Moose Lodge Changes Bylaws to Allow Women in Power

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Created on Tuesday, 04 May 2021 14:32

Written by Alexandra Huff

ST. JOHNSBURY - Gender equality is finally a reality at the Moose Lodge in St. Johnsbury as a new board of officers was sworn in on Sunday.

In addition to the lodge's official grand reopening since the pandemic began last year, the lodge spent Sunday afternoon celebrating the One Moose campaign. In the years leading up to 2020, the Moose Fraternity had an increase in members speaking out about the bylaws only allowing for men to run the lodges."So finally, the pandemic happens, and [Moose International passes] the resolution to change the bylaws nationally to make men and women equal in the lodge," Northeast Moose Association President Dan Companion said in his speech to the St. Johnsbury lodge.These bylaw changes now allow women to serve on the board of officers, and unify the male-oriented Loyal Order of Moose and female-oriented Women of the Moose chapters.

Kimberly Noyes is the first woman to serve on the St. Johnsbury Moose Lodge Board of Officers as a Trustee.

A "One Moose" banner signing was also held at the lodge in part of the celebration. Designed by NVU student Becca Fauteux, the banner is traveling to every Moose Lodge in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine--lodges all represented by the Northeast Moose Association--in the coming weekends. It will then be brought to Cincinnati, Ohio in July to be shown off at the annual International Moose Convention.