Our Story
LOFC exists because a group of people with family buried here refused to let this cemetery fall into neglect.
A new chapter begins
For more than 150 years, the City of Lexington cared for Odd Fellows Cemetery. Facing rising costs and the revenue pressures common to small towns, the City decided to step away from cemetery maintenance, and on July 9, 2018, the Lexington Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to transfer the cemetery to Lexington Odd Fellows Cemetery, Inc.
That corporation was formed by people with relatives and loved ones interred here, for one purpose: to maintain and preserve Odd Fellows Cemetery. From the start, its founders knew the work would depend entirely on private, tax-deductible gifts to an endowment fund — and on reaching as many families connected to this ground as possible.
(Source: Holmes County Herald, July 26, 2018.)
Our mission
The mission of LOFC is to preserve and maintain the historic Odd Fellows Cemetery. LOFC will accomplish its mission by raising money through contributions to an endowment fund that LOFC will invest in a manner designed to produce revenue sufficient, at a time in the future, to cover annual costs for maintenance of the cemetery. In the meantime, the total annual contributions to the fund will be utilized to cover annual maintenance costs first, with the remainder assigned to the endowment fund.
Governance
Lexington Odd Fellows Cemetery, Inc. (“LOFC”) is a 501(c)(13) tax exempt corporation, organized under Mississippi law and registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State as a charitable organization. As such, it must submit an annual Form 990 tax return to the IRS each year, and it must submit an annual report to the Secretary of State. Because of LOFC’s 501(c)(13) qualification, contributions to LOFC are tax deductible.
All corporate reports, tax returns, minutes of board meetings, and corporate financial records are available for public review and inspection upon request made to LOFC at P.O. Box 1213, Lexington, MS 39095, or on its website at lexingtonoddfellowscemetery.com domain. Moreover, board meetings are held via Zoom on the second Monday of each month, and those meetings are open to the public. Just contact a board member to let them know that you would like to attend via Zoom and you will receive an invitation.
