Harmony Lodge No. 86 Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Tamaqua had a special guest at the May 10 meeting when District Deputy Grand Master Bruce N. Torrence of Coopersburg stopped by to visit. Torrence presented the Traveling Gavel to local Noble Grand Nicole B. Inama.

The Traveling Gavel is an old practice of urging lodges to visit each other. In the past, Traveling Gavels were heavy and cumbersome. When a lodge received it, members used it until five members visited another lodge, then passed it along. Some old gavels were 3 feet long, and one was even made of lead, weighing about 10 pounds.Today's gavel was started as a side project by Grand Master David A. Young of Charleroi. He sent one gavel to the west and one to the east, starting in Philadelphia. When lodge members visit each other, Young proposes the visiting lodge donates $5 per member to the secretary of the receiving lodge. The money is then forwarded to the Grand Master. The collection from the east will go to a food bank in the east.Harmony Lodge No. 86 intends to visit Brady Lodge No. 116 in Muncy this month to present the gavel.Harmony Lodge No. 86 is in its 18th year after re-institution in 1999 and has been celebrating Odd Fellowship in Tamaqua for more than 170 years. For more information, visit the lodge's Facebook page, IOOF Harmony & Lady Harmony Lodge, or call secretary Justin at 570-449-5617.