This is the 48th year the Odd Fellows Lodge 196 and Unity Rebekah Lodge 129 have sponsored a trip. The Odd Fellows sponsored the first trip in 1950 with 46 young people taking part.
Competing for the honor were: Anne Janotta, Erin Aagesen, Amber Ingalsbe, Lynn Stoneburner, all of Paynesville, and Christine Foster, Clearwater.
Judging the event were Nick Gertken, Eric Barrett, and Steve Neuman of Meyer Associates, St. Cloud.
Aagesen was selected as the local delegate. Runnersup were Anne Janotta and Amber Ingalsbe. The trip is June 22 to July 3. The pilgrimage is a historic east coast tour which includes stopovers in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Gettysburg, Niagara Falls, and five nights in New York.
The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs of America feel the pilgrimage provides exposure to the activity of governments and the work of the United Nations. It gives students a chance to see, hear, and question members of national delegations and specialists from various departments at the United Nations.
The runnersup will now compete at the jurisdiction on March 8 in Le Center for the chance to join Aagesen on the pilgrimage.
The students were required to describe the United Nations involvement in a current world affair; describe their involvement in church, civic and community affairs and write a report as to “Why I Would Like to Participate in the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth.”