By Nicole Gearhart
Beacon Correspondent
The Munising Moose Lodge #1386 will celebrate 80 years of service by hosting an open house next Sunday, Oct. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The event, which is open to the public, will include hors d’oeuvres and an open bar and will give the community an opportunity to tour the lodge and meet the organization’s new board members. There also will be displays showcasing photographs and information on the history of the Munising group, founded in 1945.
Moose Lodge member Pat Cornish said she grew up with a knowledge of the organization, as her father was once the governor of the Moose Lodge and her mother was a member of the Women of the Moose. But she knows many of her neighbors aren’t familiar with the group or what it does.
“The Moose has been there for years, but I don’t think most people really know what role we play in the community,” Cornish said. “Hopefully this event will put a focus on that.”
Victoria Wus, who took the reins as the first female board president of the lodge in May, said she hopes to see a full house for the event and looks forward to sharing information about the group with the community. Wus said her first goal in her new role is to make the lodge more visible to the residents of Munising.
“I hope to make its achievements and contributions better known, making it a more attractive lodge to join,” Wus said.
The Moose Lodge is a fraternal and service organization dating back to 1888, primarily run by men in the past. Women were formerly members of the Women of the Moose organization until the Munising group integrated the two within the past couple of years.
Wus said that while she is optimistic about her new position as president, she knows that she faces challenges.
“I have a big weight on my shoulders,” Wus said. “There are some barriers that need to be overcome.”
Other members look forward to seeing what the future holds as well, with Wus at the helm.
“The Moose used to be kind of a good old boys network. Like most organizations in town, they were dated,” Lodge member Anna Madison said. “I think Vic will change some things.”
One of the first steps Wus has taken to bring things up to date is making meetings more casual, in an attempt to make the group more open and free for people to share ideas.
“I’m not into all the formalities,” Wus said. “That’s not me; I can’t do that.”
Wus said that in addition to making the group more open and welcoming to members, her vision for the future of the Moose Lodge includes more collaboration with other groups in the community.
“I’d like to expand our reach, start working more with other organizations in town. We can share ideas and make more of an impact,” Wus said.
One of the biggest challenges the Moose Lodge faces is a shortage of helping hands. While there is a strong core group that participates in the various activities, Wus said they can get “kind of tapped out” by being called upon so frequently.
“What we need are more volunteers,” said Bill Savage, Moose member for more than a decade and longtime trustee. “We do a lot for the community, more than people know, and it takes work from many people to get it all done. If you’re already a member, raise your hand to volunteer more. If you’re not a member, please join!”
Madison agreed that volunteers are a crucial part of what the lodge does.
“They’re the ones who keep the Moose running,” she said.
But it seems that drawing in new members and volunteers is a challenge that many groups are facing these days.
“If all the service clubs in town want to survive, they kind of have to change the minds of the young people and show that volunteering is a worthwhile thing to do,” Madison said.
Membership is available to anyone 21 and older. Prospective members must be sponsored by a registered member. If someone is interested in joining but doesn’t know any current members, Wus encourages them to visit the lodge during open hours, generally from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, and have a conversation with the members there.
“Come in and get to know more about the group and activities,” Wus said.
The upcoming open house will also offer the public a chance to learn about this long-standing part of the Munising area.
“We’ve been here so many years, I think we should celebrate what we’ve done,” Madison said. “The community has been helped a lot. And that’s part of being a small community.”
For details about the Moose organization, visit mooseintl.org. To reach the Munising Moose Lodge, call 906-387-2879 or visit the lodge at 124 W. Superior St.