Author: Julie Machado

Hi, friends. We have lots of things happening this year!  See more info below. Please put all our Events and Special Outings on your calendar. (scroll down for calendar or see attached)

We are looking for people to help with the following items:

• Lodge Cleanup Day on Sat 3/18 1-4pm – please come for an hour or more!
• Lodge Open House & Lit Hop on Sat 4/22, 3-7pm: we need at least 5 volunteers to manage this. Volunteers would mainly guide people to and around the lodge. 
• Lodge Maintenance Day on Sat 5/13 – help needed to clean and re-glaze skylight

If you are willing to help with any of these, please reply to Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net or call or text 510-329-0660

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Peace & Pizza Fri. 3/10 Postponed until next month

This meeting may is postponed pending recovery from surgery. 

Peace & Pizza meets monthly on Zoom, always on the second Friday of the month. They usually feature a discussion, guest speaker or documentary, organized by Sycamore Member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com . 

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Social & Business Meeting Mon. 3/13 at 6:30/7:30 pm

Our monthly Lodge Social and Business meetingis always on the second Monday of the month – the Social starts at 6:30 and the meeting at 7:30. This will be a hybrid meeting – a combination of in-person and Zoom, so you can choose how to attend. . Come visit and say hi for a bit, or stay and find out what is going on at the business meeting.  Let Noble Grand Ted Seitz  tedviolafire@yahoo.com or Secretary Laura Brady laurabeanbrady@gmail.com know if you have an item that you wish the lodge to discuss. I will send out the agenda and all the additional items to members via a separate email on Monday.

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New Weekly Tues. Zoom: Requests & Dedications Hour

Sycamore Member Frank Goulart continues to recover from his 2020 stroke, but he still plays guitar – and he invites everyone to a weekly “Request & Dedications” Zoom social on Tuesdays at 12:30-1:30! (Pacific time). If you would like the Zoom link, please email him at fgoulart@pacbell.net . Email him (ahead of time, if possible) requests for any songs you would like him to play. 

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Lodge Cleanup Day Sat 3/18 at 1-4pm

Let’s gather together and spiff up our building! Bring gloves and/or cleaning supplies if you have them, or come and use ours. Choice of chores will be provided. Refreshments! Friendship! Come for an hour or come for the afternoon. Everyone’s invited! For a flyer on the lodge website see here or see flyer attached to this newsletter.

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Special Outing to Japanese Gardens Wed. 3/22 at 11:30 am

Let’s visit a Hayward gem: the Japanese Gardens to celebrate Spring! These used to be part of the botanical area of the old Hayward Union High School. Join us for a short walk around and some visiting, maybe some sitting in a gazebo and watching the koi. (Rain cancels) For a flyer on the lodge website, see here or see flyer attached to this newsletter.

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2023 Lodge Open House on Sat 4/22 with Hayward Lit Hop?

We are considering having a lodge Open House at the same time as the Hayward Lit Hop 4/22 from 3-6 or 3-7pm, since we will have the lodge open anyway for Lit Hop participation. We need at least 5 volunteers to make this happen. Volunteers would guide people to the lodge entrance in the back, and to the main room for the Lit Hop presentation, and could show people around the rest of the lodge.  If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net  If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

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2023 Sycamore Events & Activities Calendar!

Join us for some fun events this year! Add these to your calendar. See calendar below and attached.

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2023 Sycamore Special Outings Calendar!

If you like to get out and about, these may be the activities for you. Add these to your calendar. See calendar below and attached.

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Looking for Volunteers to support your Lodge

We have an elected Trustee position that is open: the five Trustees meet usually once a month for an hour and are mainly in charge of deciding on and recommending to the lodge on issues regarding our beautiful lodge building. This would be a 2-3 year position.

Every year we need people to fill appointed positions such as Inside Guardian, Outside Guardian, Warden, Chaplain, Right Supporter, and Left Supporter, which sometimes involve reading lines at the monthly lodge meeting (and sitting in the big chairs, when we meet in person!); these are yearly positions. 

Also, we re-elect our Noble Grand, Vice Grand, Secretary and Treasurer every year in December. These positions are really important, and keep our lodge running.

Finally, our Communications Committee could use someone who knows a bit about keeping a WordPress website updated, and/or connecting it to (and updating) an online calendar.

