Belen Chapter Welcomes Order of the Eastern Star Statewide Leaders

The volunteers inside Bethlehem Lodge No. 56 on Goebel Avenue donate time and money to Belen-area charities year-round without much fanfare. Last Saturday, that work drew attention from the highest levels of New Mexico's Order of the Eastern Star.

Worthy Grand Matron Cavell Ann Miller and Worthy Grand Patron Jay D. Miller completed their official chapter visit to Jessamine Chapter No. 45 on March 28 at the lodge, located at 607 Goebel Ave. in Belen. The visit placed the chapter's service record and member achievements before the organization's two top statewide officers, in a formal accounting that each New Mexico chapter hosts annually.

Jessamine No. 45 used the occasion to recognize members who hold appointments at both the New Mexico grand chapter and the general grand chapter levels of the Order of the Eastern Star. Those dual appointments connect individual Belen members to an organization of more than 220,000 members worldwide, a scale that underscores how far the reach of a chapter on a quiet Belen side street can extend.

New Mexico's Order of the Eastern Star channels collective effort into military and veteran support programs, youth scholarships, and community service initiatives. Jessamine No. 45 carries that work into Valencia County through direct charitable giving and hands-on volunteer activity.

This was not Jessamine No. 45's first time hosting statewide leadership in this capacity. The chapter received a similar official visit in 2023, and the recurring visits have become a reliable moment for local chapters to present their progress and deepen ties with the state organization. Those visits tend to generate momentum, with new volunteer interest and heightened fundraising activity typically following in the months after statewide officers come through.

Bethlehem Lodge No. 56 at 607 Goebel Ave. holds regular meetings. Anyone interested in the chapter's charitable programs or upcoming service events can contact Jessamine No. 45 through the lodge.