Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Tuesday Heirloom ring flushed down church toilet recovered by Rogue Valley Sewer Services Emergency Services Death illustrates dangers along Redwood Avenue, residents say Get Up & Go: Nov. 25 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Death illustrates dangers along Redwood Avenue, residents say Man injured during drug deal in Union Park Emergency Services Rogue River alleged kidnapper arrested Politics and Elections Buckley again named Ways and Means Committee co-chairman Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Granlund cartoon: GOP wrecking balls Ballot measures played little role in mobilizing voters in state Senate race 'Euphoria' over pot initiative Education Homelessness is growing problem for Medford students Les AuCoin recommended for SOU board Good news for SOU: Enrollment's up Mom gives school lobby a makeover Crater students present play about Thoreau's night in jail Environment Curbing urban runoff in Gold Hill Mt. View Estates' fill, riprap work lacked county permit Birders sought for bird counts Grow 'em before you plant 'em Since You Asked: Biomass One makes steam-generated power State News GMO label measure, losing by 809 votes, headed for recount Resent ballots, late results likely to trigger GMO recount Nike plans 1.3 million-square-foot headquarters expansion Federal report shows Coos Bay LNG terminal would be large carbon source Oregon GMO measure may be headed for recount Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Diana Dyer Stephen A. Read Dorothy J. Truesdell Ruth F. Chesney Death Notices Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories No. 3 Arizona surges past Missouri Chiefs place Berry on non-football illness list Griffin, Paul propel Clippers Forsett leads Ravens past Saints Sloppy play dooms Beavers Varsity 541 College Sports No. 3 Arizona surges past Missouri Sloppy play dooms Beavers No. 19 Michigan denies Ducks in Legends SOU heading to No. 1 Carroll for quarterfinals Raiders’ NAIA slate is set Pro Sports Chiefs place Berry on non-football illness list Griffin, Paul propel Clippers Forsett leads Ravens past Saints Seager, M’s agree on $100M, 7-year deal Blazers slip by 76ers Community Sports RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Results / Standings Business Latest Stories Jackson County sees workforce and job growth Regional hotels and motels outperformed statewide marks in October Incorrect labeling prompts Kroger ice cream recall Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Real Estate News Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Financial webinars offered for veterans and their families Home prices rise across Jackson County People In Business People in Business, Nov. 18 People in Business, Nov. 8 Transportation Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Medford airport passenger counts sky high in October Erickson reports third quarter profit Lithia reports $34.5 million third-quarter profit Agriculture Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Lawsuit seeks to overturn Jackson County's GMO ban or net $4.2 million for farms Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Revenue rises for Harry & David's parent company Where do all those leaves go? Opinion Latest Kent Bush: Don’t regulate Thanksgiving shopping Guest Opinion: Are we the preferred path to global devastation? Another View: Logging still has a place in Oregon Granlund cartoon: Hagel steps down Granlund cartoon: Thanksgiving and shopping Editorials Another View: Logging still has a place in Oregon Our View: Lawsuit reopens the GMO debate Other Views: Legislators shbould avoid feel-good distractions Our View: Signs of controversy Our view: Richardson got the coverage, not the win Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Nov. 24 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 23 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 21 Letters to the editor Letters to the editor, Nov. 19 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Are we the preferred path to global devastation? Guest Opinion: Fight for the rights of independent voters will continue Guest Opinion: 'Natural' not necessarily better for forest management Guest Opinion: County voters rebuffed judicial appointment process Fix health care reform, don't scrap it Lifestyle Latest stories Kent Bush: Don’t regulate Thanksgiving shopping Book review: ‘The Indestructibles: Breakout’ offers twists and turns galore Dear Monty: How to find a good real estate attorney Dave Ramsey: Money comes in the wrong half of the month Dr. Elaine Heffner: Big changes in little kids Food Food for Thought: Add new twists on Thanksgiving favorites Community blog: Feast on this blog's Thanksgiving recipes, tips Kitchen Call: Both sides of the kiddie table Restaurant Inspections Community blog: Finish off Thursday's feast on a lighter note Home and Garden Dear Monty: How to find a good real estate attorney Home Help: Quick tips for getting your home ready for the holidays Mortgage insurance: Your questions answered Home Help: Spruce up your home with quick DIY painting projects Beyond curb appeal: When it pays to stand out Health Community blog: A Little Toilet Talk 'Tis the season to be jolly County resident no longer at risk for Ebola Health Watch: Holidays can trigger allergy attacks Dr. Jeff Hersh: Tackling Ebola and flu concerns Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Pope aims to expedite sex abuse rulings Religion news: Seattle-based mega-church dissolves Religion Briefs 'Walk the talk' Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements ACCESS receives $50,000 donation from Wells Fargo Century Club Wedding: Tomlinson-Nowak Wedding: Rodgers-Horn Local farmers need more products in grocery stores Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories New 'Alice' has some for kids ... and adults The Bohemian Club A new guitar slinger in town Clayfolk Show set for this weekend at Medford Armory Caleb Klauder Band and The Steel Wheels play the Unitarian Fellowship Theater New 'Alice' has some