They built Powell River. They’re behind nearly all of our big events. They raise hundreds of thousands for local causes. They’ve given generations of locals meaning, purpose and lifelong friendships. Now, many have disbanded and those that remain are struggling for new blood. In 2020, is the era of the service club over?
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BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT | isabelle@prliving.ca
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hen Pat Krell joined the Order of the Eastern Star service club in February 1987 she was a single mom, living in Townsite working for what is now called the Ministry of Children and Family Development. She joined because 50 members were needed to form a chapter here. Pat, whose dad had been a Mason, knew what the Masonic family was all about. She’d served on the council of Job’s Daughters, the Masonic affiliate for young women. But once the chapter was up and running, she was hooked. “It became important to me because of the work the Eastern Star does,” she explained. “My mum passed away from cancer and at that point most of the money
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• February 2020 • prliving.ca
we made from fundraising went to support cancer initiatives like dressings for cancer patients.” But “The Star,” as she calls it, is about more than that. “The people I’d been on Council with at Job’s all became Star members.” She met new people locally and beyond when she attended BC & Yukon Grand Chapter sessions. “I’ve met people from all over: Whitehorse, Quesnel and even the United States. You meet a lot of people through service clubs and make a lot of good friends,” says Pat, who has been secretary, on and off, for more than 20 years. In recognition of her dedication, Pat was presented with a commission to the Grand Chapter of Georgia in early January. Over the past 20 years, though, she’s seen her club dwindle from 50 members to just 12 active members – and they’re all over the age of 60. Their newest member joined about three years ago.
For those members who remain, it’s difficult to accomplish as much as they’d like. “We do what we can,” says Pat. The local order gives a $500 scholarship to a Brooks student each year, donates money for service dogs for children with autism, provides free dressings for cancer patients, and supports other cancer-related initiatives. The Order of the Eastern Star is not alone in its membership woes. Some long-time Powell River service clubs have already disbanded: the Loyal Order of the Moose (1925 to 2008), the Women of the Moose (1950 to 2008), the Lions Club (1946 to 1984 and 1992 to 2017), The Powell River Knights of Pythias Lodge #48 – the first fraternal group founded in Powell River (1912 to 1986), the Pythian Sisters (1916 to 2000), the Elks of Canada and Job’s Daughters are no longer active. Some of Powell River’s remaining service clubs, including Kiwanis
