DEMOLAY ACTIVITIES

DeMolay is different from other organizations in several ways. It’s open to all kinds of guys with all kinds of interests. Each chapter has its own personality and each member has a chance to make it what he wants. Rather than focusing on any one thing, most chapters do a variety of activities. DeMolay is infinitely adaptable to the interests of the members!

Another difference is DeMolay’s emphasis on training you to be a leader. It doesn’t happen by accident. When you join, you’re on the fast track to learn youth leadership skills that will help you in school and through the rest of life.

DeMolays participate in a wide range of social and sports activities that may include: camping, holding dances with members of Rainbow and Job's Daughters, playing basketball, football, baseball, soccer, tennis, paintball, or billiards, going canoeing and kayaking, and taking long distance trips. Both Chapters and individual DeMolays participate in competitions for the best performance of the various Ceremonies of the Order. Winners of local competitions, in ritual and sports, may compete for State Championships, and sometimes State winners compete at higher levels. The Chapter collectively decides what events they enjoy, plans them, and in many cases holds fund raisers to finance those events.

OUR PRINCIPLES

DeMolay provides a fraternal environment where young men can grow, mature and develop into responsible adults with good moral character. The Order's Seven Precepts are the philosophy behind DeMolay's program planning efforts:

• Filial Love (Love of Parents)
• Reverence for Sacred Things (Reverence for God, and respect for the opinions and beliefs of others)
• Courtesy (The courtesy we speak of is one that transcends friendships, a courtesy that reaches to the stranger, to the aged, to all men.)
• Comradeship (Millions of young men have knelt at the symbolic altar and dedicated themselves to the high principles of good sonship and good citizenship.)
• Fidelity (A DeMolay can never be justly false to his vows, his promises, his freinds, his God.)
• Cleanness (Cleanness encompasses not only the bodily cleanness which we all practice, but the cleanness of every thought, word, and deed.)
• Patriotism (Perhaps we shall never be called upon to defend our country on the field of battle, but each day affords us new opportunities to stand as good and upright citizens in defense of our beloved flag and our hallowed land.)

You see that philosophy in operation when you carry out traditional program planning related to the fraternity's Obligatory Days, the Cardinal Virtues, DeMolay Month and Week, installations and jurisdictional activities. You also see that underlying philosophy in new programs created by the International Supreme Council (ISC) to meet the needs of today's young men.

LEADERSHIP EDUCATION

Education and Training are important parts of the DeMolay experience. We offer the "Ohio DeMolay Leaders of Excellence (ODLE)" as an intensive personal growth, leadership development, and training laboratory encounter.

This Leadership Training Conference is open to DeMolays (members, councilors, and returning participants) and Advisors.

The Leadership Correspondence Course is really five separate courses. They have been designed to give a better over all picture of DeMolay. If there is a need to retake a course, another test at the same level will be sent to the student.

Upon the successful completion (at least 35 correct out of 50) of the first course, the student will receive a letter of congratulations. Active DeMolays will also receive a white merit bar. Upon completion of each additional course, the 'DeMolay' student will receive a new merit bar in a different color, corresponding to the particular course being taken. Upon completion of the fifth course, all students (Advisors, Sweethearts, Parents, and Friends) will receive the very prestigious Lamp of Knowledge pin.

DEMOLAY FELLOWSHIP

DeMolays participate in a wide range of social and sports activities that may include: camping, holding dances with members of Rainbow and Job's Daughters, playing basketball, football, baseball, soccer, tennis, paintball, or billiards, going canoeing and kayaking, and taking long distance trips.

SPORTS EVENTS

Many Chapters participate in a balanced program of social activities, civic and Masonic service, athletics and Chapter meetings and ritual performance. But when DeMolay was starting, it was an athletic program that first brought the boys together as a team.

YOUTH DANCES

When DeMolay comes to mind, there are a few iconic events every DeMolay can identify with: sporting events, Conclave, and dances. These dances are great opportunities to build skills that benefit a DeMolay both in his activities in the Order, and well beyond his time as an active member.