Woodmen of the World
Encyclopedia
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members.
Its history includes the erection of numerous distinctive tombstones depicting tree stump
Tree stump
After a tree has been cut and felled, the stump or tree stump is usually a small remaining portion of the trunk with the roots still in the ground. Stumps may show the age-defining rings of a tree. The study of these rings is known as dendrochronology....
s across the country prior to 1930, a program to donate flags, and broadcast interests that were to own the first television station where Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
worked.
History
The organization was founded in 1890 in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, by Joseph Cullen Root. Root, who was a member of several fraternal organizations including the Freemasons, had founded Modern Woodmen of America
Modern Woodmen of America
Modern Woodmen of America is the third-largest fraternal benefit society, with more than 750,000 members. Total assets passed US $9 billion in 2009.-Financial Standing/Rating:...
in Lyons, Iowa, in 1883, after hearing a sermon about "pioneer woodsmen clearing away the forest to provide for their families". Taking his own surname to heart, he wanted to start a Society that "would clear away problems of financial security for its members". Root fell out with the Modern Woodmen of America over accusations of false beneficiary claims. He moved to Omaha, where he started Woodmen of the World on June 6, 1890.
Buildings
The organization formerly owned a 19-story tower at 14th and Farnam Streets which was the tallest building between ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and the West coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
at the time of its dedication in 1912. WOW built its current 30-story Woodmen Tower
Woodmen Tower
The Woodmen Tower is a 478-ft high-rise building at 1700 Farnam Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, and is the headquarters of the Woodmen of the World insurance company. Originally completed in 1969, the Woodmen rises 30 stories...
in 1969. It was Omaha's tallest building until the completion of the 45-story First National Bank Tower
First National Bank Tower
The First National Bank Tower is a 634 ft , 45-story skyscraper at 1601 Dodge Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 2002, it is currently the tallest building in Nebraska. It was built on the site of the former Medical Arts Building which was imploded on April 2, 1999...
in 2002. The original WOW building was demolished in 1977. Also there are many buildings in which Woodmen of the World chapters met, and some of these are notable buildings.
Broadcasting interests
The organization played an important role in broadcast history, until it was forced to divest itself of these holdings because of its non-profit status. On November 27, 1922, the Society began radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
"WOAW", with a signal that reached ships in both the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
from its 500-watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
(later 1,000 watt and eventually 5,000 watt) transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
. In 1926, the station became WOW
Wow
-Business:*WOW!, an internet, cable, and phone company*WOW! , a defunct ISP from CompuServe*WOW, a radio station in Omaha, Nebraska, started in 1922 by Woodmen of the World; today known as KXSP*WOW , English toy company...
after the ship SS Bible which had the callsign was retired.
The organization's non-profit status was to cause a legal battle over ownership of the station. In 1943, the station was leased to an independent organization, Radio Station WOW, Inc. The United States Supreme Court voided the lease, returning it to the Society but keeping the license in the hands of the station. In 1949, the radio station launched WOW-TV
WOWT-TV
WOWT-TV, digital channel 22, virtual channel 6 via PSIP and Cox Communications cable channel 8, is the NBC affiliate television station in Omaha, Nebraska. WOWT also serves the state capital, Lincoln, 52 miles away, with broadcast and cable coverage...
. Among its first performers was Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
, who had a daily show called The Squirrel's Nest where he told jokes, conducted humorous interviews and staged various skits with wacky comic characters.
Stock in the broadcasting company was bought out by Meredith Corporation
Meredith Corporation
The Meredith Corporation is a media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The company has two divisions, National Media and Local Media.-History:...
in 1958, effectively ending the society's relationship with the station, though the WOW name continued. The television station became to WOWT in 1975 to obtain FCC approval of the sale to Chronicle Broadcasting. In 1999, Journal Broadcast Group changed the unusual three-letter radio call sign to KOMJ, later KXSP
KXSP
KXSP 590 AM is a radio station located in Omaha, Nebraska. It currently broadcasts as AM 590, ESPN Radio, an all-sports talk station. The station is owned by Journal Broadcast Group.-History:...
for the AM station. The FM station became KQCH
KQCH
KQCH is the callsign for the Omaha, Nebraska-based Top 40 FM radio station "Channel 94.1". It is owned by Journal Broadcast Group.-History:KQCH's origins began in 1999, when it flipped from Adult Contemporary to Rhythmic Contemporary as "Channel 97.7"...
.
Programs
Today, Woodmen of the World provides financial solutions to approximately 800,000 members in the US. These include life insurance and annuities, cancer insurance, and access to mutual fundMutual fund
A mutual fund is a professionally managed type of collective investment scheme that pools money from many investors to buy stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, and/or other securities.- Overview :...
s, 529 College Savings Plan
529 plan
A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged investment vehicle in the United States designed to encourage saving for the future higher education expenses of a designated beneficiary.- Overview :529 plans are named after section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code...
s and other financial services. Members are also eligible to receive a wide array of fraternal benefits. These include participation in a youth program, a camping experience for youth and senior members, disaster relief assistance, a prescription drug discount card, and monetary support for members' orphaned children. Another aspect of the organization's patriotic mission is the annual In Honor and Remembrance program, which pays tribute to the heroes and victims of the September 11th attacks.
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
, illuminated the Omaha skyline each evening during the week of 9/11 in tribute to the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
With the Woodmen of the World/American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
disaster relief partnership, the organization's 800,000 members are encouraged to support the disaster relief work of their local Red Cross chapters. In 2005, following the Gulf Coast hurricanes, Woodmen of the World members reported more than 206,000 hours of volunteer assistance. This included preparing more than 175,000 meals for storm victims, evacuees and rescue workers. Woodmen of the World camp facilities in several states were also used as mass shelter sites. Woodmen of the World is one of the leading presenters of U.S. flags to schools and non-profit groups. There are approximately 2,000 community-based Woodmen of the World lodges throughout the nation. Lodges conduct volunteer, patriotic and charitable activities that benefit individuals and communities. Woodmen of the World lodges have presented more than 1.4 million U.S. flags over the past 60 years.
Tombstones
Typically the headstones would include a depiction of the WOW relics—symbols of the organization. These include most notably a stump or felled tree (inscribed into a more generic monument in some cases, rather than the more noticeable instances of the entire monument being in the shape of the log or tree-stump); the maul and wedge; an axe; and often a Dove of Peace with an olive branch. As Woodmen "do not lie" a common inscription: "Here rests a Woodman of the World".
Popular culture
In the 2002 film About SchmidtAbout Schmidt
About Schmidt is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. It is loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. Many of the scenes were filmed on location, especially in Omaha, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado...
, Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
plays a retired Woodmen of the World actuary
Actuary
An actuary is a business professional who deals with the financial impact of risk and uncertainty. Actuaries provide expert assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms ....
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