A half-century ago, Donna Elie of Greenfield joined Greenfield’s Women of the Moose Chapter 316. These years later, Elie, 73, says her husband and children are now members, too, and she still finds fulfillment in the group’s meetings and periodic fundraising events.
“There is always something to learn,” Elie said. “Everything keeps going, there are different achievements you can get. You can do it for years.”
Last weekend marked the 100th year of the local chapter of the Women of the Moose, which is one of two chapters nationally to reach such a milestone. The Women of the Moose, established in 1913, is a unit of Moose International, a fraternal and service organization founded in the 1800s.
The goals of the Women of the Moose is to “bring women together in a closer fraternal relationship to assist in charitable activities of the Moose fraternity, with special attention to Mooseheart and Moosehaven, emulate and advance the virtues of faith, hope and charity and to carry Mooseheart standards into our homes and communities through community service and promote the aims and purposes of the Loyal Order of Moose,” according to its website.
“It’s all about community service, and doing work with and for the community,” said Bonnie Brown, a junior regent at the Greenfield chapter.
Last Friday, the group held a celebratory event in recognition of the 100-year milestone featuring presentations of awards to 50-year members with a rose ceremony, a history of the Women of the Moose, presentations from local elected officials, a dinner and live music. Barbara McPherson, Grand Chancellor of Women of the Moose, attended the anniversary event as well as other dignitaries from the community and organization. Brown noted the local group needed permission from the national chapter to do the rose ceremony.
Currently, the local group is comprised of 241 members who meet twice a month at the Moose Lodge on School Street in Greenfield. Through merit, members strive to achieve three higher degrees within the order: Academy of Friendship; Star Recorder; and College of Regents. The local group includes cooks who put on dinners and other volunteers who host fundraising events throughout the year benefiting local community organizations. The lodge also throws parties of its own such as an annual Christmas celebration and participates in events like Greenfield’s Rag Shag Parade and Costume Party, which takes place around Halloween.
Additionally, the Women of the Moose is one of the largest contributors to the support and maintenance of Mooseheart Child City and School, a residential childcare facility near Chicago, and Moosehaven, a retirement facility for members of the Loyal Order of the Moose in Orange Park, Fl., according to the organization’s website.
For member Sandy Koncal of Greenfield, participation in the organization is a way to give back to a good cause. Koncal says she joined 50 years ago when her ex-husband’s nieces were sent to Mooseheart.
“They help families in need,” Brown said about Mooseheart. There, she noted that residents “are given an education and taken care of.”
Another member, Anne Harrington of Erving, said the initial reason she joined in 1990 was to access the Moose Lodge’s dance floor — which member Alice Hunter of Greenfield noted is the only wooden dance floors in the downtown area.
“I loved to dance,” said Harrington. “Then I made a trip out to Mooseheart and got hooked. I took off from there and I’m still here. It was seeing what do for the children and the elderly — it’s wonderful.”
In addition to its role as a means of fundraising, Koncal says the chapter has historically played an important social role in the community. She can remember a time when members regularly went to each other’s houses for picnics and other social events. Back when Brown joined the chapter in the 1980s, she said it was so popular that if people didn’t get to the lodge by 3 p.m., they wouldn’t get a seat — or space on the roughly 24 by 24-foot dance floor.
“We have one of the largest dance floors in the area,” Brown said. “People would come to socialize and come dancing.”
Over time, a lot has changed. Today, the national organization is open and accepting of all people — men and women. But it wasn’t always like that. Initially, the group only accepted women, who were required to adhere to a strict dress code.
According to Brown, women members had to wear formal gowns to meetings and follow other gender-specific rules.
“You used to have to be sponsored by a woman who’s already a member,” Brown said.
For a time, Brown says she left the organization in protest of some of these strict guidelines.
“I was a single mom, and at first women weren’t allowed to sit at the bar without an escort. … It’s not like that anymore,” Brown said, noting she rejoined two years after she left when the rules changed.
One hundred years on, Harrington says the lodge and its mission is an integral part of her life.
“We’re still working for the cause because what we do for the children and elderly is wonderful,” Harrington said. “This is home for us all. This is a second family. (Members) made it bearable for me after losing my husband. It fills a void in my life.”
Ultimately, Brown said she likes to be part of the group because of the comradery. Everyone is pulling together toward a shared goal.
“We work hard. Anytime we need to make honors or reach a goal, we work as a team t o help each other,” Brown said.
Simultaneously, 100 years on, Hunter says they still have a lot of fun.
“We have dances once a month. We have dinners,” she said. “You’ll never get a bad meal at the Moose — you can quote me on that.”
Reach Melina Bourdeau at mbourdeau@recorder.com or 413-772-0261 ext. 263.