Iowa City Moose Family Center Celebrates Centennial

IOWA CITY - The Iowa City Moose Family Center celebrates its 100th birthday this weekend, but let's get some misconceptions out of the way first.

Members do not wear moose heads to lodge meetings.

This isn't a men only organization - women can join Women of the Moose.

And it's not a bunch of old men sitting around drinking beer.

"After my third visit, I decided to join," says Brian Sekafetz, 42, an active member since 1996. "This isn't just a place where guys sit around and drink beer."

While the Loyal Order of Moose was founded in 1888 in Kentucky as a men's organization, a young John J. Davis transformed the faltering club into a dynamic organization from 1906 to 1912 (Iowa City's charter was signed Aug. 16, 1912) by focusing on children. The Women of the Moose became reality in the ‘20s - 1932 in Iowa City. About 15 years ago, the emphasis became families.

"That's why we built this place," says Brian. "We didn't have room for all of the kids' stuff."

The Moose Family Center, along Highway 6 on the east edge of Iowa City, features the bar and restaurant you'd expect. But it also has a great room for large gatherings and activities, a room filled with children's toys and games, an outdoor playground, a pavilion beside a well-manicured pond, a softball diamond, horseshoes pits and even a five-spot campground.

"We want families to come down here. We want kids. That's our focus," says Brian, who is president of the Iowa and Eastern Nebraska Moose Association that oversees 23 chapters.

The anniversary celebration, titled "Seeing Through the Eyes of Children for 100 Years," is just that, from dinner and music tonight, to festivities all day Saturday that include kids' activities and evening fireworks.

The emphasis on kids began when Mooseheart, a residential school for children of members who had fallen on hard times, opened in 1913 near Aurora, Ill., with a class of 11 students. Funded entirely from memberships and fund raisers, it has served thousands of children from preschool to high school graduation.

At the other end of the spectrum, Moosehaven, near Jacksonville, Fla., was founded in 1922 as a comprehensive retirement community for Moose members.

"But, we don't just think about what we do, we think about what the community needs," Brian says.

The Iowa City center, with nearly 800 men and women members, helps with everything from raising money for the burn unit at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to holding a raffle for United Action for Youth to adopting local schools for volunteer activities.

With membership costing $60 a year, Brian says joining is affordable and you can always find a member sponsor.

"We're always looking for new members, but we can't advertise - rules," Brian says. "Moose is a well-kept secret."

The Celebration:

The 100th anniversary celebration of the Iowa City Moose Family Center, 3151 Highway 6 East begins tonight at 5 p.m. with dinner followed by live music indoors from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday festivities begin with breakfast burritos at 8 a.m. and include a formal program at 2 p.m., activities for kids and adults (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), live music from 6 p.m. to midnight and fireworks at dusk, weather permitting.

Sunday features a continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and games beginning at 11 a.m.