From the Members of
Garland I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 304
Instituted
June 25, 1884
We would like to thank you for visiting our website.
Our Lodge meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
TBA Social Nights are on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
We are located at
125 E. State St. Garland, TX 75040
Meeting place: Garland 441 AF & AM Building
see map and photo of our lodge location below.
Garland I.O.O.F. Lodge invites you to explore the Community that is Odd Fellowship. Our lodge is a family of brothers and sisters working to build a world that we want to leave to our children's, children's, children. We offer: A unique environment of caring and supportive folks to learn and grow with. We strive to become better people as we provide a way to support many local, national and international charities. The moment you walk into our Odd Fellowship Hall you will be met with the warmth and comradery that 200 years of our foundational beliefs of Friendship, Love, and Truth have built. Garland I.O.O.F. Lodge is, amongst other things, a charitable organization that uses much of the money it brings in to give help to worthy organizations, events and individuals. If you are looking for a opportunity to be of service to your community, while enjoying making new friends, there is a place for you in this organization.
We seek people of good character that believe we can make a difference in our world. Our Lodge can use your help. The work we do is worthwhile and important. The more active members we have, the easier it becomes to do our work and the more we can take on. We invite you to join in that work by becoming a member of the Lodge. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization founded upon the principles of Friendship, Love and Truth. These three principles, we believe are essential for the future of our country, our community, our society. Friendship is the strongest bond of our association. As a member you are bound to participate with your brothers and sisters to safeguard our members and families in times of adversity and aid those in distress. Love is the link which requires neighborliness to our fellow human beings, which comes only after all hatred, envy and selfishness have been laid aside. Truth is the standard by which we value people. It is the foundation of our society. United together we can make a greater impact on our community than we can as individuals. We hope you will consider joining us at Garland Lodge No. 304 in our effort to make a better community and world.
If you would like to join our ranks and become an Odd Fellow; talk to the person who directed you to our website. If you found us through a Internet search and have questions feel free to fill out our contact form. We will be sure to get back with you as soon as possible.
We seek people of good character that believe we can make a difference in our world. Our Lodge can use your help. The work we do is worthwhile and important. The more active members we have, the easier it becomes to do our work and the more we can take on. We invite you to join in that work by becoming a member of the Lodge. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a fraternal organization founded upon the principles of Friendship, Love and Truth. These three principles, we believe are essential for the future of our country, our community, our society. Friendship is the strongest bond of our association. As a member you are bound to participate with your brothers and sisters to safeguard our members and families in times of adversity and aid those in distress. Love is the link which requires neighborliness to our fellow human beings, which comes only after all hatred, envy and selfishness have been laid aside. Truth is the standard by which we value people. It is the foundation of our society. United together we can make a greater impact on our community than we can as individuals. We hope you will consider joining us at Garland Lodge No. 304 in our effort to make a better community and world.
If you would like to join our ranks and become an Odd Fellow; talk to the person who directed you to our website. If you found us through a Internet search and have questions feel free to fill out our contact form. We will be sure to get back with you as soon as possible.
2023 Installation of New Officers
New officers for Garland #304 Lodge of The Odd Fellows of Texas were installed during a regular meeting on Monday evening January 9th. Dallas Dunaway (District Deputy Grand Master) was the installing officer along with his team. A banquet was served prior to the installing ceremonies. The new elected officers are Chance Ables, Noble Grand; Jim Freeland, Vice Grand; John S. Beaber Secretary and Chris Smith Treasurer. Also appointed positions are shown below. (click on pics to enlarge image.)
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Members Honored
& Coat Drive
I.O.O.F. Grand Master made his Official Visit
to Garland #304 Lodge
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200 lbs. of Turkey’s Donated
Garland IOOF Lodge members makes sure their annual donation of 200 lbs. of Turkey’s were delivered on Thursday, Just in time for the Good Samaritans of Garland food bank to distribute them to the less fortunate before Thanksgiving! Garland IOOF Lodge #304 Noble Grand, Peggy Smith, coordinated the purchase and delivery of the turkeys donated this year. It’s Great being a part of the Oddfellow!!!
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Social Night - Meet and Greet.
The lodge members had great fellowship at Hooters for their social night - meet and greet.
Potential new members were invited.
Potential new members were invited.
2022 Installation of Officers
Our Newest Members
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Garland IOOF #304 Lodge was disappointed that they were unable to donate more turkeys this year, but because of the turkey shortage and price increases of turkeys , the stores that normally give the lodge a good amount of turkeys were unable to help us out. Walmart did allow us to have a few turkeys which saved the day. The Lodge members were the only Garland charitable group to donate any turkeys at all this year. Because of this, all of Good Samaritans of Garland’s freezers were totally empty for the Thanksgiving Holiday except what we were able to muster up. Garland Lodge #304 has also voted to give a cash donation this year for the residents of the IOOF Ennis Retirement Home for Christmas. We want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday! Remember the reason for the season. |
Fun Social Night!
Our Garland Lodge #304 members had a fun social night on Wednesday, October 27th at 7 pm at Southern Junction Steakhouse in Royse City, Texas! Wednesday was 2 for 1 steak night. Which means you get 2 steaks for the price of one. OR 15% discount for one steak. WOW!! Check out their website for more details. A big thank you goes to our Social Committee Member David Hefner for his suggestions on fun places to meet for fellowship! This monthly social night is an excellent opportunity for us to invite our families and prospective members to enjoy fellowship and get to know each other better.
