Q: The Order of the Eastern Star is an order that's closely associated with the Freemasons. Thus, many of the membership requirements for the OES are identical to those for joining a Masonic chapter. For instance, as with Freemasonry, OES members must be adults that is, 18 years or older to join. Note that some Masonic chapters can have minimum ages of entry of up to 25 these local rules don't affect the minimum age of entry to the OES, which is always 18. While Masonic organizations are not religions or cults in themselves, they do have spiritual components. For this reason, the OES, like other Masonic organizations, requires its members to believe in a supreme being. This belief does not necessarily have to be well-defined; however, people who explicitly have no religious or spiritual beliefs are not permitted. Note that, like all Masonic organizations, the OES is open to peoples of all faiths. All that's necessary is belief in a supreme being the form and name(s) of that being are left up to the individual member. Men who join the OES must already be fully-recognized Master Masons (not Apprentice or Fellowcraft). The process of becoming a Mason requires learning and demonstrating Masonic values, memorizing Masonic catechisms, and much more. For a detailed guide on joining the Freemasons, see our guide on the subject. Note that, to become a Mason, you must: Be a man Be over 18-25 years old, depending on your chapter, (21 is a common minimum age) Have a good reputation Believe in a supreme being (see above) Be able to support yourself and your family (if you have one) Live a moral, ethical life Have a profound desire to better yourself, your community, and the world Generally, women are not allowed to be Freemasons. However, they are still allowed to join the OES if they have a qualifying relationship to a man who is an affiliated Master Mason. These relationships include most, if not all, family bonds (either by blood or by marriage). A woman with any of the following relationships to a Master Mason may join the OES: Wives, daughters (including legally adopted daughters), mothers, widows, sisters, half sisters, granddaughters, stepmothers, stepdaughters, stepsisters, daughters-in-law, grandmothers, great granddaughters, nieces, great nieces, mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, and first and second cousins. Note also that female applicants to the OES are held to the same moral and ethical standards as male ones. Women who don't have one of the relationships to a Freemason listed above but are, or were, active members of the International Order of the Rainbow of Girls (IORG) or Job's Daughters International (JDI) may still join the OES. Both of these organizations are Freemason-affiliated youth organizations that allow girls as young as 10 (for JDI) and 11 (for IORG) to join. Note also that membership in the Organization of Triangles or the Constellation of Junior Stars, two organizations unique to New York State, can also qualify women to join.
A: Be 18 years or older. Believe in a supreme being. If male, be a Master Mason. If female, be a Mason's relative. Alternatively, be an active member (or majority member who left in good standing) of IORG or JDI.

Q: You can use a jar, ziplock bag, or any sealed container. If you develop symptoms within two weeks of the bite, take the jar with you to the doctor. The doctor can send the tick out for testing. If you want to save a tick for testing, do not squash it, burn it, or put it in alcohol. Simply put it in the container, and leave it until you are ready to test it. Medical testing can be expensive. Even if the tick carries a disease, it does not mean that you have been infected. Attach the tick onto a piece of paper with a sturdy piece of transparent tape, like packing tape. This will keep it contained until you can identify what type of tick it is. Different species are likely to carry certain diseases. If you become sick, this information can help your doctor make a diagnosis. You can bring it to the doctor or you can look up different species of ticks online to identify it yourself. Black-legged ticks are more likely to carry Lyme disease while lone star ticks and dog ticks can give you Rocky Mountain spotted fever. If you do not want to save the tick, kill it with alcohol. Fill a cup or bowl with rubbing alcohol, and dunk the tick inside. Leave it for several minutes. This will likely kill the tick. Just to be safe, you should avoid throwing out a tick in the trash. Instead, wrap it in a piece of toilet paper, and flush it down the toilet. This will ensure that the tick is safely out of your home. Next time you go outside, try to prevent ticks from latching onto you. There are many things you can do to reduce your chance of a tick bite. Apply an insect repellent containing DEET. If you have children, spray the repellent on for them. Use permethrin on all of your clothing and gear. This is usually available at outdoor stores. Check everyone for ticks after coming inside. Pay special attention to their arms, knees, waist, belly button, ears, and hair. Remember to check pets as well! After coming inside, put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for an hour to kill any ticks that might be hiding in your clothing. Light-colored clothing will let you see ticks more easily. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and boots if possible. Tuck these into one another.
A:
Put the tick in a secure container if you want to test it for disease. Tape the tick if you want to identify its species. Drown the tick in alcohol to kill it. Flush the tick down the toilet to get rid of it permanently. Use caution when you go outside to avoid ticks.