They are known to have a big heart — they help feed the hungry, help children and adults in need, and donate countless hours of service to their community. “They” are known as Moose members, an international organization of over 1,000,000 men and women.

Moose members recently made one little boy’s Christmas brighter. Roman Zander Niklos, 4, is battling leukemia, diagnosed earlier this year. Niklos, aka Roman Tough, lives in Oswego and through the quick actions of several people at Mooseheart, experienced a day to remember.
Although he always wanted to go to see the Grinch at Disney World, the treatment Niklos is currently undergoing made that trip impossible. Knowing the family has been to see the Holiday Lights at Mooseheart, representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted Mooseheart Executive Director Gary Urwiler on Dec. 15 to see if a trip to see the show could be arranged.
Urwiler and many Moose members arranged a special trip for Niklos, who adores superheroes, to attend the Mooseheart festivities in a limo ride. Moose members dressed in superhero costumes, each giving Niklos a gift. Among those, Superman gave him a cape and Captain America gave him a shield.
Granting his wish, the Grinch escorted Niklos to see Santa Claus in a wheelchair decked out to look like the Batmobile. As he moved to the head of the line to see Santa, those in line broke into applause.
“I had tears in my eyes when I read it,” said Rochelle Moose member Dave Schabacker. “Those that pulled it together in 24 hours…it is so profound they stepped forward for that little boy.”

Rochelle Moose
Schabacker is currently the administrator for the Rochelle Moose Family Center. Not only does the Moose and Women of the Moose (WOTM) provide love and support for Mooseheart children, members also support the community in many ways.
Loyal Order of Moose, LOOM, is the men’s division and has been a sponsor for the Rochelle Little League for several years. LOOM gives a scholarship for Rochelle Township High School seniors as well. WOTM sponsors pool leagues and dart leagues at the Moose Lodge.

The Rochelle Moose also has several fundraisers and raffles. Whether from fundraising, bake sales or 50/50 raffles, several local organizations such as AYSO and Rochelle Children’s Action Network have been recipients of the Lodge’s fundraising efforts. The Moose Lodge has also helped several families that have suffered tragedies such as house fires and illnesses.

The Moose Lodge sponsors the Haunted House maze every Halloween, along with Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, and Christmas with Santa. This year the Lodge presented over 50 gifts to youngsters visiting Santa Claus.
“The Mooseheart kids love to participate in the Lincoln Highway Heritage Festival,” said Pat Maronde, Moose secretary. “This year we sponsored 30 kids…gave them money for food and gave them candy to throw in the parade. The carnival owners generously gave them wristbands to enjoy the rides for the day.”
Both the LOOM and WOTM offer cooked meals each week, and provide great food for the many gatherings held at the Lodge throughout the year.
“We try to make comfort food for everyone to enjoy,” Maronde said.
The Moose also collects aluminum can tabs to bring to the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
Membership fees each year contribute to Mooseheart and Moosehaven, with a small portion kept within each Lodge chapter.
The Moose organization is in every state, four Canadian provinces, Great Britain, and Bermuda, contributing nearly $100 million worth of community service.

Mooseheart
The Moose and the Women of the Moose provide love and support for Mooseheart and sponsor the children who live and learn on campus.
The 1,000-acre campus is home to 220 children in the Chicago suburb of Aurora. Mooseheart is the largest residential childcare facility in the state of Illinois, open to children and teens in need from infancy through high school.

Dedicated in July 1913 by the Moose fraternal organization, Mooseheart cares for youth whose families are unable, for a wide variety of reasons, to care for them. Some have lost one or both parents; others are living in environments that are simply not conducive to healthy growth and development. Whatever the reason, the men and women of the Moose, through unparalleled generosity and volunteerism, furnish the resources necessary to care for children in need. The Moose fraternity provides children with a wholesome home-like environment and the best possible training and education.
Children along with Family Teachers live in one of thirty residents on the campus. The residents are designed like a spacious single-family home and each house six to 12 children.
The adults who live and work on the campus provide an environment for students to grow and thrive.
“The most important adults in the children’s lives at Mooseheart are their Family Teachers,” explained Dave Schabacker. “Family Teachers are live-in house parents who are responsible for every facet of the children’s lives who are entrusted to them.”
Family teachers provide a consistent, systematic method of care, with emphasis on social-skills development, skills essential for success in later life.
Family Teachers are allowed to raise their own children while living with them on the campus. Couples who choose to work as Family Teachers may have up to two children.

Moosehaven
Located near Jacksonville, Florida, Moosehaven is where senior members 65 and older of the Moose Fraternity can go to retire in apartments and condominiums, situated on 70 acres.