Grande Prairie's Royal Purple #107 is part of a national women's charitable organization that, along with their partner organization , The Elks, supports community needs and its national charity, Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children. The club in Grande Prairie was organized in Oct., 1947 and received its charter on January 29, 1948. The officers are the Honored Royal Lady (lodge president), the Immediate Past Honored Royal Lady (past president), the Associate Royal Lady (first vice-president), Loyal Lady (second vice-president), Lecturing Lady (third vice-president), Secretary, Treasurer, Conductress, Chaplain, Inner Guard, Outer Guard, and Pianist. At the Initiation Ceremony, new members are escorted around the room and officers present each with four charges: Justice, Charity, Love and Fidelity, symbolized by their floral emblem, the purple pansy. The Draping of the Charter is a ceremony conducted in honor of a member who has died and involves actual draping of the original charter with a purple cloth. The pianist provides music which is key to all the drills and ceremonies.The group has supported many community projects over the years. They have held raffles, bake sales, catered events, disitributed Christmas hampers and worked concession booths at fairs and bingos in order to support community services such as CNIB, Cancer Society, Red Cross, Grace Children's Home, Meals on Wheels, Peace School of Hope, the Grande Prairie Hospital and many other charitable causes. By 1970, the lodge had a membership of 125. In 1972 they had three work teams: the Catering Committee, looking after 37 banquets that year; the Bingo Committee, in charge of the booth at Elks bingos; and the Sunshine Committee, which sent out 65 cards, 24 gifts, 26 bouquets and made 42 home visits and 35 hospital visits. The membership in 2007 is 61. Of the 26 charter members, three are still living: Pollyanna Kilgour, Thelma Crough, and Martha Tofer.
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South Peace Regional Archives
Title based on contents of the fonds.
The fonds consists of Royal Purple history records from 1947-1977, minutes from 1948-1982, financial records from 1973-1996, photographs from 1950-1996, publications from 1955-1995, and news clippings both loose and in a scrapbook from 1960-1996.
The records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives in June 2005, by Marion Shofner, and in May, 2006, by Sam Lowe.
The records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives in June 2005, by Marion Shofner on behalf of the Grande Prairie Royal Purple #107, and in May, 2006, by Sam Lowe from his wife's mother's collection.
There are no restrictions on access.
A finding aid is available at http://southpeacearchives.org/gp-royal-purple-107/
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The series consists of records of the group's officers, members and activities such as initiations and tributes, fund raising activities and donation recipients. They worked together with their brother Elks in building and operating the Elks Hall. Many photos are contained within the history books.
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The series consists of the minutes of the group from 1948-1977.
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The series consists of financial statements from 1972-1993 and includes a summary of financial dispursements from 1969-1996.
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The series consists of one photo album from 1947-1969, and loose photographs from 1950-1996, covering member initiations and installations, meetings, conventions, social activities and community service.
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Grande Prairie Lodge #107 of the Royal Purple members and officers 1953-54.
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H.R.L. Emma Mayer at the podium in the old Elks Hall.
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Pianist Lady Frantzen of Grande Prairie Royal Purple Branch #107 at the piano in the old Elks Hall on 102 Avenue.
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Royal Purple Day
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District Meeting of the Order of the Royal Purple in Grande Prairie, featuring the Honoured Royal Ladies and the Past Honoured Royal Ladies and the Drill Team.
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Millie Frantzen receives her life membership certificate from Lorraine Mailer, District Deputy, Royal Purple, Grande Prairie Branch #107 in 1958. Standing behind is Exie Morris.
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PS Honoured Royal Lady M. Waite at the Supreme Lodge Convention in Winnipeg in 1958.
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Mrs.Houseworth receives documents from Grande Prairie Royal Purple representative awarding Grace Children's Home a new clothes dryer.
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Residents at Grace Children's Home examine the new clothes dryer donated by Royal Purple, Grande Prairie Branch #107.
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Curling Team representing Grande Prairie Branch of the Royal Purple includes Tim Crough and Evelyn Durda.
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Presentation of cups and saucers for perfect attendance in 1963-64.
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Lady Diana Hanson installing the officers in 1965.
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Rycroft Lodge when they brought the gavel to Grande Prairie.
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Front Row: Betty Belford, Peggy Smith, Elvina Peterson, Sheila Meier, Ruby Konrad. Back Row: Rose Legace, Helene Stretch, Evelyn Durda, Barbara Childs, Anne Fortowsky, Kae Whitlock, Martha Sjerdal, Ethel Rutledge, Betty Wiens, Irene Martens
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Elks Drill Team assisting with the installation of officers, Grande Prairie Royal Purple,1969
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A popular fundraiser for the Grande Prairie Branch of the Royal Purple was the Shopping Spree. The winner of the raffle had a specified amount of time (e.g. 3 minutes) to race down the aisles and gather as much food as they could.
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Royal Purple officers at the District Convention include (r to l): PSHRL Irene Francour, Daisy Labar, Amy Casins, Carol Reich, Diane Hanson and PSHRL Onagh Hoeght.
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Mayor Jim May signs the proclamation for Speeh & Hearing Month in May 1975.
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Donation of an upright hair dryer to Pioneer Lodge. First photograph shows Royal Purple ladies Myrtle Webb, Florence Knox, Kae Whitlock and Elsie Lazruk with a resident of the lodge and a lodge employee. Second photograph shows Elsie Lazruk fixing the resident's hair.
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HRL Elsie Lazruk interacting with the children at the Peace School of Hope in June 1980.
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Pearl Coon, the District Deputy for Royal Purple in Northwestern Alberta in 1947-1948, came to the Rolla area with her husband in 1915 and lived in Rolla and Dawson Creek for most of her life.
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Ann Howarth, of Grande Prairie, was the Honoured Royal Lady in charge of Grande Prairie Branch #107 of Royal Purple for the 1948-1949 year.
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The series consists of publications including "A History of Purpledom in District 15, Alberta and British Columbia", Lodge Directory 1966, and District and National Convention programs.
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The series consists of a scrapbook of clippings recording activities of the group from 1969-1976, and loose clippings from 1960-1996.