Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International

History

The Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International was founded in 1906 by a group of insurance field men who were trapped by cold rainy weather at a Fieldmen's Club annual meeting in Green Lake, Wisconsin.

As an idea to pass the time, they designated a fraternal lodge complete with special titles for officers.  The name of the Order was selected in commemoration of a tavern frequented by the male student body of the University of Wisconsin.

From these inauspicious beginnings sprang an international organization with a membership of approximately 10,000.  The members of the Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International represent all aspects of the insurance industry, and strives to maintain a strong sense of fellowship.

Objectives:

The primary goal of the Order is to promote character, charity and fellowship among its members, while also providing opportunities for education.  These objectives are manifest in a number of ways.  Each chapter is called a Pond and helps to support a charity of its choice.  The international is called the Grand Nest and can provide matching funds for worthwhile projects. 

In instilling the objective qualities in the members, the Order uses the guidelines provided by the Blue Goose.  The Blue Goose qualities are: courage, wisdom, faithfulness, complete order and decorum and mating for a lifetime.

Membership:

Our Honorable Order is open to members of the insurance industry, including property, casualty and life companies, their agents and service provides.  This is one of the strengths of the Blue Goose.  It is the only fraternal organization comprised of members from a broad spectrum of the insurance industry.  We meet monthly for fellowship in a friendly, enjoyable and relaxed social setting.  Members of the Order are called Ganders, regardless of their gender.  Goslings (applicants) are initiated into the ways of the order through a ceremony penned by our founding fathers in 1906. A Gander becomes a 'life member' with 25 years of continuous paid membership, at which time he/she no longer pays dues.

Please contact one of our Board Members to find out more about our organization, or join us for one of our monthly meetings (see events for meeting details).

Organization:

Each pond has six elected officers.  The Most Loyal Gander functions as the President of the Pond.  The Supervisor of the Flock functions as the Vice President of the Pond and stands in for the Most Loyal Gander.  The Custodian of the Goslings acts like a second Vice President in charge of membership.  The Guardian of the Pond functions as the Sergeant of Arms for the Pond.  The Keeper of the Golden Goose Egg functions as the Treasurer or the Pond.  The Wielder of the Goose Quill functions as the Secretary of the Pond.

Grand Nest, or International, Officers bear the same titles as those in the Pond, except that the prefix "Grand" is used to distinguish the high decree of achievement.