Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Odd Fellows Columbia Lodge No. 2
Website: https://oddfellowscolumbia2.ca

2025-11-24

Odd Fellows Columbia Lodge No. 2 (“Columbia #2”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a non‑profit member society. We operate this website and related membership tools to support our lodge activities, events, and charitable work.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share personal information when you visit oddfellowscolumbia2.ca, make a purchase or donation, or use our members’ area.

By using our website or providing us with your information, you agree to this Privacy Policy.

1. What this policy covers

This policy applies to:

  • Visitors to oddfellowscolumbia2.ca

  • Members and prospective members

  • Donors, event attendees, volunteers, and other supporters

  • Users of our online membership backend / member portal

It does not apply to third‑party websites or services we link to (such as Square or your bank’s e‑transfer service).

2. What information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us. It may include:

2.1 Information you provide directly

  • Contact details – name, email address, phone number, mailing address.

  • Membership information – application details, membership status, lodge roles, committee participation, attendance, and related information.

  • Event & ticket information – events you register for, tickets you purchase, and related preferences.

  • Donation information – donation amounts, frequency, and any related notes you choose to provide.

  • Account details – username, password (stored in encrypted/hashed form), and settings for our membership backend or any other login area.

  • Communications – emails, messages sent through the website, responses to surveys, and feedback.

2.2 Payment and transaction information

When you pay dues, buy tickets, or make donations:

  • Credit/debit cards and digital wallet payments are processed by our payment provider (currently Square). We receive limited information such as your name, email, transaction amount, and time of payment. We do not store full card numbers or CVV codes on our own systems.

  • E‑transfers are processed through your financial institution. We may see the name, email, and any message you include with the transfer, as well as the amount and date.

Your use of Square and your bank’s services is governed by their own terms and privacy policies.

2.3 Information collected automatically

When you use our website or member portal, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address and general location (e.g., city/region)

  • Device and browser type

  • Pages viewed and links clicked

  • Dates, times, and duration of visits

  • Basic log data for security and troubleshooting

We may use cookies or similar technologies to:

  • Keep you logged in to the membership backend

  • Remember your preferences

  • Perform basic analytics to improve our site and services

You can usually control cookies through your browser settings, but some features of the site may not work properly if you disable them.

3. How we use your information

We use personal information for purposes including:

  • Membership administration – processing applications, maintaining membership records, sending notices and updates, organizing lodge activities, and managing committees and roles.

  • Events & tickets – managing registrations, tickets, RSVPs, guest lists, seating, and follow‑up communications.

  • Donations & fundraising – processing donations, sending receipts, acknowledgements, and updates about how funds are used, where applicable.

  • Operating our website & member portal – providing access, maintaining and improving functionality, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring security.

  • Communications – sending you emails or messages about meetings, events, volunteer opportunities, fundraising efforts, and general lodge news.

  • Record‑keeping & legal compliance – maintaining financial and organizational records, complying with laws, regulations, and non‑profit reporting obligations.

  • Security & risk management – helping protect our members, volunteers, systems, and the lodge from fraud, misuse, or other harm.

  • Other purposes – any other purpose that is reasonably related to the operation of our lodge and is permitted by applicable law, or for which we obtain your consent.

We do not use your personal information for advertising networks or third‑party targeted advertising campaigns.

4. How we share your information

We do not sell your personal information to third‑party marketers.

We may, however, share your information in the following ways:

4.1 Service providers

We share information with trusted third parties who help us operate our lodge and website, such as:

  • Payment processors (e.g., Square)

  • Web hosting and email providers

  • Member management or event management tools

  • IT support and security services

  • Accounting or bookkeeping services

These providers are only given the information necessary to perform their services for us.

4.2 Internal lodge and affiliated bodies

As a non‑profit member society and part of a wider fraternal organization, we may share certain information with:

  • Lodge officers and committees who require it for their duties

  • Affiliated Odd Fellows bodies or governing organizations, where needed for membership recognition, administration, or participation in regional or international programs

4.3 Other members (in limited ways)

In some cases, and where consistent with our bylaws and applicable law, we may:

  • Maintain membership lists that may be accessible to certain members or officers

  • Share contact information with other members for lodge activities, committees, or event coordination

We aim to limit such sharing to what is reasonably necessary for lodge functions.

4.4 Event partners and supported charities

For specific events or initiatives, we may share limited information (such as your name or attendance status) with:

  • Venues or event partners

  • Charities or community organizations we support

We do this only to the extent needed to run the event or fulfill the related purpose.

4.5 Legal, safety, and organizational reasons

We may disclose information when we believe it is:

  • Required by applicable law, regulation, or legal process

  • Necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of our lodge, our members, or others

  • Appropriate in connection with an investigation into suspected fraud, misuse of our systems, or violations of law or lodge rules

  • Necessary in connection with a reorganization, merger, or other structural change involving the lodge (unlikely, but possible)

5. Payments and security

  • All card payments are processed through Square. We do not store full payment card details on our own servers.

  • E‑transfers are handled by your bank or financial institution; we do not control those systems.

  • While we take reasonable steps to protect your personal information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for:

  • Keeping your passwords and login details confidential

  • Using secure networks and devices when accessing our site or member portal

6. Where your information is stored

Our website, email, and other services may be hosted or provided by organizations located outside your province or outside Canada. This means your information may be stored or processed in jurisdictions with different privacy laws, which may offer a different (and in some cases lower) level of protection than the laws in your home jurisdiction.

By using our website, making a payment or donation, or providing personal information to us, you consent to this cross‑border transfer and processing, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

7. How long we keep your information

We keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

  • Fulfill the purposes described in this policy

  • Operate our lodge and member services

  • Comply with legal, tax, reporting, and record‑keeping obligations

  • Resolve disputes and enforce our rights

Membership, donation, and event records may be retained for extended periods for historical, governance, and audit purposes.

When information is no longer needed, we will dispose of it in a reasonable manner (for example, by securely deleting electronic records or shredding paper records).

8. Your choices and rights

Your rights will depend on the privacy laws that apply where you live, but in general you may:

  • Update your information – You can ask us to correct or update personal information that is inaccurate or incomplete.

  • Access your information – You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, subject to legal limitations and reasonable verification.

  • Withdraw certain consents – Where we rely on your consent (for example, for certain communications), you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect uses we have already undertaken but may limit how we can communicate with you going forward.

  • Opt out of non‑essential communications – You can ask us to stop sending non‑essential emails (for example, general news or event announcements) by using any unsubscribe option provided, or by contacting us.

We may need to request specific information from you to help confirm your identity before we respond to certain requests.

9. Third‑party websites and services

Our website may link to third‑party websites or services (for example, Square, social media platforms, or external event pages). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third parties.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third‑party services you use.

10. Children’s privacy

Our lodge and website are primarily intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without appropriate consent, where required by law. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without such consent, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

11. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, our lodge activities, or applicable laws.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. In some cases, we may also provide additional notice (for example, by email or a notice on our home page) if the changes are significant.

Your continued use of oddfellowscolumbia2.ca or participation in our activities after any changes are posted means you accept the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact us

If you have questions, requests, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our handling of personal information, please contact us:

  • Email: [email protected]

  • Mailing address: 1315 Douglas St. Victoria BC, V8W2E9

  • Subject line: “Privacy Inquiry – Odd Fellows Columbia Lodge No. 2”