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updated on 03-27-02
These are answers to some of the questions I get somewhat regularly in my email. Also, some general information I've placed here in question-form. If you have a question that has not been answered by this page, or you've thought of something you feel should be listed on this page, then please email me.
What is Rainbow.org? Why do you have this domain?Rainbow.org is a personal website belonging to me. I registered it in the spring of '97, when I was planning to work with a group of girls and adults trying to start an Assembly in Northern California, and was asked to join their board as the Assistant Mother Advisor. Sadly, my family had one of those "family emergencies" (due to my grandmother's health), and that required my full attention for well over a year. Then, I moved into my own place, started planning my wedding, got married (after five and a half years of being 'engaged' - think I rushed into things?), and bought a house, which of course needed some fixing up. All that took up most of my time till Spring of 2001, when I actually started working on this website.
What is Rainbow.org all about?
It's about the youth group I belonged to as a teen and am still involved with today. The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
A youth group for girls between the ages of 11 and 21. For a better explanation, see this question.
Are you some kind of official site?Nope! That's www.iorg.org, home of Supreme Assembly's official website.
My site, www.rainbow.org, is a personal one, with information about Rainbow for Girls, term help, ideas, web graphics, a Grand Jurisdiction database, and much more (see the Site Map for a list of everything available on this site). Please remember that the opinions and viewpoints expressed on www.rainbow.org are not necessarily those of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls!
Isn't Supreme Assembly's site... well, lame, though?Yep!
But they are the offical site, and the final word on things. I did offer to help them with some graphics and site design (template pages they could modify) back in 1998, but got no reply. Hopefully they will redo their website and make it the useful tool it is supposed to be. (hint, hint!) They have improved it, marginally... anyone else remember the garish yellow page?
Why are you doing this? Why do you have Rainbow.org?To show that Rainbow is really a lot of fun. I want to have (and receive) term planning ideas, membership ideas, traditions from other Assemblies, trivia, history, and useful tools for Rainbow Girls, in order to boost morale and our membership. I also hope to spark interest in some young girls, and get them curious about Rainbow, and (hopefully) get them interested in joining.
Do you know where I can buy Rainbow Girls' (jewelry, supplies, items, etc.)?I sure do! Please check out the Where to Find page, where I have information on Supreme Assembly, Lindeburg's, Stange, and other retailers.
By visiting Supreme Assembly's website. They should have the information you're looking for on their website. They also have links to state & country (called Grand) jurisdictions, and you can visit the website for your state (or country) and email them for further information.
Two alternate (read: better and more frequently updated) place to find Rainbow Girls' websites are: Tracy Assembly's Rainbow 'Round the World page, and The Open Directory Project's IORG subcategory, which I am editor of. Currently both have over 200 sites listed!
Is your domain name for sale?No.
What are the little "[EoF]" things that are at the bottom of all the pages?Those stand for "End of File", something I put on the original Rainbow.org pages because they were so lengthy with text galore. EOF is a computer term that dates back some thirty years or so. I included it just to be cool -- what can I say? I'm a bit of a techie-geek, having been "online" since late 1991.
How did you do the graphics for the site?By fooling around with Paint Shop Pro a lot. A lot of the little icons and things are from picture fonts (I don't know the proper term for them) like 'Wingdings'. The emblem on the main page was something I scanned in, realized it looked awful, and spent a week or so cleaning it up, pixel by pixel in some spots, and recoloring it. That is why I don't want it used elsewhere -- it was hard work!
What's with the moving link graphics on some of the pages? / How'd you DO that?1. To grab people's attention, and to make the site a little neater. It's turned into eye-candy, though... I can't tell you the number of people who just sit there and make all the little buttons flip over and over and over again, some 30 or more times. (yes, it does show up in the system log) I will admit that I was so pleased with how it turned out, though, that I did play around with it myself at first!
