Best Ainslie Heilich Podcasts (2024)

1
Anniversary IV: More Of The Best 1:25:08

3d ago1:25:08

1:25:08

One might think that after four seasons and over 30,000 downloads of the Three Links Odd Cast that there would be nothing left for the hosts to talk about. Au contraire, mon frère! Mike, Toby, and Ainslie are very opinionated and love hearing themselves talk so it was easy for them to take some time to talk about the highlights of the previous seas…

1
The Lord's Prayer: Reactions 2:07:04

2M ago2:07:04

2:07:04

Our recent episode on inclusion of the Lord's Prayer in the lodge opening generated some of the greatest volume of feedback from listeners we've ever received. We went through dozens and dozens of listener emails, Facebook posts, Instagram messages, and other communications and read them all and then came up with our responses. This is a long episo…

1
Lone Star Rising 1:32:19

3M ago1:32:19

1:32:19

The Grand Jurisdiction of Texas is on an upswing. Its membership is growing and getting younger and they are chartering new lodges. Grand Master Charlie Stephenson and Brother William Plotts join us to talk about the chartering of Brazos Valley Lodge #76. They share how the Grand Lodge supported their efforts, how what they learned from the failure…

1
The Lord's Prayer 1:17:53

3M ago1:17:53

1:17:53

Odd Fellowship is non-political and non-sectarian. But why, then, do we recite the Lord's Prayer as part of the opening of the lodge? Ainslie and Toby dig into some of the history around this observance and discuss whether it makes us truly non-sectarian or if that was just a thin veneer applied to the top of Odd Fellowship to make it appeal to mor…

1
True Fellowship 1:44:12

4M ago1:44:12

1:44:12

Like many lodges, True Fellowship No. 52 in San Jose, CA had seen better days. As members got older, the focus of the lodge became more insular and they were less interested in connecting to the outside community. That all began to change when a new member with an interest in building community joined. Since that time, the lodge has become a dynamo…

1
Minnesota Miracle 1:57:45

4M ago1:57:45

1:57:45

A remarkable convergence of events led to the revival of Friendship Lodge No. 50 in Northfield, Minnesota. A Mason in Red Wing, Minnesota started an educational program for his Masonic lodge and then reached out to the Odd Fellows to request them give a presentation about Odd Fellowship. Four of the Masons present decided to check out Odd Fellowshi…

1
What Is Going Wrong? - Part II 1:28:32

5M ago1:28:32

1:28:32

Billy and Tara from Modern Goat Rider joined us for a thorough and in-depth discussion about leadership in the Odd Fellows. The first half of the episode is available on their feed on your favorite podcatcher or directly from their podcast host. In this episode we discuss the leadership at the Grand Lodge and Sovereign Grand Lodge levels and specif…

1
Selling Out 1:31:42

5M ago1:31:42

1:31:42

A recent email from a listener prompted this episode's discussion about what happens when a lodge sells its building. A lot can happen, but only a very few things should happen. We dig into the question and examine the process and what knowledge members should have when dealing with major lodge property. The Shoutout goes to Prestonsburg Lodge #293…

1
An Odd Fellows Christmas Carol 29:07

7M ago29:07

29:07

This year, for our Christmas episode, we present this adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Listen along as an all-star cast of Odd Fellows presents this unique Odd Fellows take on the classic story. Ebeneezer Scrooge: Gil T. Rodello Thomas Wildey: Steven Cross Bob Cratchitt: Joseph Benton Tim Cratchitt: Ainslie Heilich Ghost of Odd F…

1
Sovereign Grand Master Interview 1:37:02

8M ago1:37:02

1:37:02

Our Sovereign Grand Master, John Cupp, is a very busy man. We were very fortunate when he made some time at the West Virginia Grand Sessions to sit down and talk with co-host Mike Duminiak about his time as Sovereign Grand Master and some of his experiences in Odd Fellowship. He was joined partway through the interview by his wife Emilie who also s…