If you are interested or willing to do any of these positions, or want to know more, please contact our Noble Grand Ted Seitz at tedviolafire@yahoo.com 

As always, Friendship, Love & Truth, and may 2023 be gentle on us all,

Julie Machado

Sycamore #129

Communications Committee, Chair

Hi, friends. Happy February! I hope you can join us for our February “special outing”: a visit to the Sun Gallery!  See more info below. Please put all our Special Outings on your calendar! (scroll down for calendar or see attached)

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Peace & Pizza Fri. 2/10 Zoom 7 pm

Peace & Pizza meets monthly on Zoom, always on the second Friday of the month. They usually feature a discussion, guest speaker or documentary, organized by Sycamore Member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com . For more info, contact member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com

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Sat. 2/11 at Noon: Let’s Visit Sun Gallery! Special Outing

Hi, friends. Happy February! I hope you can join us for our February “special outing”: a visit to the Sun Gallery! We will be meeting there at noon on Saturday Feb. 11. No charge, free parking.  See more info in the embedded flyer below, or on the attached flyer, or on our website. The Sun Gallery is one of the local non-profits that we collaborate with on our Summer Concert Series. We hope to see Gallery Director Dorsi Diaz on our visit. Everyone is invited. Come be Odd with us! Please put all our Special Outings on your calendar!

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2023 Sycamore Special Outings Calendar!

Join us for some fun events this year! Add these to your calendar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Social & Business Meeting Mon. Feb. 13 at 6:30/7:30

Our monthly Lodge Social and Business meetingis always on the second Monday of the month – the Social starts at 6:30 and the meeting at 7:30. Alas, we are experimenting with hybrid meetings – a combination of in-person and Zoom. Come visit and say hi for a bit, or stay and find out what is going on at the business meeting. Let Noble Grand Ted Seitz  tedviolafire@yahoo.com or Secretary Laura Brady laurabeanbrady@gmail.com know if you have an item that you wish the lodge to discuss. I will send out the agenda and all the additional items to members via a separate email on Monday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

2023 Lodge Open House?

Is there interest in having a lodge Open House in 2023?  It could be a simple or more complicated event, but either way it would require the participation of a number of people to plan and attend the event as lodge members/hosts. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net  If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

2023 Clean Up Day?

Is there interest in having a lodge clean up day? Much of the lodge has not been used for the last 2 years, and there is some dusting and spiffing up to do. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at 510-329-0660 (text ok) . If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

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Sycamore Featured in 2 Magazine ArticlesSycamore #129 was featured in two articles in the recent Odd Fellows and Rebekah magazine. Make sure you check it out! Thank you to Laura Brady and Stephania Widger for writing and submitting the articles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Looking for Volunteers to support your Lodge

We are still looking for a few volunteers. We have a few spots where we could use some help in running the lodge, if you are interested in stepping up with a few hours a month. 

We have an elected Trustee position that is open: the five Trustees meet usually once a month for an hour and are mainly in charge of deciding on and recommending to the lodge on issues regarding our beautiful lodge building. This would be a 2-3 year position.

Every year we need people to fill appointed positions such as Inside Guardian, Outside Guardian, Warden, Chaplain, Right Supporter, and Left Supporter, which sometimes involve reading lines at the monthly lodge meeting (and sitting in the big chairs, when we meet in person!); these are yearly positions. 

Also, we re-elect our Noble Grand, Vice Grand, Secretary and Treasurer every year in December. These positions are really important, and keep our lodge running.

If you are interested or willing to do any of these positions, or want to know more, please contact our Noble Grand Ted Seitz at tedviolafire@yahoo.com 

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Interested in Joining Hayward Odd Fellows?

We are always looking for new members who “play well with others”. Our yearly dues are $80. There is something of a process for becoming a member, including application, interview, initiation. If you are interested  or want to know more, please reply to this email or contact our “Noble Grand” (this year’s president) Ted Seitz at tedviolafire@yahoo.com 

As always, Friendship, Love & Truth, and may 2023 be gentle on us all,

Julie Machado

Sycamore #129

Communications Committee, Chair

Happy New Year!  This month, we are celebrating National Gourmet Coffee Month, getting together for an eye-opening documentary “Sicko” about the healthcare system, and going to SF for a free lunch! Plus, the new Special Outings Calendar, with something fun to do every month is attached.See more below and attached. 