2. Javascript. I didn't do it myself. One of the fringe benefits of marrying a computer geek is that I can say something like, "gee, wouldn't it be neat if I could make this happen?" and he'll start typing at his computer and send me a URL link saying "check this out", and presto! I've got my cool item. Sorry, the script is his intellectual property, but there are javascript sites out there that have cut and paste code that will do the same thing.
Who are you?Sorry, not telling! I like my privacy. I will tell you that I am a Majority Member of an Assembly in California, and I am a member in good standing of OES, also here in California, tho I'm not currently active with Star. I am also a member of the Order of the Amaranth here in California, and am active with that organization. I do try and travel to some area (northern California) Assemblies for meetings, Official Visits, Installations, fundraisers and other events from time to time (especially if I've been invited or told about it - hint, hint!)
Why are you being anonymous?1. (see above.) 2. Some of the viewpoints I've taken on this site could be considered improper to the wrong person. I am starting to get involved in Rainbow locally again; I worry that people might misconstrue what I'm saying and think I'm "bad" for Rainbow, and refuse to let me get involved.
What do you think is wrong with Rainbow today?Hmm. Nothing, and everything. I can't generalize; things are great in some places, not so great in others, and there are many different reasons for that. I would say that part of the problem is the outdated way Rainbow does things; the old-fashioned mindset, and the "we've done it that way since 194x, why should we change it now?". It's not as appealing as it was, say, thirty-five years ago, especially with all the other options available for the teen-aged girl. Fortunately, the Rainbow Revitalization Task Force is working to change that. Kudos to them!
Is Rainbow a cult or something?Good heavens no! Rainbow is a group for young girls (11-20 years of age), and local Assemblies are sponsored by Masonic Lodges, or Eastern Star Chapters, or Amaranth Courts, or a group comprised of those three orders, and/or Majority Members. I guess we're kind of like the Girl Scouts, only we don't have anything as awesome as Thin Mints to sell. We wear a uniform of a sort (formal dresses at some functions, skirts or nice dress slacks at others), we do fundraising to help many charities, and we have oodles of fun.
The only thing Rainbow asks is that you believe in God. Just like Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts. We take an oath to respect our parents, become involved in the church of our choice, be a true friend, be patriotic, and be of service to others. We have a member handshake, just like the Scouts. We wear jewelry, like Scouts, or many Sorority or Fraternity members do. Parents & legal guardians are allowed at our meetings; there are no secrets their daughters must keep from them. We have a Ritual, which is the name of our book of ceremonies and meeting procedures and lectures which teach the lessons of the Holy Bible. Our Ritual was written by an ordained minister, Rev. W. Mark Sexson.
I've seen websites that say Rainbow is un-Christian, which is really startling to me. Maybe they think that because Rainbow allows girls of other faiths (Catholic, Jewish, etc.) to join, we aren't Christian? The 'requirement' for joining Rainbow for Girls is that you believe in the one true and living God. We encourage girls to be active in the church of their choice, but we don't preach about religion, or go cramming 'one way of thinking' down people's throats. Christianity is not Judaism is not Catholicism is not any other kind of religious belief. The Boy Scouts don't let atheists join -- neither does Rainbow. I sure don't see anyone calling the Boy Scouts un-Christian!
Is this some kind of a gay and lesbian organization?Nope! Rainbow's been around since 1922. The rainbow flag that has recently become associated with the gay and lesbian scene was not created till the late 1970's. Much to our dismay, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls had to change our Rainbow Banner (a flag with the seven colors of the rainbow which, unfortunately, looked too much like the 'rainbow pride' flag's six-colored rainbow) to a white flag with the offical Rainbow emblem in the center.
It's a service organization (read: charitable deeds) for young ladies between the ages of 11 and 20. It teaches lessons such as: A belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, the great truths of the Holy Bible, to seek dignity of character, to love and respect the out-of-doors, a conception of the higher things of life, effective leadership, the importance of church membership, a true sense of patriotism, co-operation with equals, love of home, family, and friends, and unselfish service towards others.