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Texas State Wide IOOF
Membership Drive
The Odd Fellows of Texas Membership Education Committee and Garland Lodge #304 make a Super impression with the Mason of Texas on Saturday, October 9th at the Masonic Fourteenth Annual Picnic and Car Show at the Retirement Home In Arlington, Texas. The Odd Fellows Booth was 1 of 167 booth set up for the annual event.
The Texas IOOF Volunteers that participated at this very successful Public Relationship event for the Odd Fellows were: Ken Flournoy, Chance Able, Peggy Smith, John Beaber, Chris Smith, David Hefner, Jim Freeland, Grady Smith, Charles Stevenson, Eric McCorey, Meredith Moore, John Reitzer-Smith and Garry Bolch.
The volunteers greeted and invited everyone to sign up for 3 free drawings to be given away at the end of the event. The prizes were an iPad Computer, a $400 VISA Gift Card and a $150 VISA Gift Card. The lucky winners were: Winner Callie Fincher had her choice and she picked the $400 VISA gift Card, Elizabeth Hall Orteger won the iPad Computer and Emily Plumber won the $150 VISA gift Card.
We want to thank our very own Brother David Hefner for arranging for our lodge to participate in the Masonic Annual Picnic, if not for David we would not have been allow to take part in this great event. Thank you Brother David!! We thank the Friendship Towers Board for their donations of promotional give aways that were expired the end of this month and a big thank you to Garland Lodge member Ken Flournoy for his nice donation of 300 iPhone Wallets he had made up at his on personal expense.
Everyone loved all the free giveaways and prizes that were provided at our booth. We had over 70 people who requested additional information about the Independent order of Odd fellows. We received one Petition for membership at the event. We will be getting those request out to the lodges within the next two weeks.
New Member!
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Fort Worth Lodge #251 hosted a degree rally on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Noble Grand Peggy Smith, Vice Grand Ken Flournoy and Past Grand Master Grady Smith proudly accompanied their new Garland Lodge #304 candidate to the event.
Suzanne Krepper received her Initiatory degree and all 3 degrees on June 5, 2021 at Ft. Worth Lodge # 251. Welcome Suzanne! |
At the Horse Races
Our May 8, 2021 social at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie at Horse Races/Dollar Day was well attended and so much fun! We enjoyed getting to know our members and their families. We ate a lot of $1 hot dogs. No one was a big winner from the races but, all had a great time! Those who had never been before were glad they came. Those attending:
Grady, Peggy, Chris and Hunter Smith Ken and Ginger Flournoy Garry and Angela Bolch Chance and Jasmine Ables ; Chance Jr. and extended family. For more pictures click on this LINK |
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2021 Installation of Officers
Garland IOOF #304 Lodge installed our 2021 officers at 7P.M. on Monday January 11, 2021 at our new location on E. State St. The installation team was led by District #7 D.D.G.M. Roger Sitton. The guest present included the following: Dan Reynolds, Grand Master, James Curtis Grand Secretary, Terry Douglas Special Deputy Master over Finances, Garry Bolch PGM and of course Roger Sitton D.D.G.M. The installation went well and all members had good fellowship.
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Moving Day!
Click images below to enlarge pictures.
December 21, 2020 was moving day for our Lodge. We have now relocated from the Garland Women’s Activities Building to the building of Masonic Lodge Garland #441 at 125 State Street in Garland – it’s only a few blocks away from where we used to meet.
Noble Grand Larry Christensen, Noble Grand-Elect Peggy Smith, Vice Grand/Secretary-Elect Connie Christensen and PGM Grady Smith went to the old Lodge on Saturday and packed all of the items that could be packed into boxes and got them ready for today to move. This afternoon, PNG Chris Smith, Hunter Smith and Corkey Dossey joined all of the above and loaded and unloaded everything at Garland 441. The storage room we will be using inside the building is not yet ready for us, so we had to move everything to an outdoor storage facility there. The Masons will move all of our things into the indoor storage room before our upcoming meeting in January. Afterward, Noble Grand Larry Christensen executed the Rental Agreement with Garland 441’s Worshipful Master, Sam, and closed the deal! This location is going to be sooooo much better than before simply because we just have to come into a real lodge room setting and will not have to move tables and chairs! We’re all really looking forward to that! |
Food & Coat Drives
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Here’s a group with a big CAN do spirit! Thank you, for rallying the troops to purchase, donate, and stock Good Sam’s shelves with 765 cans of much-needed food! What a wonderful visit—thank you for helping us help others!
Also several members robbed their closets of coats and sweaters last winter to help those in need get through the 2020 deep freeze. |
Garland IOOF #304 Lodge doing
volunteer work at Jonathan's Place!
2020 Installation Officers
We had a great meeting that began with a meal shared in fellowship with members and honored guests from other lodges who served as the Installation Team under the direction of District Deputy Grand Master our Sister Jerry Miller. Jerry and the Team did an outstanding job and we thank them so very much for all they did and with the dignity with which they performed the ceremony.
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Vangaurd AwardOur Lodge was honered with the prestigious Vanguard Award that was awarded to us by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas. This award was received as a result of our Lodge completing a series of specific accomplishments set out by the Grand Master last year. As we understand it, only two Lodges in Texas received this award – Denton #82 and Garland #304! Congratulations to the Lodges for a job well done! Noble Grand Chris Smith graciously acknowledged the work accomplished under the leadership of Past Grand Roy Bragg as he presented the plaque to him.
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FUN AT THE BALLPARK
(Click images on right to enlarge pictures)
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Grady Smith PGM
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For more information
Click on the following Brochures.
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