What Is DeMolay?

An Interactive Guide

Introduction

This guide has been set up to help introduce you to DeMolay. We'll tell you all about who we are, what we do, and why we love our organization.

DeMolay... a Club, a Fraternity, or Both?

DeMolay is both a club and a fraternity. Like a club, we meet regularly, plan events, and hang out together. But DeMolay is also a fraternity. We all share a bond, like a family. We call each other "Brother", and we call our Advisors "Dad" because they are like father figures to us. DeMolay is a great place to meet people who you'll be friends with for life! However, unlike the stereotypical college fraternity, there is no hazing or drinking in DeMolay. We respect our brethren enough to know that those activities don't promote a "brotherly" atmosphere.

What Do You Do In DeMolay?

The possibilities are endless. We do anything we want to do (within reason), because it is our Chapter. Our Advisors merely advise. They never tell us what to do, but they are there when we need someone experienced to help us out or when we just need a step in the right direction. Anything that we do, though, we have to plan. But it isn't that bad, because after you've worked hard to put something together, it makes it even more fun! Here are just a few things that we do...

Sports
Every year, there are two statewide sporting competitions in Georgia. The first one, in May, is called Spring Jam. We have competitions in Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, Frisbee, and Horseshoes. The event lasts the whole weekend. In July, we have an event called Conclave. At Conclave, we have individual events like swimming, running, punt/pass/kick, and team events like water polo.

Dramatics
In DeMolay, there are two degrees new members go through to join our organization. One of these is a play, which gives people who enjoy acting a chance to shine. The ceremony, called the DeMolay Degree, is a dramatic interpretation of our namesake, Jacques DeMolay, and his final trial before he was wrongfully executed for being loyal to his friends. Each February, we have a statewide ritual competition, where we compete in the ceremonies of DeMolay to see which Chapter is the best performer. This event is called Tournament of Champions.

Trips
Every Chapter takes trips. Almost all Chapters go to the State Functions like Conclave and Spring Jam. Other Chapters plan more trips, like Skiing, Caving, Hiking, Camping, and going to the Beach. Chances are, if your Chapter wants to go somewhere, you can plan a fund raiser to pay for it and go!

Hanging Out
The best thing about DeMolay is just hanging out. DeMolays are all friends, and we get together and hang out all the time. Whether it's going to the park and tossing around a ball, going to a movie together, or going over to one of the guy's houses and playing cards, we enjoy just hanging out and being with our friends and brothers.

Anything You Want!
You want to do it? Chances are, you can! Because DeMolay is your organization, you decide what we do. Don't you want to be a part of a great organization that let's you plan your activities and have some input in what you do? That's the best part of our organization: the fact that we are in charge of what we do!

Opportunities in DeMolay

In DeMolay, the opportunity is yours...

...to make friends
Like we said before, DeMolay is like a big family. You'll make some of the best friends you'll ever have thanks to DeMolay. We offer so many things, there is bound to be someone that you can relate to in our organization. You'll find that all of our members will be happy to meet you and include you in our activities.

...to travel
We take a lot of trips in DeMolay, mostly on the weekends. There are four state functions each year, one called Tournament of Champions in the Winter, another called Spring Jam in the Spring, another called Conclave in the Summer, and the last one called Beach Weekend in the Autumn. In addition, Chapters may also plan trips to the beach, to the mountains, or to other places the members want to go.

...to meet girls
Hold on! How do you meet girls in an "all male" organization? Simple, DeMolay has two sister organizations very similar to ours that are only for girls. They are called "Rainbow" and "Job's Daughters". In addition to those two organizations, most Chapters have female supporters called "Sweethearts". Sweethearts come to all our events and hang out with us. (Often, the Sweetheart is a member of Rainbow or Job's Daughters!)

...to be a leader
DeMolay offers a lot of opportunities for leadership. Chapter members plan their own events under the advisorship of adults. That means we do a lot of the planning and a lot of the work. Organizing events requires someone to be "in charge". The leader of the Chapter is called the "Master Councilor". He is the DeMolay in charge of the Chapter for a term of three, four, or six months. There are also leadership opportunities at the State and International level!

...to have fun
Fun is what DeMolay is all about! There is an element of fun in every event we have. That's what makes DeMolay so great. No matter what you're doing, if you're with your brothers, you can make even the most tiresome and boring task a whole lot of fun.