It is so much fun, too! The members have a lot of activities, like dances, fun trips and sleepovers. We do a lot of fundraising and charity work, too, like washing cars, holding pancake breakfasts, making tray favors for people in care homes, donating food, clothing and toys to shelters and other organizations that help the needy... there are so many different things that Rainbow Girls can do in their Assemblies that it would take hours to list!
Rainbow for Girls is a great way to make many new friends, have safe activities to be involved with, to improve your confidence, learn leadership skills, and have so much fun! So many former members of Rainbow say that it changed their life for the better; that it helped them overcome their shyness and boosted their confidence. Quite a few members received scholarships through Rainbow and the Masonic Bodies that sponsor Rainbow, and helped to further their education.
Can you imagine yourself and a few of your friends walking into a fast-food restaurant in floor-length formals, maybe wearing a sash, and perhaps even a tiara or crown on your head, and confidently ordering a meal? It's a normal thing for Rainbow Girls who are, say, on their way to or from a function, or perhaps their annual state convention (Grand Assembly).
Would you ever think yourself capable of getting up in front of your class, or your whole school, and cheerfully giving a speech or lecture on something, confidently making eye-contact with everyone, without getting nervous, shuffling through notes or having your voice quiver? How about singing in front of people? Being in Rainbow accustoms you to doing things like this, because each officer learns memory work, or gives speeches, reports, and flag tributes, as well as the opportunity to be part of choirs and other competitions at the annual state convention. Knowing that most everyone in the Assembly room with you has at one time been in your nervous, self-concious state of mind gives you the opportunity to relax, not stress over everything, and discover your skills and talents.
How can I find out more about Rainbow for Girls?By visiting Supreme Assembly's website. They should have the information you're looking for on their website. They also have links to state & country (called Grand) jurisdictions, and you can visit the website for your state (or country) and email them for further information.
You can also read about what the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is here on Rainbow.org.
And, as always, I am happy to try and answer your questions! Feel free to email me if you'd like help finding a Rainbow Girls Assembly (local club) in your area!
Does being involved with Rainbow cost money?Yes, but not a lot! There are the yearly dues (which vary for each Assembly but are normally $10 or less), and there is a small fee when you submit your petition (to cover supplies [paperwork, etc.]) for Initiation. Sometimes you have to wear formals (depending on which Jurisdiction you live in; dress codes right now vary in each state), but usually there are hand-me-down formals that other girls in the Assembly have outgrown, or there is a parent or board member who sews, and will make you a dress for the cost of fabric and notions.
Other things, like fun trips to amusement parks, or Grand Assembly (the yearly convention) do cost money, but I have seen adult sponsors who donate money to help girls afford the costs of attending them. Or the Assembly raises enough money to cover a good portion of things, or you get a group discount to lessen the price.
Rainbow is a part of the Masonic family. Key word here -- family. We help each other out. I've seen my dad buy lunch at McDonalds for a dozen of us girls so we could save our money for the vendors at Grand Assembly; I've seen other board members and adults help in similar ways. I even know of a board member who paid a lump sum to cover one girl's dues for the next five years, because her parents were divorcing and her mother was nearly broke after the whole court ordeal.
Is Rainbow like Job's Daughters, or DeMolay? What are DeMolay and Job's Daughters?DeMolay is an organization for young men, similar to Rainbow for Girls, that teaches leadership and respect towards others, in addition to many other lessons. They are also involved in community service. You can read all about DeMolay at their official website.
Job's Daughters is an organization for young ladies, also similar to Rainbow, but they require that their members have a Mason for a relative. Their teachings are similar to Rainbow's, but based mostly around the lessons from the book of Job. You can learn more about Job's Daughters at their official website.
Do you have a question about Rainbow.org, or the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and you didn't find the answer here? Think there's something I should add to this page? Then email me and ask; I will do my best to answer in a timely manner!
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