Notes from the Web Editor
This site has been put together for my Chapter, with lots of love. Thank you all for visiting with us and please come again. In the meantime, enjoy the site and if you have any suggestions, please let us know so that we can make the site more user friendly!
::: OES Links :::
A welcome from the Web Editor and member of Signet Chapter:
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
Welcome and thank you for visiting with us. My name is Marilyn Loudenslager and I am a member and a Past Matron of Signet Chapter No. 129, Order of the Eastern Star in Pennsylvania. To those of you unfamiliar with what the Order of the Eastern Star is about, please check out our OES History Page to learn a little bit more about us. Please note that, contrary to popular belief, we are NOT a religion; nor do we subscribe to any kind of "dark arts". Our Order is misinterpreted by many who do not understand what it is that we do. We are women and men who have strong religious beliefs and who, through the Order, feel that we can do some good in the world and derive some enjoyment in the process. We become closer to each other as we get to know and work with each other at Chapter. When you become a Star, you never walk alone because there is always someone ready to walk beside you.
Our website has been in existence since 2000 so it is about nine years old. At the time we started our website, we (Signet) felt that having a presence on the web was important to get the word out about us. The idea for this website came about some time ago, while I was still working as a Computer Programmer for an Insurance company. I was interested in learning more about website creation and wanted to try to build a website from the bottom up. Since we were contemplating a website for Signet, this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about web creation. I volunteered for the job and since then, on a volunteer basis, I edit and maintain this site. Since it is something that I enjoy doing, I do it with great pleasure.
In the beginning, the learning curve for designing the web and programming it was a steep one but not insurmountable. At the time I started building the site, my knowledge of web programming was minimal and what I knew was self-taught, so it took a while to get comfortable with the whole web creation process. It also took some time to get all the information together and get everything refined to the point where the site was ready for “prime time”. A lot of reflection went into what the site should look like, what content to add to the site, and what features would be most helpful to our members based on the type of organization we are. Lots of time and great effort went into planning the structure of this site as well as the graphics to include (if any).
Working on this site has taught me patience, has given me practice in web creation as well as HTML (web language), and has also given me a few headaches along the way. However, because I enjoy it so much, I'm willing to put up with the headaches and the time spent working on it. I welcome the challenges that arise as a result of changes, since they keep me sharp and always on the lookout for how new techniques in web design can improve our web page.
As technology gets more sophisticated, it becomes a greater challenge to keep the site fresh; but never fear, I will be keeping abreast of the changes. I continue to look into ways of making these pages informative, simple to navigate, and above all, “user-friendly”; so if you have any ideas and suggestions to make this site better or user-friendlier, by all means drop me a line.
As far as my involvement with the Order of the Eastern Star in Pennsylvania, I have been a member of Signet Chapter No. 129 since 1995. I was initiated on a Valentines Day and it was such a wonderful experience that I know I will never forget it. There were four of us initiated that evening. Ever since then, I have been a worker on the floor and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every one of those years. I became involved from day one and have been through various offices including Worthy Matron in 2000-01. I was honored to be a page at Pennsylvania Grand Sessions for Sister Arlene Flohr, PGM - 2000-2001 and have held various Appointed Grand Chapter Committee appointments.
My husband Carl has also been bitten by the Eastern Star Bug. He was initiated into Signet Chapter in 1997. At the time he was working his way through the chairs in his Lodge in Prospect Park. During his year as Worshipful Master of his Lodge, he was initiated as Worthy Patron at Signet Chapter. This posed quite a challenge for him because of all the memory work involved, but somehow Carl survived it and even enjoyed it. It was challenging trying to keep all the memory work straight, but somehow he managed. He has been Worthy Patron of Signet for many of the years that he has been a member.
Carl and I try to travel to other chapters and jurisdictions as much as possible or at least as time and work allow since we are both still working. We enjoy meeting other Sisters and Brothers from the different areas. So much so, that while we were serving in the East together in 2000-2001, we had the privilege of visiting with a chapter in Puerto Rico during a visit to my family there. I made connections with Sister Iris Violeta de Rivero, PGM and Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter of Puerto Rico and Sister Lorraine Schmitt, Secretary of Juanita Chapter No. 1 in Puerto Rico. It was a coincidence that there would be a chapter meeting while we were there and that it was the one chapter that had their meeting in English which was a relief for Carl!. It also turns out that the Secretary of the Chapter is originally from Pennsylvania and had moved to Puerto Rico a number of years ago. Arrangements were made to pick us up, take us to the meeting, and bring us back home. When we got to the meeting, I was asked to fill the chair for Starpoint Adah. I felt honored to be asked and accepted. It was a great experience for both Carl and I! The hospitality of Juanita Chapter No. 1 was awesome, not to mention the great spread they had after the meeting. For me it also felt great to be able to speak in Spanish with fellow Star Sisters and Brothers.
During the visit to Puerto Rico that year, we also learned that my mother's neighbor was an Eastern Star in Puerto Rico and that her brother was a Past Grand Master of Puerto Rico. When her brother learned that Carl was a Mason, he invited him to visit their Lodge. Carl was picked up by the Past Grand Master and taken to the meeting in the nearby town. He was treated with great hospitality and enjoyed himself very much. Fortunately for Carl, the meeting was held in English! These are just some of the experiences we have had since joining and traveling with Eastern Star. So if you are curious about the Order, I encourage you to learn more about it.
As I come to a close, I remind you that this site is 'a work in progress'. From time to time there will be changes and updates that will make the navigational experience easier and simpler as we forge into the new technological century. So please stay tuned!!
Once again, thank you for visiting with us. To all who are members of OES, thank you for your love and support of our beautiful order. Hopefully we will see you sometime in our travels on the 'OES trail'!
Take care and God Bless.
In Star Love and on "Angels Wings",
Marilyn
Marilyn Loudenslager, PM,
Signet Chapter No. 129,
Order of the Eastern Star,
Under the Grand Chapter of PA