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Peace & Pizza Fri. 1/13 Zoom 7 pm: Michael Moore movie “Sicko”

Peace & Pizza meets monthly on Zoom, always on the second Friday of the month. They usually feature a discussion, guest speaker or documentary, organized by Sycamore Member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com . This month, the word is that we will be watching the movie, “Sicko”, where “(f)ilmmaker Michael Moore examines America’s health-care crisis and why millions of citizens are without coverage. Moore spotlights the cases of several ordinary citizens whose lives have been shattered by bureaucratic red tape, refusal of payment, and other health-care catastrophes.” It’s a real eye-opener. For more info, contact member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com

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Wed. 1/18 at 1pm: Let’s have Coffee! January Outing

For this month’s “Sycamore Special Outing“, we are going to celebrate National Gourmet Coffee Day by meeting for coffee! – or tea, espresso, Italian soda, hot chocolate, bagels, pastries, or munchies – on Wednesday January 18 at 1 pm, at Sabino’s Coffee shop, 1273 MacArthur Blvd, in San Leandro. There’s a nice outdoor patio in back, with indoor and outdoor tables available. Also, there is plenty of nearby street parking, and if memory serves, it is free. Your coffee or goodies are no host – that is, everyone pays for their own. We think it’s a fun idea to take a break in the week to say hi, celebrate being together in the new year, and taking some time to Be Odd!  See image below or flyer attached. For questions or more info, contact member Julie Machado at juliemac@pacbell.net

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Sat. 1/21: Free SF Odd Fellows Educational Seminar! w/free lunch!

Sycamore #129 members are invited to learn about all things Odd Fellows AND get a free lunch AND souvenir on Saturday Jan. 21, 2023 at the San Francisco Odd Fellows lodge. We encourage all members with even the tiniest interest to go! At least 4 other Sycamore members will be there (Gus, Laura, Jon, and Marion). Get to know your “brothers and sisters” and find out lots of things that you didn’t know. For example, under the members benefits category, did you know that there is an Odd Fellows scholarship fund that your child or grandchild might qualify for? To attend, simply contact Peter Sellars, Chair, PGM, at 707-656-8294 or ioofsf@earthlink.net and let him know you are coming.

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2023 Sycamore Special Outings!

Join us for some fun events this year! Add these to your calendar. Come be Odd with us!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Next Social & Business Meeting Mon. Feb. 13 at 6:30/7:30

Our monthly Lodge Social and Business meetingis always on the second Monday of the month – the Social starts at 6:30 and the meeting at 7:30. Alas, we are experimenting with hybrid meetings – a combination of in-person and Zoom. Come visit and say hi for a bit, or stay and find out what is going on at the business meeting. Let Noble Grand Ted Seitz  tedviolafire@yahoo.com or Secretary Laura Brady laurabeanbrady@gmail.com know if you have an item that you wish the lodge to discuss. I will send out the agenda and all the additional items to members via a separate email on Monday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

2023 Lodge Open House?

Is there interest in having a lodge Open House in 2023?  It could be a simple or more complicated event, but either way it would require the participation of a number of people to plan and attend the event as lodge members/hosts. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net  If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

2023 Clean Up Day?

Is there interest in having a lodge clean up day? Much of the lodge has not been used for the last 2 years, and there is some dusting and spiffing up to do. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net . If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

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Sycamore Featured in 2 Magazine Articles

Sycamore #129 was featured in two articles in the recent Odd Fellows and Rebekah magazine. Make sure you check it out! Thank you to Laura Brady and Stephania Widger for writing and submitting the articles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Looking for Volunteers to support your Lodge

We are still looking for a few volunteers. We have a few spots where we could use some help in running the lodge, if you are interested in stepping up with a few hours a month. 

We have an elected Trustee position that is open: the five Trustees meet usually once a month for an hour and are mainly in charge of deciding on and recommending to the lodge on issues regarding our beautiful lodge building. This would be a 2-3 year position.

Also, we will need people to fill appointed positions such as Inside Guardian, Outside Guardian, Warden, Chaplain, Right Supporter, and Left Supporter, which sometimes involve reading lines at the monthly lodge meeting (and sitting in the big chairs, when we meet in person!); these are yearly positions. 

Also, we re-elect our Noble Grand, Vice Grand, Secretary and Treasurer every year in December.

If you are interested or willing to do any of these positions, or want to know more, please contact our Noble Grand Ted Seitz at tedviolafire@yahoo.com 

As always, Friendship, Love & Truth, and may 2023 be gentle on us all,

Julie Machado

Sycamore #129

Communications Committee, Chair

Happy December, all you “odd” people! Check out our 2 NEW Holiday events, below. 

East Bay Symphonic Band’s Open Rehearsal

The East Bay Symphonic Band, which practices weekly at the lodge, invites you to their Open Rehearsal on Monday Dec. 5 at 7:30 pm, in the lodge hall. There will be a holiday flare! Masks and proof of negative test or vaccination is required. See image below or flyer attached.

