The Moose Fraternity highlights their community efforts in Central Oregon, welcomes chairman to Bend

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Moose Fraternity, a service organization with over a million members across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, has locations here in Central Oregon.

Moose International Board Chairman, Robert Funkey made a stop Tuesday at the Bend Moose Lodge, where they're celebrating their accomplishments and the work that they do, giving back to the community.

The organization is responsible for operating Mooseheart, a 1,000-acre community and school for children in need, situated 40 miles west of Chicago, as well as Moosehaven, a 63-acre retirement community near Jacksonville, Florida.

Additionally, Moose lodges collectively contribute between $40-$60 million worth of community service annually, including monetary donations, miles driven and volunteer hours, with Central Oregon benefiting from a portion of those efforts.

Robert Funkey, Chairman, Moose International’s Moose Fraternity:

“So the Moose Fraternity is a fraternal organization where the members, men and women believe in the sanctity of childhood. The thing I think that makes us the most proud is that we work really hard and really closely together with our communities and trying to find folks in need, causes in need that we can help. and this lodge does that in a big way.”

That financial help is spread throughout Central Oregon.

Christine Jacobe - Moose Fraternity member:

“We have many different organizations within Central Oregon and even outside of Central Oregon that we help support - Central Oregon Veterans Ranch, Central Oregon Veterans Outreach. We just had a big event here last month with animals, Grandma’s House, which has raised over, I believe, $11,000, and we were the stopping point for that. Street Dog Hero, Cascade Canine East and West, and also helping with our own individuals here in our lodge. We've had unfortunately many members that have come down with illnesses. We hold fundraisers to raise money to help them get by, get the help, get the support that they need, and really, we are about being a family fraternity here.”

If you'd like to join the Moose Fraternity or simply get more information, they have three locations here in Central Oregon – La Pine, Redmond and Bend.