At a quick glance, Alvarez del Portal Lodge #285 at 1516 Kerrigan Ave., in Union City, N.J., looks like any other house in an urban neighborhood. It is a one-story house with cream-colored panels. A black gate surrounds the front of the house and extends to the side parking lot. The only thing that sets this house apart is a small sign that says “FLT The Links of Fraternity, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Alvarez del Portal Lodge #285, Amor+Verdad Reebekah Lodge #118, Michael Popik Jr. Encampment #117. Over the years, the multicolored sign has begun to fade.
The simplicity of the lodge’s exterior gives no hint of its importance in its community as a source of generosity and good works. Yet the fading colors of the sign suggest one of the main troubles facing Alvarez del Portal: a decreasing number of current and new members, which some have suggested is due to lodge traditions that seem outdated in a fast-paced society.
Alvarez del Portal is part of a larger organization, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. According to the institution’s website, there is no documentation of how exactly the organization received its name. It says: “In 17th century England, it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind. Those who belonged to such an organization were called ‘Odd Fellows.’”
Odd Fellows are also known as the “Three Link Fraternity,” which stands for friendship, love and truth. Michael O’Conner, who is the advisory officer, says, “I think the tradition has carried on whether the myth is true or not.” This century-old association has no limits when it comes to lending a hand to the community. It spends millions in relief projects annually, donates to arthritis and cancer foundations, plants trees to enhance the environment and more. Unfortunately the stress of daily life has made it difficult for newcomers to join an organization that expects participation in routine meetings and activities.
Most of the members at Alvarez del Portal have been there for more than 20 years and were members of other organizations in Cuba before emigrating to the United States. Not only are they aware of the situation this lodge is facing, but they also recognize the difference in lodges in the United States compared with those back home in Cuba.
One of the members I spoke with Hugo Cabrera, told me why he thinks people do not dedicate themselves to the lodges in the United States: “There is too much competition today. There are computers, televisions. The people do not want to leave their houses. We come here, give two dollars to help someone who is sick in the hospital. That does not grab anybody’s attention. Do you understand? We have to go to the hospitals and see the people who are sick, but the majority of the people want to play games on the computer. Life is complicated today.”
Dacio Sanchez, who has been a member of Alvarez del Portal since February 1975, feels that because wages for most citizens in Cuba are not competitive, people join a lodge to gain status. Interrupting my conversation with Cabrera, Sanchez passionately said: “Everything you guys are saying is fictional. The problem is the economy. This country has too much economy. In Cuba everyone wanted to be Ofelo or Mason [referring to other associations]. Why? Because it was prestigious. Here with twenty bucks in your pocket you think you are king of the world. That is the problem exclusively. Nothing else.”
Spending time at the lodge I was able to familiarize myself with the establishment, its members and some of the problems they are dealing with. Inside the lodge, plaques hang all along the wooden walls. The lodge is decorated with shades of deep reds and purple that make it feel very cozy but also authoritative. The furniture that is reserved for those who have higher positions in the fraternity is located in the front of the room and in each of the corners. The heavy wooden chairs are similar to the ones found in a Catholic church.
Even though the Independent Order of Odd Fellows’ membership is not exclusively Cuban American, this lodge reflects the ethnicity of its neighborhood. After fleeing Fidel Castro in the 1950s, Cubans have been attracted to Union City, which houses one of the largest populations of Cuban immigrants, after Miami. Further emphasizing the impact of Spanish members, all of the banners hanging on the wall are in the native language and read, “Amistad, Amor, y Verdad.” The meetings are held in Spanish, and if there are visitors from other lodges, for example when brothers O’Conner and Dan Lefever came from New Brunswick, N.J., another member translates for them.
There was a public meeting (usually only members of the lodge are allowed to attend the gatherings) held Saturday, April 12, in which the ten members who were present strategized on how they could recruit new affiliates. Cabrera said, “We are trying to find out how we can adapt to modern life.” One of the ideas that came up at the meeting was to form a scholarship that could be offered to graduating high school seniors. The details have not yet been arranged, but members of the lodge are hoping to help the community and expose a younger audience to the benefits of an extended family.
Other ideas are also being discussed, for example, setting up internships between the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and local universities and colleges. This internship would be offered to students interested in a career that utilizes writing or advertising. The interns would be required to donate a couple of hours a week to a local lodge as well as write articles for its magazine. Nothing has been finalized as yet, but suggestions on how to incorporate the lodge’s values into modern-day society is something in which members are actively participating. O’Conner said: “Every lodge has to change. All this running around—our society has changed. How do we become relevant in today’s society?”
Alvarez del Portal is a vital aspect in the Union City community. Although it has become difficult for residents to remain active members of the organization, there are some who are making it a point to make sure everyone knows the existence and importance of the lodge. It is a place where old friends, who cherish and respect each other, talk about ways of improving not only their immediate surroundings but also the world they live in.
Damary Rivero is a journalism major at Rutgers-Newark. Posted October 2008.
