What's Up, Doc? Realizing the Value of Job's Daughters

By Randall Freeman, PhD

Last Saturday, the Menifee Job’s Daughters assisted the Masonic Lodge and the Menifee Valley Community Cupboard in passing out holiday food baskets to over 250 local families. That evening, they served at a Masonic dinner function honoring a longtime member. Sunday, the girls traveled on a mystery trip to Riverside to have dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. This was followed by a visit to the Festival of Lights at the Mission Inn.

Job’s Daughters is a Masonic youth group for girls ages 10-20 who have some Masonic relation in their family history. The group was founded in 1920 to provide an opportunity for young women to work together, to learn about themselves and to help others. For over 90 years, Job's Daughters has been actively promoting friendship and service.

Meetings follow a long tradition of order. The officers wear traditional Grecian robes, symbols of democracy and equality, provided by the Bethel (membership group). Other members wear dresses to meetings. Meetings are held twice a month. Programs are planned and conducted by the members with the help of certified adult volunteers.

Becoming a Job's Daughter does not involve an embarrassing ritual or test of courage. Initiations are solemn, meaningful ceremonies presented by Bethel officers. Parents are welcome at initiations and all of the meetings.

To be a member of Job's Daughters is to be part of a group that promotes friendship among young women and confidence in themselves. The group takes its name from the Biblical Book of Job, and in particular to a reference in the 42nd Chapter that says, "And in all the land were no women found so fair as the Daughters of Job."

Job’s Daughters support H.I.K.E. as their primary charity. The term HIKE is an acronym for Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment. It is incorporated as a not-for-profit charity under the law of the State of Nebraska and registered with the Internal Revenue Services as a tax exempt charity. H.I.K.E. provides assistance for children with hearing loss to achieve improved communication skills.

The Menifee Bethel meets at the Masonic Lodge on McCall Boulevard just east of Interstate 215. They meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays beginning at 7 p.m. The adult in charge of the group is called the Bethel Guardian. She works with the girls to plan all meetings and group activities. My wife, Karen Freeman, is the Bethel Guardian for the Menifee Bethel.

My four daughters -- Daniela, Sarah, Holly, and Megan -- are all active members of Job’s Daughters. I have witnessed great things happening in the young lives of my children, as well as many other young ladies. Life-long friendships are developed in the group. The girls learn leadership skills, including running meetings, planning calendars, and public speaking. Job’s Daughters is a wonderful experience for any young girl.

Randall Freeman and his family have lived in Menifee since 1993. Randy teaches kindergarten in Perris and his wife Karen teaches first grade here in Menifee at Freedom Crest Elementary School. They are the parents of four daughters: Daniela, 17, and 13-year-old triplets Sarah, Holly, and Megan. Randy earned his PhD in early childhood education in 2011 and has served on the Menifee Union School Board since 2008. As he explains it, this makes him Karen's boss for the first and only time in the marriage. His column will appear here every other Tuesday.