The Order of DeMolay was founded in Kansas City, Missouri by Dad Frank S. Land with nine young men between the ages of 16 and 21. The Winnipeg Chapter made DeMolay international. On December 13, 1922, the Winnipeg Free Press announced that the Chapter was being organized under the sponsorship of the Winnipeg Lodge of Perfection of the Scottish Rite. It was formed on February 24, 1923, with 99 members, initiated by 22 members of Ivanhoe Chapter of Grand Forks who traveled by train from North Dakota for the ceremonies. The first Master Councillor was Russell Lester Wiginton, who later spent his adult years in North Vancouver. Russ was a young man of many accomplishments—the first Speaker of the Manitoba Boys Parliament (1922), an accomplished swimmer, basketball and rugby player, and a Boy Scout decorated by Baron Bing for saving the life of a soldier at Winnipeg Beach. Achieving even greater fame was the Chapter’s first Chaplain—the Father of Medicare in Canada, former N.D.P. leader Tommy Douglas.[1]
2023 is another special year for all of us. Four years after our founding and creation back in Kansas 1919, DeMolay started its travel to becoming a premier international youth organization and crossed Canada. In 1923, the first chapter outside of the United States was created with 99 members in Winnipeg Manitoba and the rest was history.
DeMolay in Canada celebrates its Centennial in 2023.
The Winnipeg Chapter, Order of DeMolay in support of and in cooperation with Manitoba Senior DeMolay (MSD) is stepping up to the challenge to celebrate a major milestone by hosting a 3-day event to commemorate the institution of the first ever DeMolay Chapter in Canada, here in Winnipeg!
The creation of the Winnipeg Chapter, Order of DeMolay, in the friendly province of Manitoba, City of Winnipeg also known as “The Chicago of the North” back in the day, is a footprint and a testament to DeMolay’s being in Canada. Thus, we celebrate DeMolay’s founding in Canada for 100 years too!
Further, the institution of the Winnipeg Chapter as the first chapter outside of the United States of America is another testament that paved the way to making “DeMolay international.”
We will host a 3-Day Event to commemorate and celebrate:
DeMolay in Canada Centennial!
The theme is “Unity and Strength in Brotherhood”.
For more than 100 years, from 1919 and 1923 in Canada, and still counting, bonded with fraternal love, we are stronger and more united than yesterday. After 100 years in Canada, 2023, we still yearn and learn the lessons of becoming a better man.
The purpose of this 3-day event is to unite all DeMolay to commemorate and celebrate DeMolay in Canada, the Centennial Founding and the Winnipeg Chapter’s 100 years.
Also, we celebrate DeMolay’s testament to historically making “DeMolay international” after crossing the U.S. borders.
The event will be held from May 19 – 21, 2023 which is the Victoria Day weekend for Canadians.
