Nevada Traditions

Rainbow Sunday

Rainbow Sunday is a celebration of the beginning of our beautiful Order. Attendance at Rainbow Sunday is mandatory for all Rainbow Girls. Traditionally it is celebrated on the Sunday nearest to April 6th.

Because of scheduling conflicts, Nevada Rainbow Girls have often celebrated Rainbow Sunday while at Rainbow Camp in March. This offers an opportunity for all to be together on this special day.

Founders Day

July 8th is the birthday of Rev. W. Mark Sexson, the founder of IORG. Assemblies in Nevada schedule a special, fun event for this observance: a family picnic, a camp out, a day at the lake, etc. This commemoration is the second of the mandatory events for IORG members.

Assembly Traditions

Many Nevada Rainbow assemblies have cherished traditions. Some are shared across the state by all girls; while others are unique to an individual assembly. Below are a few traditions that have been documented by girl members of our Nevada assemblies.

Reno #1

Sparks #3

Carson #7

Violet the Service Cow
Submitted by Lisa Stokes, March 2009

Some of the traditions we have at Carson is Violet the service cow. Violet is the cow that is rewarded to the girl who had the most service hours for the previous term. She is rewarded at our installations. She is now that girl's “mascot” for the term, but she has to be given up at the next installation so the next girl can have her.

Fuzzy Wazzy
Submitted by Lisa Stokes, March 2009

Also there’s Fuzzy Wazzy. He’s the bear that is rewarded to the girl with the most service hours at our previous meetings.

Boulder #8

Submitted by Yohannah McNee, May 2011

Adopted Park
Since 1990, Boulder Assembly #8 has been responsible for cleaning Del Prado Park in Boulder City once each month. We proudly have a sign displayed in the park that names our Assembly as having adopted it.

Progressive Dinner
It is a tradition in our assembly each year - around Christmastime, to have a progressive dinner. This means we usually travel from house to house for different courses of a meal. One house has appetizers, one house has salad or soup, one house has the main course, and one dessert. Usually we end up at the lodge (or the last house) at the end for a gift exchange and sometimes a sleepover! This tradition has been around a long time - at least the 1960's, and perhaps earlier!

Girl of the Term
In 2004, we began a Girl of the Term award - a rainbow sash to be worn by the girl who earns it the previous term, for the following term. This award was originally awarded by the Advisory Board for the highest Service Hours alone, but now also includes the girl our Advisory Board feels has made the most effort in the last term. Service Hours, participation, attitude, memory work, and enthusiasm are all considered. In general, Grand Officers, WA's, and PWA's are not usually considered for the award unless they have not had an opportunity to earn it previously. Also, this award is usually only won once in the career of a Rainbow Girl.

Las Vegas #9

Winnemucca #10

Mt. Rose #13

Tonopah #15

Ben Franklin #21

Daylite Assembly #22

Girl of the Term
Written by Ashley Headley (2003)

The Worthy Advisor selects a member of the assembly who has been the most supportive and helpful during her term and has attended the most events with a helpful and enthusiastic attitude. The girl that is chosen will receive a traveling sash to wear during the next term.

The basic requirements are:

The girl must have attended all the meetings of the term, unless excused.
Must have attended the Worthy Advisor’s service project.
Cannot be a line officer or Grand Officer. If the girl is a Past Worthy Advisor and has not received a Grand Office, she is ALLOWED to be Girl of the Term.
The Worthy Advisor must get approval of the Mother Advisor and Grand Deputy before the installation that she will present it.

The Worthy Advisor will add the name to the sash before it is presented at the Installation. Whether it is by embroidery, fabric maker, or “puff-paint” is up to her. If the sash is full, the Worthy Advisor will be responsible to make a new one. If something happens to the sash (lose or ruin it) the girl who was last presented with it is responsible for the replacement.

MCj03195160000[1] Advance Night
Written by Melissa Buckman (2003)

The Line Officers Advance night usually occurs the last meeting of the term after elections. The officers and members will walk in as normal. After everyone has assumed their proper stations in the assembly the Worthy Advisor will then say, “Officers will assume their advanced stations.” At this point the current Line Officers will advance and Faith-elect will step into Faith’s station. The current WA will then step to the right and be seated next to the Chaplain. (If Faith-elect is either American Flag, Chaplain, Recorder, Drill Leader, or confidential observer then either a member on the sidelines or the first Sister present in the Bow will take over her station.)

The advanced officers will open the meeting in regular form. After opening, the Worthy Advisor-elect will step to the side and switch places with the Worthy Advisor, and the Worthy Advisor will continue with the business. Before closing, the Worthy Advisor will say, “exchanging of pins.” At this time, the Line Officers-elect will approach the East and exchange pins. The Worthy Advisor and Worthy Advisor-elect will not exchange the assembly WA and PWA pins at this time; it will be done at the installation.

The Worthy Advisor and Worthy Advisor-elect switch again so that the Worthy Advisor-elect can go on with closing. If there is an initiation planned on the advance night, then the officers will assume their regular stations for initiation after opening.

Daylite Mascot
“Donkey” Initiation Award
Written by Shannon Lawton (2003)

The Donkey Award is given out at Initiation. This ritualistic award is given to two girls, one in the Line (including Chaplain) and one in the Bow, who were best at memorizing and saying their parts with the least amount of prompts or mistakes at Initiation. The girls who get the Donkey get to keep it until the next initiation, but they can receive it again if they are again word-perfect in their ritualistic work. As an extra award, if a girl receives it three times in a row, she will get to keep the donkey as her own.

Eeyore is the Assembly mascot for Daylite #22.