Eastern Star worthy grand matron visiting Havre

Press release

Marlene Pfaff of Laurel, worthy grand matron of the Grand Chapter of Montana, Order of Eastern Star, will make her official visit to Havre Chapter # 30 Wednesday at 7 p.m. She will be accompanied by Worthy Grand Patron David Nielsen of Helena along with a number of other dignitaries from throughout Montana.

This meeting will be held at the HRDC building located at 2229 Fifth Ave, beginning with dinner being served at 5:30 p.m. All members of the Order of Eastern Star are invited to attend.

Worthy Matron Sheila Neuwerth along with Worthy Patron David Sageser will preside during the meeting, which will begin promptly at 7 p.m.

The Order of the Eastern star was developed in the 1860's by Dr. Rob Morris, who was honored as the Master Builder of the Order of Eastern Star, and is the largest fraternal organization in the world to which both men and women may belong. Men who are Masons and women with Masonic, International Order of Rainbow for Girls or Jobs Daughters affiliation are eligible to belong.

Eastern Star is a social order comprising persons with deep religious convictions and spiritual values, but it is not a religion. Its appeal rests in refreshing and character-building lessons that are so portrayed in its ritualistic work.

Locally, Havre Chapter has more than 60 members who are dedicated women and men who sincerely reflect the spirit of fraternal love and the desire to work together for the good of their fellow men. This is evident in the millions of dollars raised worldwide by the membership to support the Heart Fund, Cancer Research Fund, local youth groups, and needy families, as well as the statewide ESTARL - Eastern Star Training Awards for Religious Leadership - program which funds scholarships to those training for religious leadership, the Masonic Home in Helena which houses the elderly, and the Electa's Cup fund which assists members in financial need.

The organization also supports other members of the Masonic family with their projects such as the Shriners' Hospitals for Crippled children, the Knights Templar Eye Foundations, the Lions Club eyeglasses and hearing aide projects, the Scottish Rite Language Clinics, to name a few. The Chapel at the International Peace Garden on the border between North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, was donated by and is still maintained by the Order of Eastern Star.

Pfaff and Nielsen will preside at their "OES - What a Wonderful World" session in Billings, June 14-17, to celebrate the 128th anniversary of the Montana Grand Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.

Information to become a member of Eastern Star may be obtained by calling Sheila Neuwerth at 945-0145, David Sageser at 262-4831, MaryJo Scott at 925-9292, Sam Clawson at 390-7164, Sylvia Murray at 265-5686, or Pauline Petersen at 262-9341