Corsicana — As the Chamber continues to look for ways to promote and support the new city brand, I want to highlight the new city tagline, “Preserving Yesterday. Building Tomorrow,” by talking about an event that occurred this past Friday that exemplifies this better than anything else I can think of at this very moment. I have taken the liberty of using quotes from the Corsicana Daily Sun interviews in an effort to emphasis the importance of realizing that while some do not see our community as growing, I choose to focus on all the capital investments that have and are being made in our community as a positive sign of development for not just now, but for our future growth and development. Those businesses and people making these investments are looking to the future while supporting our heritage by making these investments.

Preserving Yesterday:

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) administrative headquarters and events center took place this past Friday. The first groundbreaking on this site was in 1884, when the I.O.O.F. wanted to construct a home for widows and orphans. The current grand lodge, also on Second Avenue, was built in 1962 and they have wanted a new grand lodge for some time now. Over the past three years their building committee has worked endlessly in building a case for restoring the old orphanage and making Corsicana home of the I.O.O.F.’s grand lodge administrative offices and were the Order can host their annual conference as well as other events once Phase II of the project is completed. Also included in that concept is a meeting space for the members, a research library, and a museum for the lodge’s antiquities, now in storage. The property currently consists of the old administration building, a large two-story auditorium with a drained Olympic-sized swimming pool and gym in the basement, three utility buildings, some smaller cottages, and the grand lodge offices. Phase I will focus on the old administration building, removing the two dorm wings, and putting it back to the way it looked in 1904, which was Corsicana red brick, now whitewashed.

You may not know much about the I.O.O.F. other than seeing the old orphanage, I.O.O.F. Park and Friendship Towers on Seventh Avenue, so let me share some brief information of their history and works. The grand lodge oversees retirement homes, a nursing home, and 130 pieces of property in the state, employs 120 people and has an annual payroll of $2.5 million.

Their mandate is “To Improve and Elevate the Character of Mankind,” which results in the Odd Fellows’ duties “to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphan.” Today, the Odd Fellows is a worldwide fraternal Order having over 10,000 lodges in 29 countries. They are actively involved in a variety of civic and philanthropic efforts on a local, national and international level. The organization’s works include:

• The Odd Fellows and Rebekah’s spend over $775 million in relief projects annually.

• The Educational Foundation provides substantial loans and grants to students.

• SOS Children’s Village provides a caring home for orphaned children in 132 countries around the world.

• Odd Fellow and Rebekah Homes provide a caring environment for the elderly.

• Living Legacy focuses on planting trees and enhancing the environment.

• The Arthritis Foundation.

• Visual Research Foundation supports vision care and research through the Wilmer Eye Institute.

• United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth sponsors a group of students for an educational trip to the United Nations.

• Annual sponsorship of a float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

• Annual pilgrimages to the “Tomb of the Unknowns” in Arlington National Cemetery and other Tombs of the Unknown Soldier.

Building Tomorrow:

 The second phase of the transformation project is to build a public meeting space suitable for conventions and banquets, able to seat 500 or 600 people for a meal.  “This is probably going to cost us around $9 million,” said James Curtis, Grand Secretary.

 “This is going to prove to be a significant economic engine for our community,” said Lee McCleary, economic development director for both Corsicana and Navarro County. “We’ll be able to draw in conferences and meetings from internally and externally. There was a strong show of support all across our community for this facility, and strong support for helping the I.O.O.F. and Rebekah’s market this facility externally.”

Corsicana is centrally located, has museums and dining, a number of lakes for outdoor recreation, and few of the big-city negative aspects, such as pollution, crime or traffic, McCleary said, “And we’ve got a friendly attitude that you’re not going to find in a major city ... It’s one of those things that if you think about it, makes sense.”

McCleary predicted that a convention center in Corsicana would be a huge success.

“I’m thrilled they selected our community to build this ... I’m honored from a community standpoint that they chose us.”

What’s coming up?

Thursday, June 17 — 2010 Leadership Class Graduation at the Kinsloe House, 6:30 p.m. All past alumni are invited and we ask that you please contact the Chamber to make your reservation as soon as possible. Invitations went out Friday. If you are an alumnus and did not receive your invitation, please contact Semonna at the Chamber to add you to our reservation and contact list.

Saturday, June 19, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Chamber’s County Wide BBQ at Bunert Park – Please contact the Chamber for more information.

Wednesday, June 30 — Bus trip to Austin to show support for the Lone Star Transmission, LLC power plants application for Water Discharge Permit. This is just one more step in the process for getting approval needed from TCEQ to build this plant here in Navarro County. We have two buses reserved at this time that will take 100 supporters. Reservations are required, so please call Semonna at the Chamber to reserve your spot. We have lost one power plant, let’s not lose this one, your support counts and needed!

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Paul Hooper is executive director of the Corsicana and Navarro County Chamber of Commerce. He may be reached by e-mail at phooper@corsicana.org. Want to “Soundoff” on this column? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com