accomplishments of past friendly societies and lodges on the Island is the aim of the Bermuda Heritage Society Association.

And since this month marks Black History Month, the association will be holding a fundraising banquet.

"The society is a group of individuals that have come together to organise a historical museum. The aim is to highlight Bermudian history with one of its main focuses on the friendly societies of Bermuda, which means the organisations of various lodges that came about in the early part of 1848,'' artifacts chairperson of the Bermuda Heritage Society Association Ms Joy Wilson-Tucker said.

She added: "The first exhibit in the new museum will be centred around what the society has done.

"What we are aiming for is to have this museum open by July this year -- the main focus of July is the fact that it is close to the emancipation celebration and the lodges were also responsible for the cricket starting in Bermuda.'' Ms Wilson-Tucker said the fundraising events that are planned begin on February 24 with a founders recognition banquet.

"On this night we will highlight the individuals, most of whom are now diseased, who were the grandfathers behind the movement of oddfellowship and friendly societies, people like Clarence Darrell, Thomas Masters, William `Sykes' Smith, Joseph Henry Thomas, Odessa Ming and many others.

"We are hoping the banquet will be a major fundraiser. It will be under the patronage of Dame Majorie Bean CBE, Doris Corbin MBE, and Iris May DeShields.

"We will also have a plaque that will be unveiled as a dedication of various founders of the friendly societies.'' Ms Wilson-Tucker said the aim of the museum is not just to talk about the friendly societies.

"We want to cover all aspects of Bermudian history and in that event we are looking for artifacts from Bermudian history such as items connected with nursing, the churches, with the various early bands in Bermuda, cricket, whaling, anything that will depict Bermuda history.

"If people have these types of items stored in their cellars or behind old pictures -- in the olden days that's where people would hide things -- and if they think they have some value we will be more than willing to come and look at it.'' The museum will be in the old Samaritan's building on the corner of York and Water Streets in St. George's.

"We want to stress that we, the Heritage Association, not only need artifacts but also any financial assistance to get the museum going. We have been working at it for two and a half years and we have made significant strides but we still need help,'' Ms Wilson-Tucker said.'' She added: "The lodges were the main force in building the black community here in Bermuda, they are responsible for the first black secondary schools, and the first black churches.

"All lodges had black theatres attached to them for performances, and they housed Sunday school's and churches before they were built and they assisted black nurses.'' Ms Wilson-Tucker said the theme for the banquet will be `How important is your History' and "what we want to highlight to people is too long have we been discarding our history and because of this the younger generation are unaware of the contributions that specifically the black community, has made to Bermuda.'' The banquet will be held at St. Paul's Centennial Hall at 7.30 p.m. tickets will be $40.

NEW MUSEUM -- This will be the sight of the Bermuda Heritage Society Association's historical museum in St. George's which was also the home of a lodge many years ago.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE -- This is one of the many photographs that will be displayed in the new Bermuda Heritage Society Museum. Pictured is sister Evie Todd signing a document during a 1976 international lodge conference held in Bermuda. Behind her are delegates from Trinidad.