Roma Lodge #1573 Tulare, CA

Roma Lodge has nearly 60 junior members 18 years of age or younger. Junior members are the lifeblood of any local lodge and represent the future of the organization. As a child I remember not being allowed into lodge meetings as ritual and protocol mandated no children be allowed in the meeting during the business session. Those days are long gone, and it is a good thing. How can we expect our younger members to become involved in lodge activities and take on leadership roles if they have never experienced what local lodges do?

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic is having the same affect on our children and grandchildren. Roma Lodge annually has a special night in August just for junior members. A special meal of hamburgers, hotdogs, crinkle fries, chicken strips and popsicles make for a fun night. A special raffle is held just for juniors as they get their choice of many back-to-school items they can choose from. They assume the officer chairs and run the meeting. We had to cancel our meeting because of the pandemic. These children have been out of school since March and may not be able to attend school again, in person, until January or later which may cause irreversible damage to their learning and social skills. Let us all pray this pandemic is over soon and we can resume our meetings and social activities for our junior members.

Roma Lodge members are saddened with the passing of Pat Maffia who was born October 20, 1928 in Petaluma, California. Pat and wife Carol joined Roma Lodge in May of 1972 making them nearly 50-year members of the lodge. Pat was the son of Pietro and Maria Maffia, Italian immigrants. Pat was the ninth out of eleven children and grew up on the family’s dairy farm. He was raised and educated in Petaluma. In 1950 he joined the army and served in Korea. After his service in the army he returned to Petaluma and went into delivering propane.

In 1965 Pat and Carol started a dairy business in Santa Rosa and later that year the family and dairy moved to Sonoma. The family and dairy relocated to Tulare in 1971, and finally settled in Tipton two years later.

Pat was a longtime supporter of Roma Lodge. He spent many hours in his shop and was a wood craftsman designing and building many wooden toys. He donated several to our queen’s garage sale fundraiser. After he retired from the dairy business Pat and Carol traveled extensively. Pat always said that he had seen all he wanted to see, done all he ever wanted to do, and had few regrets.

Farewell Brother Domingo “Pat” Maffia