyreachedcriticalmass.The9nancialburdenofmaintainingits48year-oldPortPerrylodgecoupledwithfallingincomefrommembershipduesandfundraisingactivitiesforcedthesaleofitsSimcoeStreetfacility.PaulaR.McMurtryBarristersolicitorPractisinginDurhamRegionSince2002FamilyLawGeneralCivilLitigation174MaryStreetPortPerry905-982-2650www.mcmurtrylaw.ca