BUCYRUS — Membership of the Moose Family Fun Center, Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 669, is on the upswing after a decline during the recession that began in 2007.
“Membership is on the rise and we are very excited for the future of this lodge,” said Kevin Weinandy, who took over as administrator of the club in August of 2017.
Weinandy, who was born and raised in Bucyrus, came back to town in 2010, after serving in the U.S. Army and spending 20 years in retail and business.
“I joined the Moose in 2012,” said Weinandy, who also is a member of several other local clubs, including the Colonel Crawford Post of the American Legion, where he has fulfilled the duty of finance officer.
Since taking on the role of Moose administrator, Weinandy said he has been focused on ensuring the club’s finances are in order and audited properly, along with increasing the membership of the club.
“We want members who are fine, upstanding people,” Weinandy said. “We are not just a bar but an organization that works hard to help others throughout our community.”
He said there currently are 1,700 members of the Bucyrus Lodge and in the heyday of the club, there were around 3,000 members.
“That was when there were more high-paying jobs in the area and people had more disposable income,” Weinandy said. “We are happy to see a steady increase in membership recently.”
Kim Showers has been a member for several years.
“I enjoy the daily, weekly and monthly drawings, along with the good, affordably priced food and drink options the Moose offers,” Showers said.
She also enjoys the extra effort the Moose board and administration put into the monthly drawing for the current members of the club.
“I like the bands, along with the extra drawings, that are offered during the monthly events,” Showers said. “I also like the fact that the Moose helps various local charities along with Mooseheart and Moosehaven.”
Upcoming bands on the Moose member monthly drawing night, which is held on the first Friday of each month, include Rough Country in November and Perfectly Damaged in December.
Janet Ransbottom, also a member of the club for many years, said she appreciates the long-time staff, including the friendly bartenders and cooks that work at the club.
“The Moose is a gathering place to see friends,” said Ransbottom.
Weinandy said the Moose Family Center, in conjunction with the Women of the Moose and Moose Riders, offers events for families throughout the year, such as Christmas parties and fingerprinting for kids, and provides donations to local charities and fundraisers.
“We donate money to a variety of organizations throughout the county, including fulfilling requests from Wynford, Colonel Crawford and Bucyrus schools, the Special Olympics and Crawford County Sports Hall of Fame,” Weinandy said.
The club offers events for adults including an annual golf scramble and bowling team.
“As membership increases, we will be able to begin donating to more organizations as the lodge has done in the past,” Weinandy said.
He said there are many benefits for Moose members.
“We offer a safe environment for our members to be able to come and relax,” he said. “Many people enjoy gambling and the various drawings.”
He said the monthly drawing maxes out at $10,000, the daily at $250, the Saturday night weekly at $1,000 and the Wednesday drawing maxes out at $2,000. Saturday and Wednesday drawings can have several winners, depending on the amount of money collected.
“People enjoy coming to the Moose for lunch or dinner. We offer dine-in or carry-out,” Weinandy said.
He said the dining room and lodge are open to the public as guests can come in with members, but guests cannot participate in the drawings or hold an office, among other Moose member-only activities.
A Moose membership fee for men is $50 per year while the women’s membership is $30 per year. The initial application for both is $20.
For more information, visit call 419-562-7206 or visit the Moose Lodge Facebook page.