...to make yourself better
While all the traveling, leadership, and fun is going on, DeMolays are becoming better men. Everything we do focuses on our development into becoming good citizens and productive members of society.

Who Is Involved With DeMolay?

Lots of people are involved with DeMolay. But, I'm sure you're interested in the most important people- the guys! DeMolay is a group of guys who you automatically know four things about. (These are our qualifications for membership!)

In Order to Become a DeMolay, you must...

...be a male, age 12-21
Membership in DeMolay is limited to males, ages 12-21. If you are female, there are two "sister" organizations called Rainbow and Job's Daughters that you may want to look in to. There are also many opportunities for Parents to get involved with DeMolay, through organizations called Parents' Clubs. For more information about these clubs, visit our State Parents Club Page. There is also a program called the Sweetheart Program for female friends of DeMolay members to get involved with. For more information about the Sweetheart Program, visit our Sweetheart Program Page.

...believe in a Supreme Being
DeMolay isn't a religion, but we do require that religious beliefs be a part of your life. DeMolay does not discriminate based on your religious beliefs, and membership is open to young men of all religions. One of the aims of DeMolay is to stress that religion should be an important part of every young man's life.

...be of good moral character
We require that our members be of good moral character. There are seven cardinal virtues that a new member vows to uphold during his Initiation into DeMolay. They are: Love of Parents, Reverence, Courtesy, Comradeship, Loyalty, Cleanliness, and Patriotism.

...be recommended by a Chapter member
If you don't know anyone in DeMolay just yet, don't worry about this one. Anyone can fill out a Petition to join our organization. Once you do, you can come and hang out with us and get to know us, and we'll get to know you. After that, we'll set up a formal visitation with you and your parents to tell you, in detail, about the organization. By then, we'll know you, and one of our members will probably be glad to recommend you for admission into DeMolay!

Where is DeMolay?

DeMolay is almost everywhere! It's in all fifty states and eight foreign countries! But, where is DeMolay in Georgia? Well, take a look at our Chapter Map!

Who Sponsors DeMolay?

DeMolay is sponsored by a group of men called Masons. They have an organization similar to DeMolay made up of men over the age of 21, with similar beliefs and values as our organization. In fact, DeMolay was founded by a Mason! There is probably a Masonic "Lodge" in your town. Most towns have one. You're probably most familiar with the Shriners, a particular group of Masons. They have Children's Hospitals all across the nation. They're also the guys in parades wearing the red fezzes and driving the funny cars!

What's the Initiation Like?

The Initiation into DeMolay involves two ceremonies. The first ceremony, the Initiatory Degree, explains about DeMolay's virtues and the symbols used in DeMolay. You will make your first pledge, where you promise to be a good son and good citizen, to be loyal to your brothers, and to honor all women. The second ceremony is like a play you see performed at school. It is a dramatic interpretation of our organization's namesake, Jacques DeMolay, and his final trial before he was put to death for being loyal to his Brethren. Jacques DeMolay lived in the twelfth century, so all of us get dressed up in complete costume and put on the play.

How Much Does It Cost to Join?

When you join DeMolay, you pay a one-time fee for lifetime membership. There are no annual dues or fees to pay. (If we go on a trip or something like that, you may have to pay for food, lodging, and registration expenses.) Different Chapters charge different amounts to join. Chapters fees in Georgia range from $35 to $60 for lifetime membership. See the next section for information about how to contact a DeMolay Chapter in your area.

Information About Joining

For more information about DeMolay Chapters in your area, please visit the Chapter Information Page. You may be able to find an e-mail address of someone at a local Chapter. Also, some Chapters have Web Sites of their own. If you can't get in touch with anyone, the Georgia DeMolay Office will be glad to help you out. E-Mail office@gademolay.org or call 678-HEY-LEAD (439-5323) to get in touch with someone at our office.

Credits

The Interactive Guide to DeMolay is Copyright © 1998-2012 by Georgia DeMolay. All rights reserved. The Interactive Guide was written by Jonathan Challen. The Interactive Guide may not be used on any other site without permission.

You may place a link on your web site directly to the Interactive Guide. You may also reproduce this guide in whole or in part on your site, revising it to fit your Jurisdiction or Chapter. Before linking to or reproducing the Interactive Guide, you MUST obtain permission from Georgia DeMolay Online by e-mailing webmaster@gademolay.org.

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Fun Fact The second DeMolay Chapter was established in Omaha, Nebraska.

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