WOTM Mandan Chapter #1374

06/05/2026

It All Starts at the Beginning: Orientation & Member Engagement

One of the greatest challenges facing not-for-profit fraternal membership organizations today is time. In a world where everyone is balancing family, work, and personal commitments, finding volunteers can be difficult. Yet organizations like our Moose Lodges were designed to operate through the dedication and service of member volunteers.

Our Lodge relies on members who are willing to step forward—whether serving as officers, participating on committees, helping at events, supporting charities, or simply lending a hand when needed. The reality is that many new members don’t fully understand how a not-for-profit fraternal membership organization operates. They often see a building, activities, and familiar faces and assume it functions like a commercial business.

That’s why orientation matters.

A great orientation does more than welcome new members—it educates them about how the Lodge works, why member involvement is important, and how each person can contribute to our success.

One of the best tools a Lodge can implement is a Member Engagement Form. During orientation, ask new members:

✅ What charities or community causes interest you?

✅ Would you be willing to volunteer at Lodge events?

✅ How much time could you realistically contribute?

✅ What skills, talents, or professional experience could you bring to the Lodge?

✅ Are there committees or activities you’d like to learn more about?

Imagine a Board of Officers meeting where the President announces:

“We welcomed 25 new members this month, and 12 of them indicated they want to volunteer, serve on committees, help with events, or support our charitable efforts.”

Now the Lodge has information. Now the Lodge has opportunities. Now the Lodge can connect people with meaningful ways to participate.

Engagement doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because we ask. It happens because we communicate. It happens because we help members understand that this Lodge belongs to all of us.

If we want to grow our Lodges in today’s world, we must create processes that identify member interests, utilize member skills, respect people’s available time, and encourage collaboration.

Success starts with education.

Success starts with engagement.

Success starts with a great orientation.

— feeling motivated.

06/04/2026

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

05/30/2026

05/30/2026

Women of the Moose Information

Official Communication for May 21, 2026

Women of the Moose

2026-2027 Forms

Be sure you are now using the 2026-2027 114 and 166 forms 114 and Donations

An increasing number of monthly Form 114s are sent with incomplete or inaccurate information.

Many chapters have an incorrect chapter number or name at the top of the form. Do not use the lodge name, or include WOTM or Women of the Moose in the name. Please refer to the April 16, 2026 Official Communications to determine your Chapter’s name to use on forms.

When entering the Meeting date – 1st and 3rd Monday is NOT a date, 2nd Wednesday is NOT a date.

Be sure to enter the actual date the meeting was held. If a meeting was not held, it is to be rescheduled and that date entered. Also, remember you cannot have a meeting date prior to the month of the Committee Meeting for a particular Form 114.
As a reminder, a minimum donation of $20 for scholarship and maintenance and $30 for the monthly special project is a requirement for the Chapter to be considered for the Award of Achievement. Scholarship/Maintenance, Special Project, and Endowment check(s) are to be included and sent with the Form 114. You may issue one check, clearly earmarked and all three lines on the Form 114 would list the same check number. If issuing separate checks, please double check that the check number and the amounts are correct.

And finally, please do not remit an entire year of donations at once. Each Form 114 should be mailed monthly and preferably no later than 2 months after that months Committee Meeting. If circumstances warrant mailing more than one 114 Form, please organize the check(s) with the associated form.
Only Form 114’s with checks should be sent to Women of the Moose, 155 S International Dr., Mooseheart, IL 60539-1100.

All other correspondence, reports, etc., should be sent to Women of the Moose, 155 S. International Dr., Mooseheart, IL 60539-1182.

Form 166
A Form 166 should be entered by the Treasurer through LCL. Once entered and saved, it is received by the WOTM. After being entered and saved in LCL – there is no need to send a printed copy.

If the chapter decides to mail the Form 166 instead of entering the information online, we will only enter the meeting date and the received date, meaning LCL will not reflect any details.

05/30/2026

05/29/2026