Modern Goat Rider: an Odd Fellows podcast

The end of a 6-year run has come for MGR. Thank you to all the listeners, all the guests and all the promoters. For the final get-together, Tara, Eric and Billy share their picks for Fav Episodes as their reminisce and expand on the many of the past 65 and a half shows since 2020. We hope you had great memories of the amazing guests we shared airtime with and it is never too late to email us or promote the show with your fellow members and of course new members!Contact us at [email protected] Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/moderngoatriderShare the show through your pod-catcher

Hosts Eric and Billy interviewed Tara Zajac to tap into her experience IRL as a Communication Manager. Tara covers the basics of communication for her role in the Township of Esquimalt and translating that experience into the communication tracks, challenges and tools for Lodges.  For the joiner fairs presented by Join or Die documentary producers, follow the link here to see the Join Philly program. Also find more information on impact Join or Die and Joiner Fairs can have fined on the Impact Page Contact us at [email protected] 

Missing Tara unfortunately, so Eric and Billy welcomed guests Amber Hay from Bastion Lodge #4 and Joan Athey from Victoria Lodge #1 to discuss how the three Lodges process a new applicate through the pre-initiation phases and then into their first year. Objectively, we wanted to our listeners validation or inspiration for their processes with improvement in sight. Billy brings up the topic of a Degree Rally with thanks to Justin Bailey of PA for his letter explaining why and how his jurisdiction does Degree Rallies.Contact us at [email protected]

Your three pack of hosts are back with this month's episode exploring the love and FLT members are quietly delivering to their hall and to their members. Eric interviewed Bro Shawn Matyczuk about the ways his role as Hall Custodian have energized his membership experience and then a chat with Bro Chris Cunin on how is grassroots initiative to be an counselling ear he professionally has has become a Mental Wellness time before every meeting. And before all that Tara and Billy give some recaps on recent events in Victoria PLUS there is more! If you are skilled as a musician and possibly lyrists how about crafting a theme song for the Modern Goat Rider. This unpaid gig with all musical rights gifted to Modern Goat Rider is your way to add to the FLT community we Odd Fellows enjoy. Email us at [email protected] for all the details.Cheers in FLT!--------------------------Podcast Theme Music Submission TermsBy submitting music, you confirm that it is your original work and that you have full rights to share it. AI generated music must be identified as such.You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free license to use, edit, and include your music in our podcast, including episodes, promotions, and related media.You will be credited where reasonably possible (e.g., show notes or episode descriptions).This is a voluntary submission. No payment, royalties, or compensation will be provided now or in the future.You agree that we may edit the music as needed and may stop using it at any time.You may request that we stop using your music in future episodes, but existing published episodes may continue to include it.By submitting, you agree to these terms.  

It’s time for the return of Vancouver Lodge 90 folks to give us update on how their Winter Warming Center partnership with the City has evolved into a weekly Sunday morning breakfast serving over 150 people each week. Eric and Billy get their guests, PGM Walter Wells, PG Chris Thomson and Annie Lefebvre, to recap how the Winter Warming Center began and through what seemed like sufficient funding grew into the need fulfilling service they now provide.You can support their foundation with donations through: https://threelinksfoundation.ca/ Check us out online at moderngoatrider.comReach us at [email protected] 

Happy New Year Listeners! It is also new terms for the officers of the three lodges in Victoria, so Eric, Billy and Tara discuss short interviews held with each incoming Noble Grands for 2026. You’ll hear from Bastion Lodge #4 NG Leigh Campbell, Victoria Lodge #1 NG Dawn Kirkham and Columbia Lodge #2 NG Paul Johnson. All three share their history with Odd Fellows, why they were enthusiastic to become Noble Grand and what they envision for their year in the Big Red Chair. Check us out online at moderngoatrider.comReach us at [email protected] Intro – Drew Eriksen

We found a guest! Billy has been up the island to the City of Nanaimo to attend meetings at Black Diamond Lodge #5, and he has fallen in love with the story of and the ways Odd Fellows is done differently at BD#5. So, to get the info directly from their NG, Brad Stewart, NG and Grand Warden joined Tara, Eric and Billy to explain it all. Listeners will see that lodges can do Odd Fellows their own way, but at the core it is all FLT. Reminder to also check out MGR past episodes with interviews of Peninsula Lodge #128 in Portland, OR and  Chequeuk Lodge #56 in Valparaiso, IN and Mountain View Lodge #244 in California to hear more.Check us out online at moderngoatrider.comReach us at [email protected] Intro – Anthony Shackell 

Our hosts, Tara, Eric and Billy, gather again to run through the recent events in Victoria, and then on to the topic planned. Have you seen good or even bad FLT within your Lodge and the people you interact with regularly? Beginning with “what makes good FLT”, the conversation takes off from there to cover how important FLT is in our daily life and often it is not really discuss deeply. MGR takes the challenge!  Like, Share, Comment! Check out MGR online at moderngoatrider.com Reach the hosts at [email protected]: Drew Eriksen

You thought the hosts were gone, but they keep coming back for more in Studio FLT. Welcome to 2025 everyone! This show is a good one, but when have they not been? After a little reacquainting of themselves Tara, Billy and Eric discuss the State of the Order letter from Sovereign Grand Lodge to dig deeper into leadership, passion and change. Watch for the HOT TAKES while still dancing around the issues that come from within a lovingly administered Order.Email us at [email protected]

For the second show in a row, Chaplain Eric Bramble join Tara and Billy to continue the lively conversation, this time it's about Grand Lodge Sessions in BC for 2024 and how well the messages of progress and change travels from Grand Lodge to the local lodges. There is more to it than relying on Representatives’ Reports being read by the members.  Like, Share, Comment!Check out MGR online at moderngoatrider.comReach the hosts at [email protected]: Drew Eriksen