Sometimes the connections which bring people to Odd Fellowship are short and direct. Sometimes they span a continent. In Bing Martin's case, it was his friend Thomas Guilliams of St. Helena Lodge #167 in Northern California who prompted him to find a lodge near his home in Chicago. That lodge turned out to be Irving Park Lodge #190. When he first made contact with the lodge, he found the classic group of elderly men who kept the lodge going but had no ideas for how to grow or expand. Through Thomas' guidance, Bing persisted, even going out to California to take his Degrees in the St. Helena lodge. Eventually it paid off and now Irving Park is one of Illinois' fastest-growing lodges. Bing and Thomas relate the winding, cross-country tale of how they both came to be Odd Fellows and how that tale also includes Kris Gratz of Virginia joining the Odd Fellows. The Shoutout goes to yet another new Encampment (and another one in Oregon, no less): Wimawhala Encampment No. 6. In the Odd Podge, Toby happily shares his experience at the Theta Rho Girls' Club Installation, Ainslie tells us about the escape room his lodge visited and their long-traveling member who has returned, Thomas thanks us for hosting him on the podcast, Bing shares his gratitude for the help he received in joining, and Meredith spills the beans about an upcoming event at the historic Texas Theater in Dallas (yes, *THAT* Texas Theater) featuring our favorite pro-fraternal movie, Join Or Die!

Coulterville, California is a relic of the Gold Rush; a small mountain community nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. There are 110 residents of the town, which is situated at the crossroads of two state highways that take tourists to and from mountain tourist attractions like Yosemite National Park. Like so many other towns of the Old West, Coulterville has an Odd Fellows Lodge, but one that was on the verge of closing. Just when it seemed like the lodge was about to join so many other Gold Rush-era lodges in the history books, along came Erica Wolfsen, a multi-generational resident of Coulterville, and Willow Polson, her friend and partner in reviving the lodge. When they joined, rumors were swirling around the town that the lodge couldn't afford to stay open. They both stepped up and found ways to make the lodge an essential part of the community again and membership has rebounded as a result. They tell us the story of what they did and how they did it. Spoiler alert: it involves getting active and holding events in the community. The Shoutout goes to another re-chartered lodge, this time San Antonio No. 11 in Texas. In the Odd Podge, Erica raves about the inspiring speech Grand Master of California Rita Cooper gave at her recent visitation, Willow shares her happiness with the recent membership gains, Toby talks about the new plan his associate lodge has adopted to bring members in more gradually, and Ainslie previews the sad but rewarding duty of tending to a member at the end of his life.

The annual Odd Market hosted by Tuscola Lodge #316 in Illinois has become a community mainstay. It didn't start out that way, though. The beginning had a lot more variety—and lizards. Sister Rain Martin and Sister Renee Moore join us to talk about the current Odd Market, how it started, how it grew, and how other lodges can copy its success. There were a lot of challenges along the way (some involving food trucks) and a lot of re-evaluation but it has grown into a major event in the area and is a main recruiting tool for Odd Fellowship. The Shoutout goes to Oak Grove Lodge #115 of Missouri which has recently begun getting active again after a period of dormancy. In the Odd Podge, Ainslie shares the story of his father doing degree work, Meredith talks about how female members have helped shape Odd Fellowship in Texas, Rain recounts her fundraising efforts for Kerrville after the floods, Renee offers to help any lodges needing assistance or guidance with doing events, and Toby recalls the recent Installation of Officers for Pilgrim Lodge #187 in Everett, Washington, the first formal Installation that lodge held for many years.