‘Our fraternity is a group of individuals working together for the betterment of mankind.’

Gene Huggins wins vote at International Convention, begins full term as Supreme Governor

Supreme Governor
Eugene Huggins

By DARRYL MELLEMA

> Long before all the parading and celebrating in Orlando at the end of June, Gene Huggins had already been traveling since February as the Moose fraternity’s Supreme Governor.

So when he was formally voted into the position for a full term at the International Convention, he was already familiar with the role and had some experiences to share.

“Everybody is so receptive and open to the Supreme Governor, Huggins said. “We’ve met a lot of wonderful people. We renewed a lot of friendships because we already know people from every state.”

The “we” involves Huggins and his wife Diane, with whom he has had the special pleasure to travel.

“She always has been by my side during the 40 years that I have been a Moose member,” Huggins said.

Diane has been battling cancer for the past few years, but is feeling strong this summer--and Huggins thanked all present at the Convention for their thoughts and prayers as he and Diane embark on a full year of travels as Supreme Governor.

Huggins, 67, a member at Batavia, IL Lodge 682, becomes just the second Batavia Lodge member to serve as Supreme Governor. The previous Supreme Governor from that Lodge was Rodney Brandon, the first superintendent at Mooseheart from 1913-16, who served as the fraternity’s chief presiding officer in 1930-31.

Huggins’ sense of service, in evidence throughout his four decades as a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, came to the fore once again this year when he stepped into the role of Supreme Governor when Bill Scott’s business commitments made him unable to fulfill the duties of the position and caused the Ontario based attorney to have to step down.

Huggins said he hopes to have a chance to discuss various Moose Community Service programs such as Tommy Moose and the Youth Awareness Program in his travels, in addition to the programs of Mooseheart and Moosehaven.

“I’d like to spread the word about the Moose,” Huggins said. “Whether it’s enrolling people or awards ceremonies, I’d like to be able to go and talk about the Moose.”

Too often, he says, the Moose can be the ‘best-kept secret’ in some communities--a fact in the process of being changed. “Our fraternity is a group of individuals working together for the betterment of all mankind,” Huggins said. “We offer people a chance to connect together in what is a disconnected society.”

The focal point is the Lodge, and Huggins said he is looking forward to visiting as many Lodges as possible in the coming year.

“There’s room for Lodges that are run as businesses with a heart,” Huggins said.

Huggins joined the Moose at Batavia on Aug. 20, 1967. Ever since, when he has been asked to serve, he has always willingly agreed to do as much as he could, though he admits that the position of Supreme Governor was never really part of his plans.

“I realized it would be a possibility when I got on the Supreme Council,” Huggins said. “But when I served on other boards, it wasn’t my objective to do anything other than serve on those boards.”

Huggins became active in the Moose Ritual program when he joined the Lodge Ritual staff in 1969.

“Before I went on the team, they had been champions,” Huggins said. “So I was replacing a guy who was a champion on an International championship team. I was always a team player, to try to pick up a score. I never thought of being a top (individual) Ritualist, although I ended up being that way.”

As Supreme Governor, Gene Huggins said he hopes to travel as much as possible with his wife, Diane.

As time went on, Lodge members began asking Huggins if he would help in additional ways, and he always did as much as he could--while juggling his family responsibilities as well as his career as an executive in the industrial-storage industry (he is now retired).

“I helped with various different chairs, but it was never my desire to be the (Lodge) Governor,” Huggins said. “It was just my desire to help. Then there came a point in time where they needed a Governor and they asked and I said ‘yes.’

Huggins said a similar pattern followed with the roles on District Committees and eventually District President.

“Some people call this a Moose career,” Huggins said. “I never called it that. I’ve always been busy and satisfied at work and had plenty to do. But then when I was asked, I would do it.”

Though he never “campaigned” for additional duties, Huggins didn’t balk at the additional steps along what eventually became a Moose career.

Huggins has served on the Community Service Board as well as the Boards of Directors for both Mooseheart and Moosehaven.

Starting with his service on the Ritual staff, Huggins began to see the varied landscape of the fraternity. As the team was successful, they traveled to a number of Lodges in the Midwest. Later as a Ritual judge, he traveled further across the continent.

That globetrotting will continue at a more hectic pace than ever before as Supreme Governor. Huggins has already started his travels in his time finishing Scott’s term of office; his first stop was Louisville, KY, which he considers a highlight as it was the city where Dr. J. Henry Wilson founded the initial Moose Order in 1888.

“It’s been great,” Huggins said. “It’s been tremendous.”