1
Vernon Wolf Memorial Lodge 1:18:45

8M ago1:18:45

1:18:45

Pueblo Lodge #8 was down to just four members after the passing of one of the five who was maintaining the quorum that kept their charter. John Jones had recently moved to Colorado from another state and was looking to join a lodge. One day, a man with a letter from the Grand Secretary showed up on his doorstep to meet him and possibly bring him in…

1
Remember Me 1:23:15

9M ago1:23:15

1:23:15

We always like to do an episode about cemeteries around Halloween and this year is no exception. Given our command to "Bury The Dead" as Odd Fellows, and how many lodges have administered cemeteries throughout our history, it's no surprise to find a lodge engaged in activities related to a final resting place. For this episode we are joined with Pa…

1
Linked In The Lodge 1:36:19

9M ago1:36:19

1:36:19

A life of academic wandering and creation has brought Dr. Heather Calloway to her present position as Executive Director of University Collections and Director of the Center for Fraternal Collections and Research at Indiana University. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and having grown up in a fraternal family, Dr. Calloway was destined from…

1
The Cave Degree (Part 1?) 1:42:18

10M ago1:42:18

1:42:18

In a secluded corner of the wilderness around Mount Shasta in Northern California, a secret rite has been taking place for generations. No, it's not something from the latest thriller novel, it's the Cave Degree! In a natural cave that faces east toward Mount Shasta, Odd Fellows (and before them, Knights of Pythias) have been performing degree work…

1
Hahn Farm Degrees 1:06:08

10M ago1:06:08

1:06:08

Tucked away in a secluded corner of Oregon's rolling farmland northwest of Portland sits the Hahn Farm. Owned by Gary Hahn, a third-generation Odd Fellow and fourth-generation owner of the farm, it has become a beacon for Odd Fellowship in the jurisdiction of Oregon. Every year since the early 1990s, on the third weekend of September, the farm host…

1
Join Or Die! 1:38:50

11M ago1:38:50

1:38:50

Civic life in America has been in decline for decades. A prescient few, including noted author Robert Putnam, have chronicled that decline. In his book "Bowling Alone," Putnam explored the link between civic engagement and the function of government and described the nature of the decline in participation in clubs, churches, and other groups. Pete …

1
Dead Horse Cave 1:05:44

11M ago1:05:44

1:05:44

Odd Fellowship has found many spaces in which to adapt its Degree work. Our beginnings were in pubs and taverns so Degrees were originally performed there. Eventually we built lodge halls but we still looked for more interesting and unusual places to perform Degrees. Caves became a popular choice in the 20th Century. California's Cave Degree near Y…

1
Anniversary Spectacular 3: Onward! 1:43:25

1y ago1:43:25

1:43:25

Hard to believe, but it's been three years since the launch of the Three Links Odd Cast. Way back when, Sergio, Ainslie, and Toby could hardly imagine the cultural touchstone this podcast would become. Here we are at the beginning of Season Four and we're just as excited to make new episodes as we were when we started in 2020. We take a look back a…

1
Are You Covered? 1:13:45

1y ago1:13:45

1:13:45

Insurance can be a touchy subject that's all too easy to avoid. There are multiple different reasons to avoid it including cost, complication, and just a general desire to not think about bad things that might happen. Those bad things are a fact of life, however, and lodges need to be prepared for whatever kind of bad things may occur. Fortunately,…

1
Leaving The Kitchen Table 1:57:50

1y ago1:57:50

1:57:50

Take one seventy-year Odd Fellow, his great grandson, a twenty-year Odd Fellow from Indiana, a guy from the neighborhood looking for a "thirty-year project" and a few other new folks and put them together and you have the recipe for reviving a lodge that had become profoundly inactive as they retreated from the community and membership had shrunk. …

