(This article first appeared in the July print edition of the Hendersonian)
Hendersonian James Floyd, a longtime member of numerous fraternal organizations, has been appointed to the board of directors for Mooseheart, an unincorporated city overseen by Moose International where children who are in need can go to live and study. His term began June 1.
“More or less, Mooseheart is a child city where we take care of kids from birth to high school,” Floyd said in an interview with the Hendersonian during a break in his duties working the St. John’s Lodge #4 (Mason’s) food stand at the W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival.
Some of the children who live in Mooseheart—on a 1,000 acre site 38 miles west of Chicago—have lost a parent or parents, and some are simply from areas that aren’t conducive to the child’s development, according to its website. It has been around for more than 100 years, dedicated in 1913 by the Moose, said the website.
In addition to being a member of the local Moose Lodge for 12 years and St. John’s Lodge for 48 years, Floyd has racked up other appointments and joined a number of other organizations since he retired as a cable repair technician.
He said at the time of his retirement 12 years ago from Bell South where he worked for 40 years, he’d planned to spend his time golfing in the mornings and riding motorcycles in the afternoons.
“God had other plans for me,” he said.
One afternoon, he was out riding motorcycles when he stopped in at the Moose. He left with an application to join the Moose #732 in his hand and soon he was a member.
From then, he’s been active in the organization, serving as a past governor of the local lodge, past president of the West Kentucky Moose Legion #56 and since September 2023, he’s served as the Kentucky Moose Association president.
He said perhaps the Mooseheart board saw some of his “good works” as reason to appoint him to its board.
Mooseheart takes in children and offers a supportive environment before they get into the welfare system, he said. He added that there are 120 children living there now and most are minorities—Asian, Black or Hispanic.
And the system in place at Mooseheart is working—every student that graduated in the most recent senior class is going to college or a trade school, Floyd said.
As he’s just stepping into his role on the board, which includes eight others, Floyd said he’ll initially be more of an observer, learning the ropes of how things are done while looking for areas that he can offer some expertise.
Other organizations that Floyd has been a part of—and this is, by his count, not all of them—include the Shriner’s in Evansville, where he was past potentate and past imperial deputy; the local Elks #206 where he joined four years ago; Sons of the American Legion, Otis Stone Post #354; American Legion Riders (a motorcycle group); the local American Legion Worsham Post #40.
Asked why he’s involved in so much, Floyd said, “I’m a people person.
“I like to give back, and I try to treat people the way I like to be treated.”
Being as busy as he is, he said it helps too to have an understanding wife. His wife, Evette, is, he said. In fact, the day of the interview with the Hendersonian, when he was helping at the St. John’s Lodge food stand, was their 52nd anniversary.
“No, she’s not mad at me,” he said about his volunteering on their anniversary.