What Is The Moose?
The Loyal Order of Moose is a private fraternal and service organization founded in 1888, dedicated to bettering the lives of children and the elderly in need, to helping make our local and international communities better places in which to live and raise families, and to providing wholesome family recreation at a modest cost.

What Is A Moose?
A Moose member is a man belonging to the Loyal Order of Moose, or a woman belonging to the Women of the Moose. These members, over 1.6 million strong, make up the two components of the fraternal organization known as Moose International. Their membership is held in any one of 2,000 Lodges and 1,600 Chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Bermuda. Moose International headquarters is approximately 38 miles west of Chicago at Mooseheart, Illinois.

Men and women join the Order for a variety of reasons, including Family Activities, Community Service projects and member sports programs, just to name a few. While these activities offer each Moose member a valid reason to join, the main endeavors of the fraternity remain Mooseheart, the 1,000 - acre Illinois home and school for children in need, and Moosehaven, the 65-acre Florida retirement community for senior members in need. These residents, entrusted to the care and support provided by membership in the Moose, are constant living reminders of the humanitarian efforts of Moose members.

Ever since 1888, these men and women have been proud to serve local communities and fellow members of the fraternity known as the Moose.

Why The Moose?
Why the Moose? That's a question that really consists of two parts: First, why was this particular animal chosen to represent a humanitarian fraternal order, and secondly, why would a person or a family seek to become a member of it.

The first answer is fairly straightforward: The Moose is a large, powerful animal, but one which is a protector not a predator. We think it was perhaps said best in our former enrollment ceremony:

"He takes only what he needs, nothing more . . . yet for his great size and strength he lives in peace with other creatures. The moose uses his size and power not to dominate but to protect, not to spoil but to preserve. He is a fierce protector, a loyal companion, and a generous provider who brings comfort and security to those within his defending circle."

It is these characteristics of the moose in the wild-the protective instinct for its young, and for the old and infirm in its herd-that the human members of the Moose fraternity have, for decades, modeled, in the establishment and operation of Mooseheart, the organization's community and school for children and teens in need; and Moosehaven, the retirement community for Moose men and women; as well as in service to its communities.

As for the second question-why would people seek membership?

Approximately 1.6 million men and women have found reasons to join the Family Fraternity and enjoy all the benefits a Lodge has to offer. Because of the Moose Lodges' not-for-profit status, its services can be offered to members for very reasonable prices.

Additionally...
Moose Lodges conduct approximately $50 million worth of community service (counting monetary donations and volunteer hours worked) annually.

The Loyal Order of Moose conducts numerous sports and recreational programs, in local Lodges and Family Centers, in the majority of 44 State and Provincial Associations, and on a fraternity-wide basis.

The Moose is non-political and nonsectarian.


More information regarding the Loyal Order Of Moose can be found at the Moose International Website. All copyright for the above extracts belong to Moose International Inc.