1
Nevada Rising 1:33:35

1y ago1:33:35

1:33:35

Like many western jurisdictions, Nevada is small. The bigger cities—Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City—have lodges and there are a few scattered around the rest of the state as well. Recently, though, activity and interest has been building in the Silver State as younger members have joined and been appointed to various jobs to help build Odd Fellowship.…

1
Benefits For Younger Members 1:22:54

1y ago1:22:54

1:22:54

Odd Fellowship, like many fraternal groups, is predominantly full of older members. For retirees and others in the later stages of life, our traditional focus on things like death benefits makes sense. However, for younger members, it's a lot harder to see the value of a benefit they may not take advantage of for decades. In this episode, Mike and …

1
Leatherstocking Lodge 1:27:36

1+ y ago1:27:36

1:27:36

For the past couple of years, despite the challenges of the pandemic, something has been brewing in Upstate New York. Two Masons and and Odd Fellow, all beekeepers, found themselves together on a mission to charter a new Odd Fellows Lodge. Brother Kevin, a member of Wawayanda Lodge #34, was ready to fulfill his destiny as "lodge curmudgeon" with ne…

1
Incorporating Music Into Meetings 1:39:21

1+ y ago1:39:21

1:39:21

Music enriches every aspect of life so why should it not enrich our lodge meetings as well? Brother Mike has been adding music into the meeting of his lodge—Kanawha #25 in West Virginia—to great success. Obviously, music can be used in all the places indicated in the ritual, like singing the Odes, but this episode goes further and talks about some …

1
How To Make Change 2:01:36

1+ y ago2:01:36

2:01:36

Brother George Glover III, Past Sovereign Grand Master, joins us on this episode to pull back the curtains on the inner workings of the Sovereign Grand Lodge and share how legislation makes its way through the Legislative Committee and onto the floor for a vote by the Sovereign Grand Lodge as a whole. Brother George has over thirty years' experienc…

1
Brother Rud 2:15:58

1+ y ago2:15:58

2:15:58

As a special for the Presidents Day Holiday in the US, we interviewed Dustin McLochlin, PhD of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. Brother Rud is frequently maligned in popular imagination (if he's remembered at all). Tagged unfairly with nicknames like "His Fraudulency" or "Rutherfraud" by detractors, he has earned a reputation…

1
Making Connections Between Lodges 1:20:22

1+ y ago1:20:22

1:20:22

What do backpacks for the homeless, a late 70s Chevy Nova, and a "Sausage Grind" have in common? Earnie Taylor of Chester Lodge #281 in Virginia, that's what! Brother Earnie joins us to talk about how he's been able to apply his skills of bringing people together for various charitable projects to building Odd Fellowship in the Jurisdiction of Virg…

1
Kitchen Table Lodge 1:33:57

1+ y ago1:33:57

1:33:57

Inspired by a recent series of emails from a listener, Ainslie and Toby discuss the phenomenon of "kitchen table lodges"—those lodges which don't do any ritual or hold formal meetings. Instead, they meet informally around a table to do the minimum amount of business. As more and more people are finding their way to Odd Fellowship, more new members …

1
Gem City Revival 1:27:40

1+ y ago1:27:40

1:27:40

What happens when a barber in an old river city on the Mississippi finds a bunch of Odd Fellows collectibles? He starts a lodge, of course! That was the genesis of the newly-rechartered Gem City #357 in Quincy, Illinois. Members Matthew Roegge and Jacob Bertram joined us to talk about the beginning of their lodge which was chartered in June 2022. T…

1
Christmas Episode III: We Three Links 1:37:49

1+ y ago1:37:49

1:37:49

Our annual Christmas episode has become the place where we look back on the year in Oddcasting and this year was certainly delightful. We brought on a new co-host, Mike Duminiak, and continued our tradition of making meaningful and relevant episodes for our Odd Fellow brothers and sisters. This particular episode includes a greeting from Brother To…

