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United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth
Printable Version |
United Nations Pilgrimage Planning
MINNESOTA - Plans are being formulated for Minnesota Odd Fellowship to again sponsor students on the annual United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth for the summer of 2008. This will mark the 59th consecutive year that the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs of Minnesota have sponsored young people on this educational pilgrimage. Since 1950 Minnesota lodges, districts, and state-wide delegates have participated annually.
This years contest was Saturday, January 12 to select two delegates to represent the Minnesota jurisdiction. It was hosted by the Odd Fellow and Rebekah lodges of Excelsior, MN.One girl from Excesior and one girl from Good Thunder were selected. Three other students were selected from Hopkins, Excelsior, and Winnebago.
Last summer, 2 students from Minnesota were among the 344 delegates, 16 tour leaders, 5 New York staff who participated in the 58th Annual program. Delegates were from 44 North American jurisdictions and 5 European countries. The winners of two seperate speech contests(one for each week) recieves a $1000.00 scholarship for secondary studies from the IOOF Educational Foundation.
Today's young people are a most treasured resource and they are often referred to as our future leaders. Do we challenge them enough? Do we give them the opportunities to learn what others outside their hometown think about world affairs? Do we encourage them to develop a sense of responsibility for their community and the world at large?
The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs have been answering these questions for more than half a century through the unique educational program called the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth. Sponsored entirely through fund raising efforts and private donations, this program brings 16 and 17 year old students from all over the world for an experience of a lifetime in New York City every summer. They are given the opportunity to learn about life in other countries, express their opinions in a challenging environment and leave with lasting friendships. In addition to the New York City program, the participants are exposed to the history of North America with visits to Philadelphia; Washington, DC; Gettysburg and Niagara Falls. The young people leave with a new and broader insight into their future and an ever growing need to be involved in how their world is developed.
U.N. Pilgrimage delegates are sponsored by individual lodges, districts or on a state-wide basis. The selecting committee will review applications for evidence of academic merit, character, extracurricular activities, concern for community welfare, interest in world affairs, and general fitness to participate in the program. Interviews will be arranged and the committee will explain the local selection process. The candidates are required to submit an exam, write an essay and/or participate in a local speech contest.
Eligible students must be 16 or 17 years of age at the time of participation with at least one year of high school remaining. The student selected to participate must have a medical examination to determine their physical fitness, ability to do considerable walking, and stamina to take part in the tour. Parents must sign a statement giving permission to participate in the program and promise to pay for return travel should accident, illness, or misbehavior prevent travel home by the method paid by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs.
ANYONE interested in more information or wants to become a delegate should contact Chairman Donna Perryman, P.O. Box 404, Winnebago, MN 56098 or email at auntdona@bevcomm.net Charles Benson, Executive Director could assist those from other jurisdicitons in finding their contact person. His email is unpinc@aol.com
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Community Service New Feature For U. N. Pilgrimage for Youth
NEW YORK - In addition to the educational features of the U. N. Pilgrimage for Youth, sponsored by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, community service has been added to the program. Each delegate receives a Community Service Award and documentation for three hours of service, from Central Park Conservancy, as they painted park benches during the 2000 pilgrimage. Many high schools now require 10 hours of community service to graduate. Adding this aspect to the Pilgrimage further enhances the educational value of the trip. Plus they had fun! Since the program focuses on children, this project was loosely related to providing a safe, clean environment for children to play.
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History has Minnesota Beginnings
NEW YORK- The birth of the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth, sponsored by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, occurred with initial plans made during 1949. During that year the Sovereign Grand Lodge adopted a Bill which allowed the Sovereign Grand Master to appoint a Youth Committee.
Sovereign Grand Master Edward M. Sharpe, a Supreme Court Justice in Michigan, appointed James S. Lombard, Past Grand Master and serving as Grand Patriarch of Minnesota, chairman of the Sovereign Grand Lodge’s Youth Committee.
Brother Lombard was given a free a hand, not only to pick his committee members but also to make a selection of a field man without regard to membership in the Order. It was the committee's mission to find a continent-wide project for Odd Fellowship such as the American Legion had in its "Boys State" and the YMCA had in its "Youth and Government."
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Brother Lombard selected Conrad J. Hansen who had 30 years of experience as a YMCA official. The new field man was initiated as a Odd Fellow to better enable him to work with the Junior Odd Fellow Lodges and the Theta Rho Clubs, also his responsibility in addition to launching a new program for Odd Fellowship.
The idea of the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth really began to take shape in January of 1950 with Brother Hansen outlining his idea to Chairman Lombard. Brother Hansen believed such a project might give expression to Odd fellowship’s emphasis on brotherhood and understanding by making it possible for young people sponsored by the Order to have the opportunity to study and observe the United Nations in action.
The Commission to Study Odd Fellowship looked favorably upon the plans for the Pilgrimage, suggesting that permission be sought to undertake a pilot group during the summer of 1950. Fortunately for both the project and Odd Fellowship, Brother Sharpe gave the needed permission. Thus the U.N. Pilgrimage for Youth was born!
The pilot group consisted of 46 boys and girls and eleven adult leaders from eleven jurisdictions who arrived in New York on June 25, 1950. Jurisdictions represented were Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Nebraska. These young people, mostly 16 and 17 years of age, juniors and seniors in high school, were selected on standards of character, leadership, good scholarship, and interest in civic and spiritual matters. All were sponsored by Odd Fellow and Rebekah Lodges.
The young people visited the UN Headquarters, and witnessed the Trusteeship Council in session. They enjoyed meeting foreign students at the International House and gained insight into world affairs by visiting the delegations of other nations.
And of course, they took in the sights of New York City, as guests of the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs. They visited the Statue of Liberty, enjoyed a boat trip around Manhattan Island, toured Rockefeller Center, saw radio and TV programs in the making, strolled through Chinatown, took in a major league baseball game and were thrilled by Radio City Music Hall. Today, the young people continue to visit many of the same places with additional sights in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, and Niagara Falls.
Conrad Hansen retired on February 1, 1965, as director of the Pilgrimage. Other directors following him were Charles Worrell of Tennessee, 1965 and 1966; H. Glenn Brant of Montana, 1967-1975; June D. Calderone of Maryland, 1975-1980; Mary T. Cook of Illinois, 1981-1994; Lori Witczak of Florida,1995-2001; and Mercedes Miller of South Carolina, 2002. Charles Benson of Ontario assumed the responsibilities and is currently conducting the program since 2003.
In earlier years, students were bussed from all over the United States and Canada, stopping along the way at historic sights, visiting many Odd Fellow Halls, and meeting the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs. Students from other countries were flown into New York or joined one of the bus tours. During those years the Minnesota delegates usually departed from Duluth, Minneapolis, or Rochester. They joined with other delegates on various routes. Sometimes they would continue east through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Other times they went north and shared the trip with our Canadian neighbors. Now, most U. N. Pilgrimage delegates are flown to a central point in the east like Philadelphia to begin a 12 to 14 day Historical East Coast tour.
From its small beginning more than 50 years ago, the Odd Fellows-Rebekahs U.N. Pilgrimage for Youth has become an outstanding program. High school sophomores and juniors, from every state in the United States, every province in Canada, and from many other countries have benefited by participating in this program.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is proud to continue to offer young people around the world this valuable educational experience. Thus the vision of Brothers Lombard and Hansen 50 years ago is still in sharp focus today: sharing a vision of hope for a better world.
Copy text from California magazine. Other Information can be found on the SGL site http://www.ioof.org/IOOF/UNPilgrimage.html, or at http://www.unpilgrimage.org
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