for kids ... and adults 'It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play' opens at Oregon Cabaret Theatre 'Red Noses' a romp through slapstick and pathos SOU presents 'The Drunken City' The power of human spirit Music A new guitar slinger in town Peter Chianca: Top 40 songs even a dad could love The Farr Side: Different artists, common songs Caleb Klauder Band and The Steel Wheels play the Unitarian Fellowship Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon to perform two shows Community Events New exhibits highlight Third Fridays Clayfolk Show set for this weekend at Medford Armory Review: Randall Theatre's 'Secret Garden' still enchanting Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Spookadelic Halloween Funktacular promises a lively dance party Dining The Bohemian Club Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Word of Mouth: Brunch at Brothers' Restaurant Blue Toba is a cultural experience Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Guest Opinion: Are we the preferred path to global devastation? ... 10 things to know for Tuesday ... Heirloom ring flushed down church toilet recovered by Rogue Valley Sewer Services ... Guest Opinion: Are we the preferred path to global devastation? ... 10 things to know for Tuesday ... Heirloom ring flushed down church toilet recovered by Rogue Valley Sewer Services ... GOLD HILL Odd Fellows hopes to rebuild historic lodge as community center By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 22, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 22, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News GOLD HILL — Faced with a dwindling membership and a parent organization wanting to see progress and financial stability, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is rallying support to revamp its century-old lodge as a community center. Members of the fraternal organization plan to brainstorm with city officials and other community groups on the feasibility of remodeling or rebuilding their historic lodge to provide a space to hold activities and events. Lodge members presented their plan to the City Council recently and will attend a Dec. 1 council meeting to discuss the project further. Members of the community group CanDo will meet this week to discuss their own plans for a community center and likely will attend the December meeting. Pat Coniff, longtime IOOF member and treasurer, said Odd Fellows authorities in Portland are putting pressure on the local lodge to boost membership and to work to make their historic building, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Estremado Street, viable for community use. Coniff said a key component of successful lodges in other communities is retail space to provide income for the lodge to fund community projects. The 116-year-old lodge could be rebuilt, extensively remodeled or replaced with a new two-story facility, said Coniff. The lodge has gone unused save for twice-monthly lodge meetings and as a food pantry drop-off site. "It would be really neat to build two stories and have the lodge upstairs, but a single story rebuild would run us about $890,000," Coniff said, adding members had already commissioned a design. "With the grand lodge willing to provide 25 percent support, we have to see what we can do with membership and community support. Back when this lodge started, it was standing-room only. We're at this point now — it's like the dark hour. Our mission is to go ahead and produce this, but you have to have a community that wants it." Eric Hodderson, chairman for the CanDo community organization, applauded lodge members' desire to serve the community. After the city identified a community center as a future need, Hodderson said his organization has been working to determine what types of services and what type of building would best suit Gold Hill. Hodderson said he was supportive of preserving a historic structure and working with other community groups, such as the Odd Fellows, but he said his process involved determining needs for various services and activities first. "We're open certainly to working with the Odd Fellows, although they might be a few steps ahead of us. I think our view is that we would rather make sure we were addressing the needs and service side of things first and then figure out what the building needs would be," Hodderson said. "Our facility needs will depend on a lot of factors, such as whether we're doing a food pantry and thrift shop or activities for kids. There are a lot of different issues to address before we can determine what would it cost us in terms of capital campaigns and facility type." A second fraternal organization's facility, the Grange Hall, was recently shuttered, though it could have been a more suitable facility for a community space, Hodderson noted. "Right now, our town has two social fraternal organizations with facilities, neither being used and both tied to fraternal membership-type stuff," he noted. "They've got positions on all that stuff, and we don't even know the handshakes yet. We're open to working something out, but we're starting out simple and focusing on programming and community needs first." Greg Walsh, another longtime member, said he envisioned everything from classes and a community meal site to a place with regional draw — which Walsh said would be needed to sustain a large facility — for musical performances, theater and as a rental venue. "If the community really wants to see something happen here, we have the plans, but we're at the stage where we need input," Walsh said. "The ideal scenario would be if people came and said, 'Yes, let's build something really nice here.' To spend this kind of money in little tiny Gold Hill, it needs to be bigger than Gold Hill. "People lament about the good old days going away, but this is an opportunity for people to step up to the plate and make the good old days happen again." Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected] .   By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 22, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501