1
Young Leaders In Odd Fellowship 1:38:37

1+ y ago1:38:37

1:38:37

Despite recent growth, Odd Fellowship is still predominantly full of retirees. While they present a wealth of knowledge and experience, they can also be resistant to change and adaptation. That can become even more of a challenge when young leaders emerge and try to work with entrenched members. In this episode we talk to PGM Buddy Goetsch of Color…

1
The Rose Float 1:52:24

1+ y ago1:52:24

1:52:24

With the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US, we thought it would be an excellent time to talk turkey about one of the great New Year's Day traditions—The Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California. The celebration includes the famous college football game The Rose Bowl and the accompanying Rose Parade. Brother Mel Astrahan, PGM of California, joi…

1
Crossover 3: Now With More Goat Riding! 1:25:21

1+ y ago1:25:21

1:25:21

Our colleagues Billy and Tara from Modern Goat Rider join us to continue the crossover begun on their show. If you've not heard it yet, you'll want to hit up the URL above and listen to it so you've got some continuity. The episode rolls on with more comments about marketing Odd Fellowship in unconventional ways, discussion of the impact that podca…

1
Burying The Dead 1:53:47

1+ y ago1:53:47

1:53:47

Just in time for Halloween, we take a look into the death care industry through the eyes of Sister Kait Osman of Emerald Bay Lodge #50 in California. Sister Kait had a somewhat roundabout way of getting to the funeral world, going through studies of forensic anthropology and other subjects along her way. Eventually she found herself in California w…

1
New Members' Insights 1:44:01

2y ago1:44:01

1:44:01

Ainslie, Mike, and Toby are all experienced Odd Fellows. They like to *think* they have a handle on what new members are looking for, but do they really? To test that theory, they invited Josh Dandurand from Oregon and Randy & Caylee Chorrushi from West Virginia to come on the podcast and offer their insights. All three are members who have joined …

1
Our Own Spaces 1:58:17

2y ago1:58:17

1:58:17

At its beginning, Odd Fellowship was just for men (though some groups of Odd Fellows retain that tradition). In 2001 the Independent Order opened up membership to women. Since that time, women have risen to the highest ranks in Odd Fellowship, including our current Sovereign Grand Master. There are some lodges, however, that still maintain a (mostl…

1
Reinstating Non-Profit Status 1:22:54

2y ago1:22:54

1:22:54

We've all been there—years of neglect to important lodge business has left a huge mess behind and we've just walked into that void of neglect. That happened to Brother Jack Crispin Cain of Upper Lake Lodge #241 in California several years ago when he started looking into the lodge finances and discovered that the lodge had lost its non-profit statu…

1
Odd Fellowship i Sverige 1:44:57

2y ago1:44:57

1:44:57

On a dark, rainy September evening in Sweden, a young man stood on a curb as a nondescript sedan pulled over to meet him. The rear door opened and he was beckoned into the car. Inside were three gentlemen, all in dark suits. While this sounds like it could be the beginning of a spy thriller novel, it was actually the beginning of the journey into O…

1
Should We Pitch Our Tent? 1:23:16

2y ago1:23:16

1:23:16

We had to call another audible at the line of scrimmage as our scheduled guest was out sick this episode. With Sovereign Grand Lodge right around the corner we decided to discuss the Encampment branch of Odd Fellowship. Once a vibrant and vital part of the Order, in many places it has atrophied to the point of irrelevance. Toby, Ainslie, and Mike d…

1
Our Mentors 1:16:09

2y ago1:16:09

1:16:09

Technical issues prevented us from interviewing our scheduled guest so, being resourceful Odd Fellows, we called an audible at the line of scrimmage and decided to talk about our mentors in Odd Fellowship. Mentorship is an important part of any organization, and especially so in our Order. There's much to do as an Odd Fellow and it can take years t…

