HISTORY OF GOLDEN HEART # 60, OLIVER
Golden Heart # 60 opened its doors to membership on May 28th, 1945 with Redland # 12 in Penticton and Faith # 32 in Summerland assisting with the institution ceremony. The lodge surrendered its charter on June 24th, 2013. In between these two dates were sixty-eight years of fun, food and friendship.
Charter members were Sisters Amos, Cope PNG, Charlish, DeLatour, Holmes PNG, Nelson PNG and Reynolds, along with Brothers Amos, Cope PG and Potter PG.
The sisters met in the Elks Hall, paying $7.00 a month rent to the Odd Fellow lodge, Victory # 56. At our close, we were still meeting in the Elks Hall.
Dues started at $3.00 a year in 1945 and ended as $20.00 in 2013.
Sister Matson PP gifted the lodge with a bible at its institution, Sister Cope was secretary and Sister Nelson was Noble Grand. Business cards were printed for the two lodges, Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, and placed in hotels and “auto camps” to let visitors know that there was Oddfellowship in Oliver, BC.
Assembly presidents/past presidents who called Golden Heart their home lodge were Sisters Margaret Grubisic 1968, Pamela Ottas 2005 and Terri Commandeur 2010.
Many mother and daughter and husband and wife teams attended lodge in Oliver.
One of these brothers donated a sum of money to be used for the comfort and pleasure of the Rebekah sisters, not for donations; this money has enabled us to carry on for the past ten years. The brother also donated funds to other local worthwhile or needy groups for the same purpose.
The first volunteering by the lodge in the community, 1946, was staffing the Recd Cross booth on Saturdays but members have volunteered for other groups, gave bursaries, had teas and sales, donated to food banks and the CHBC Bears campaign, women’s groups and the homeless, hospital, Sunnybank and McKinney Place, as well as supplying goodies for Assembly welcome bags. Our last tea was in November 2006.
In November 1999, Golden Heart put on a Degree for the surrounding lodges with I believe, eight initiates taking part. About fifteen years ago members grew tired of working all day, then attending lodge at night, so meetings were changed to daytime. This worked until about five years ago when we lost several attendees to death, illness or moving away.
Golden Heart was a member of Okanagan Rebekah District Association # 1and hosted it for the last time in 2012 with a speaker on Arthritis. Sister Ottas was Chairman and Sister Commandeur was Secretary/treasurer.
We have always had good coverage by the local newspaper and television. We strived to keep fun in our meetings until our surrender, even with only five attending, and we always had members willing to take an office, doubling up in most cases.
Although thought at one time to be the property of Victory # 61 of Kimberly, which amalgamated with Maple Leaf # 19, the pedestals used by Golden Heart belonged to the Odd Fellow lodge, Victory # 56 of Oliver. These have been recycled by the sisters, becoming plant stands in our homes.
Members who came to lodge regularly have transferred to Columbia #200, Faith #32 and Patricia #33 but eight no-attendees chose to resign their lodge membership.
The last attending members drove from Oroville, Washington, Princeton and Olalla to join the remaining sisters in Oliver for meetings. Closing members were Brother Michael Commandeur, Sisters Lorraine Benedick DDP, Margaret Bonell PNG, Ilene Buchstein PNG, Nellie Caronan PNG, Elsa Lewis, PNG, Terri Commandeur PP, and Pamela Ottas PP.
Golden Heart # 60 thanks all the dear friends who helped it to close in the same harmonious way it has opened for sixty-eight years.
Submitted by Sister Pamela Ottas, PP, secretary
In picture: Left to right – Pamela Ottas, Princeton, Elsa Lewis, Oroville, Lorraine Benedick, Oliver, Michael Commandeur, Olalla (Keremeos), Terri Commandeur, Olalla (sitting)