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December Holiday Outing: Thurs. Dec. 8 at 6:30 pm

This month, after getting into the holiday spirit with music at the EBSB’s Open Rehearsal, we will then take a field trip to get more holiday spirit by seeing the lights on the local Meek Mansion! Hayward Area Historical Society (HAHS) and Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD) are hosting this event on Thurs. Dec. 8 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Meek Estate Park: 240 Hampton Rd, Hayward, CA 94541. Odd Fellows will meet on the front steps at 6:30 pm. HARD is planning fun activities, hot chocolate, and a self-guided tour through the Victorian-style Meek Mansion decorated festively for the holidays. There is no charge, but a suggested $5 donation at the door is appreciated. See image below or flyer attached.

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Peace & Pizza Fri. Dec. 9 at 7 pm

Peace & Pizza meets monthly on Zoom, always on the second Friday of the moth. They usually feature a discussion, guest speaker or documentary, organized by Sycamore Member Stephania Widger at oceankayak@aol.com

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Social & Business Meeting Mon. Dec. 12 at 6:30/7:30

Our monthly Lodge Social and Business meetingis always on the second Monday of the month – the Social starts at 6:30 and the meeting at 7:30. Alas, we are still doing it via Zoom, although we know that many people are getting tired of the remote stuff. Come visit and say hi for a bit, or stay and find out what is going on at the business meeting. The Zoom link, agenda etc. will be sent out closer to Monday. Let me or Noble Grand Gary Howe or Secretary Laura Brady know if you have an item that you wish the lodge to discuss. I will send out the agenda and all the additional items to members via a separate email on Monday.

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2023 Events being planned

The lodge Special Outing Committee is hoping to have one Special Outing a month in 2023. Here are some of the possible events:

• Tour of the Historic Linekin Building
• Visit to local wine shops 
• Visit to local Art Galleries – Sun Gallery, John O’Lague Galleria
• Visit to Sulphur Creek Nature (if open)    
• Lodge Open House – if there is enough interest, see below
• No-host outdoor lunch at the Castro Valley Marketplace
• Visit to Carlos Bee Park (or other park)
• Hayward Area Historical Society visit
• Visit to the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center (if open)
• Visit to the Ghirardelli Outlet and get no-host ice cream
• Japanese Garden visit

If you have a special interest in any of these, or have ideas of outings you would like to participate in, or if you would like to help plan these events, please let the Committee Chair Julie Machado know by replying to this newsletter or emailing her at juliemac@pacbell.net 

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2023 Lodge Open House?

Is there interest in having a lodge Open House in 2023?  It could be a simple or more complicated event, but either way it would require the participation of a number of people to plan and attend the event as lodge members/hosts. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net  If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

2023 Clean Up Day?

Is there interest in having a lodge clean up day? Much of the lodge has not been used for the last 2 years, and there is some dusting and spiffing up to do. If you are willing to help with this, please reply to this newsletter or contact Julie at juliemac@pacbell.net . If there is enough interest, we will schedule one.

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Report on recent 2022 Lodge Events

Sycamore’s resident big band 3 O’Clock Jump has wrapped up their season playing at the nearby Turf Club outdoor Tikki lounge. They hope to return on Saturday afternoons in the Spring.

We had a nice turnout of about a dozen people on Sunday. Oct. 30 to explore the Sycamore cemetery plots in South Hayward. While we were there, we shared a toast to Sycamore’s 156th Anniversary.

We also had about ten people join the Friday Nov. 11 tour of the Hayward Veterans Memorial Building. We worked with Alfredo Rodriguez to open their building to public tours for Veteran’s Day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2022 Activities Calendar

Here’s the Events & Activities calendar for the rest of the year on our website here . We are working on the 2023 calendar. 

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Looking for Volunteers to support your Lodge

We are still looking for a few volunteers. We have a few spots where we could use some help in running the lodge, if you are interested in stepping up with a few hours a month. 

We have an elected Trustee position that is opening up: the five Trustees meet usually once a month for an hour and are mainly in charge of deciding on and recommending to the lodge on issues regarding our beautiful lodge building. This would be a 2-3 year position.

Also, we will need people to fill appointed positions such as Inside Guardian, Outside Guardian, Warden, Chaplain, Right Supporter, and Left Supporter, which sometimes involve reading lines at the monthly lodge meeting (and sitting in the big chairs, when we meet in person!); these are yearly positions. 

Also, we re-elect our Noble Grand, Vice Grand, Secretary and Treasurer every year. 

If you are interested or willing to do any of these positions, or want to know more, please contact me (Julie – reply to this newsletter) or our Noble Grand Gary Howe at c)510-427-5596

We will be doing installations for all the positions in January 2023.

As always, Friendship, Love & Truth,

Julie Machado

Sycamore #129

Communications Committee, Chair