WoodmenLife

Woodmen Tower in Omaha, Nebraska

Woodmen of the World is a fraternal organization based in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members.

Its colorful history includes the erection of numerous distinctive tombstones depicting tree stumps across the country before 1930, a large program to donate flags, and broadcast interests that were to own the first television station where Johnny Carson worked.

History

The organization was founded in 1890 in Omaha, Nebraska, by Joseph Cullen Root. Root, who was a member of several fraternal organizations including the Freemasons, founded Modern Woodmen of America in Lyons, Iowa, after hearing a sermon about "pioneer woodsmen clearing away the forest to provide for their families". Taking his own name of Root to heart, he wanted to start a Society that "would clear away problems of financial security for its members". Root fell out with the organization over accusations of false beneficiary claims. He moved to Omaha where he started the organization on June 6, 1890.

Buildings

The organization owned a 19-story tower at 14th and Farnam Streets and was the tallest building between Chicago and the West coast when it was dedicated in 1912. After demolishing that tower in 1969, WOW built its current 30-story Woodmen Tower which was Omaha's tallest building until the 40-story First National Bank Tower was completed in 2002.

Broadcasting interests

The organization played an important role in broadcast history until being forced to divest itself of its holdings because of its non-profit status. On November 27, 1922, the Society started broadcasting radio station WOAW with its signal reaching ships in both the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean from its 500-watt (and later 1,000 watt and eventually 5,000 watt) transmitter. In 1926, the station became WOW after the ship SS Bible which had the signal retired.

The organization's non-profit status was to stir up a legal battle over ownership of the station. In 1943, the station was leased to an independent organization Radio Station WOW, Inc. The United States Supreme Court was to void the lease returning it to the Society but keeping the license in the hands of the station. In 1949, the radio station launched WOW-TV. Among its first performers was Johnny Carson who had a daily show called the Squirrel's Nest where he told jokes, conducted humorous interviews and staged various skits with wacky comic characters and premises.

Stock in the broadcasting company was bought by Meredith Corporation in 1958, effectively ending the Society's relationship with the station although the WOW name continued. The television station changed to WOWT in 1975 in order to obtain FCC approval of the sale to Chronicle Broadcasting. In 1999, Journal Broadcast Group changed the uncommon three-letter radio call sign to KOMJ and later KXSP for the AM station and the FM station became KQCH.

Programs

Cemetery stone with Woodmen logo.

Today, Woodmen of the World provides financial solutions to approximately 800,000 members across the nation. These include life insurance and annuities, cancer insurance, and access to mutual funds, 529 College Savings Plans and other financial services. Members are also eligible to receive a wide array of fraternal benefits. These include participation in a youth program, a camping experience for youth and senior members, disaster relief assistance, a prescription drug discount card, and monetary support for members' orphaned children. Another aspect of the organization's patriotic mission is the annual In Honor and Remembrance program, which pays tribute to the heroes and victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The program includes conducting public ceremonies each year on September 11, and donating flagpoles and U.S. flags to schools, fire departments, parks and other public places. More than 2,400 In Honor and Remembrance ceremonies have been held since the program began in 2002. To mark the 5th anniversary of 9/11, Woodmen of the World hung two, 50- x 100-foot U.S. flags on the Woodmen Tower, the 30-story building in Omaha, Neb., that serves as their national headquarters. Twin beams of lights, with a combined 10-billion candlepower, also illuminated the Omaha skyline each evening during the week of 9/11 in tribute to the World Trade Center.

With the Woodmen of the World/American Red Cross disaster relief partnership, the organization's 800,000 members are encouraged to support the disaster relief work of their local Red Cross chapters. In 2005, following the Gulf Coast hurricanes, Woodmen of the World members reported more than 206,000 hours of volunteer assistance. This included preparing more than 175,000 meals for storm victims, evacuees and rescue workers. Woodmen of the World camp facilities in several states were also used as mass shelter sites. Woodmen of the World is one of the leading presenters of U.S. flags to schools and non-profit groups. There are approximately 2,000 community-based Woodmen of the World lodges throughout the nation. Lodges conduct volunteer, patriotic and charitable activities that benefit individuals and communities. Woodmen of the World lodges have presented more than 1.4 million U.S. flags over the past 60 years.

Tombstones

One of the most enduring physical legacies of the organization may be the number of distinctive headstones erected in the shape of a tree stump. This was an early benefit of Woodmen of the World membership, and the headstones can be found in cemeteries across the nation. This program was abandoned in the 1920s for being too expensive.

Popular culture

In the 2002 film About Schmidt Jack Nicholson plays a retired Woodmen of the World senior executive.

External links

• Template:En icon Official website
• Gravestone Photographs
• More Gravestone Photographs