1
Anniversary Spectacular 2: Electric Boogaloo 1:39:19

2y ago1:39:19

1:39:19

July 2022 represents two years of podcasting for the Three Links Odd Cast and we are all very excited to commemorate this achievement with a celebratory episode. As part of the celebration, we announce a new cohost, Brother Mike Duminiak of West Virginia, who had previously been a guest on the episodes about the Patriarchs Militant branch and the F…

1
Pride In Odd Fellowship 1:38:57

2y ago1:38:57

1:38:57

June is a month of many celebrations and we're taking the opportunity to join in with one of them, though not the one Toby had expected. Brother Chris Emmons from Kanawha Lodge #25 in Charleston, West Virginia joins us to celebrate LGBTQ Pride and share his experiences as an out gay Odd Fellow. The conversation wanders around quite a bit and covers…

1
Don't Look In The Closet... 1:32:37

2y ago1:32:37

1:32:37

As Odd Fellows, we're not surprised by any old thing we find in a lodge hall. For non-members, though, it can be quite a shock when relics of a former lodge are left behind and discovered while exploring a new building. Such incidents usually end up getting some kind of media coverage and one of those stories inspired hosts Sara Buesing and Emily C…

1
Demystifying Grand Lodge 1:03:15

2y ago1:03:15

1:03:15

GRAND LODGE. The mere words strike fear into the hearts of Odd Fellows everywhere. What is this strange, mysterious conglomeration of Odd Fellows who gather for some unknown purpose? Since Grand Lodge season is upon us, Ainslie and Toby sat down with Brothers Adam Potolsky and Matthew Finkelstein to discuss their experiences at the 2022 session of …

1
A Young Man's Benefit 2:02:42

2y ago2:02:42

2:02:42

What if the narrative we've all been told—that the government takeover of social services led to the decline of Odd Fellowship—was wrong? Esteemed Canadian economist, author, and educator Herb Emery, author of "A Young Man's Benefit," joins us to discuss his research into the end of beneficial membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Wha…

1
Pocatello Revival 1:47:11

2+ y ago1:47:11

1:47:11

As recently as 2017 Portneuf Lodge #20 in Pocatello, Idaho was moribund. Six people met twice monthly in a dusty old hall downtown with a worn-out, broken sign out front. It might as well have said that the lodge was permanently closed. Then something remarkable happened—the lodge decided to spend some money to fix up its sign. The newly painted an…

1
Secrets Of Freemasonry Revealed! 1:40:08

2+ y ago1:40:08

1:40:08

Odd Fellows, like all fraternal orders, have to exist in the long shadow cast by the only fraternal group that has any awareness in popular culture: Freemasons. Whether because of wacky conspiracy theories, blockbuster movies, thriller novels, or seemingly endless supposed connections to various historical figures and events, Freemasonry is the tem…

1
Three Links 'n' Ink 1:38:09

2+ y ago1:38:09

1:38:09

An interesting and unusual confluence has occurred where tattoo artists and Odd Fellowship have mixed, creating some interesting results. From some of the most famous tattoo artists like Oliver Peck and Luke Wessman, down to the average corner tattoo shop owner, the stunning, bold symbols of Odd Fellowship have called out to the tattoo community an…

1
Fundraiser For Ukraine 18:32

2+ y ago18:32

18:32

A week and a half ago, Brother John Reitzer-Smith was presiding over a lodge meeting as Noble Grand when the question arose if there were any Ukrainian Odd Fellows in need. Within the span of a few days, Brother John had made contact with a lodge in Poland that, before the war in Ukraine, had been initiating Ukrainians with the intent to form lodge…

1
Friendship, Love, And Texas 1:46:05

2+ y ago1:46:05

1:46:05

For this very special episode we visit with Meredith Moore, Past Grand of Fort Worth Lodge #251 in Texas. Sister Meredith has become an active, indispensable, and inspirational Odd Fellow with her years of service in various lodges in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She talks about her journey from being invited to a lodge function at Dallas #44 to bei…

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Ainslie Heilich Podcasts

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