Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 136 celebrates 125 years in Lorain

LORAIN — The Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge No. 136 may have missed its centennial but did not let its quasquicentennial pass it by. The social organization celebrated its 125th anniversary on Saturday, hosting dignitaries from the Croatian Embassy and its national organization to mark the long-awaited occasion. The Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge No. 136 was established in Lorain in 1900. Like its now-partnership organization, the American Croatian Club, some of its earliest meetings were held in the basement of St. Vitus Church on East 32nd Street before moving to the American Croatian Club on Oberlin Avenue. The national CFU started in Pittsburgh in 1894 as a mutual benefit society for Croatian immigrants in the area. It provided life insurance policies to members and later established a scholarship fund, a children's home, sports programs, and cultural activities. In Lorain, Lodge No. 136 was once one of three CFU's in the area. It was the first formed, and was the last to remain as other ethnic clubs and societies dwindled. It remains partnered with the American Croatian Club, a social club started by Croat immigrants in 1923. The two organizations have a symbiotic "marriage," Lodge President Rick Grubic said. He is also the president of the American Croatian Club. Grubic said the Lodge only realized how old it really was when trying to determine the requirements for gambling machines at the American Croatian Club several years ago. "That's when I found out the Lodge 136 was organized in the year 1900 — so the 100th anniversary was passed. So we set our sights on the 125th anniversary," he said with a laugh. Saturday's banquet saw Danijel Medan, deputy chief of mission for the Croatian Embassy, CFU National President Edward Pazo, and Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley extend their congratulations for the organization's milestone. Medan, who spoke in Lorain when the American Croatian Club celebrated its centennial, said the Lodge has been more than just a benefit organization. "It has been a place where friendships are made, traditions are shared and our heritage has been passed down," he said. Through the years, Medan said, the Lodge and Club have come together to support community projects, fund scholarships and celebrate Croatian culture. They have also supported their homeland through good times and bad, including sending humanitarian aid to Croatia during the country's war for independence in the 1990s, and after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2020 struck the center of the country. "Croatia has not forgotten your help and kindness, and Croatia will never forget it," Medan said. Saturday's celebration was not only to look to the past, Medan said, but to the next 125 years of the organization. "As you embrace new opportunities, welcome younger members and develop new programs, stay united and stay committed to the great legacy of your Lodge," he said. Pazo similarly noted the auspicious occasion as something the Lodge's members should be proud of, as part of the national CFU's 50,000 members and more than $500 million in assets across the country. "As a fraternal benefit society, we're able to reach the general public in many ways through our local lodges and affiliate organizations to help better the ways of life and the lives of our members, but in many respects, importantly, our fellow man – our sisters and brothers that aren't members," Pazo said. The Lodge's members are part of an organization that does a lot of good, Pazo said, and is a unifier of the Croat diaspora in Lorain and beyond. He, and Grubic, hoped to see the Lodge continue into the future with younger members joining and continuing its traditions. For more information about the Lodge, visit the American Croatian Club's website at americancroatianclub.com. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.