Good Afternoon:

 

As this pandemic continues and our Governor does his best to curtail its spread, I try to keep you all informed so we can serve our members throughout Connecticut. Governor Lamont’s latest Executive Order 7G further curtails our ability to conduct Elks business in the usual way.

 

In an attempt to comply with this new E.O., I contacted our Sponsor, David R. Carr, P.G.E.R, and received permission for the CT Elks Lodges to conduct “Virtual Meetings”.

 

Lodges can arrange for conference calls, (FaceTime, Skype , etc.) so Officers and Members can attend.

 

In addition to routine Lodge business, CT Lodges will be able to have Virtual Installation of Officers and Initiation Ceremonies. New officers must take the oath of office from a PER or PDD. We should do everything necessary to install new officers before April 15. The Lodge may conduct a formal Installation of Officers ritual with a celebration, later this year if it chooses.

 

Virtual Initiation Ceremonies can be abbreviated, but must contain the Obligation from the Exalted Ruler. When this pandemic has passed, new members should be invited to witness a full initiation ceremony.

 

Lodge Secretaries need to keep minutes of these events and meetings. 

 

Please do your best to communicate with those elder members that may need your help.

 

Stay Safe. This too will pass…….  and we will meet again!

 

Fraternally yours,

 

Rick

 

Richard M. Palanzo, SDGER

 

March 20, 2020 - Three letters from Grand Lodge have been added.  The first is a letter from GER Robert L. Duitsman.  The second is a set of guidelines that the Grand Lodge has established for lodges to operate.  The third is a note about Grand Lodge Convention.

Hello All,

 

Truly hope this finds you all healthy and following all local guidelines for safety.  Want to reach out and pass on some information as it relates to the National Convention in Baltimore and the hospitality industry.

 

With regards to the national convention the Convention Commission is closely monitoring the corona virus situation.  Should the situation warrant, the Commission will review all facets of the convention and, if needed, will not hesitate to recommend the event be cancelled out of caution.  The Grand Lodge is hoping for the best and that action will not be needed. The goal is to make any decision as early as possible to give all plenty of time to cancel travel plans.

 

Visit Baltimore is monitoring all COVID-related updates and that the whole city of Baltimore is so excited to welcome the Elks in July and will do all they can to work through any disruptions during this time.  They thank us for our partnership and hard work and can’t wait to see everyone in a few months!

 

Here is a statement from Hilton Properties, “As the situation around COVID-19 continues to rapidly unfold, the global economy finds itself in an unprecedented business environment. The appropriate social distancing recommendations from public health authorities that are designed to flatten the curve have led to a sharp decrease in travel, which in turn has impacted occupancy levels at hotels in different ways.  Hilton properties continue to assess staffing needs based on a forward view of bookings and the local business environment. As a result, some of our hotel owners are selecting to temporarily suspend operations until macroeconomic conditions stabilize. “

 

With all this  in mind we need to continue to plan for the convention. At this time I am aware of the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor taking these actions,  but feel we will see more of this from the other hotels as time goes on. I’ve asked Visit Baltimore to keep me updated on these changes as they develop.  It is strongly recommend you reach out to your hotels to obtain any information still needed by them to complete the planning process in their absence and see what would be the best practice for the room reservations moving forward.  With this unprecedented environment the hotels are planning on working with us toward a successful convention in Baltimore.

 

Please let me know if you have any issues with getting in contact with your hotel or need help in coordinating a plan of action with the hotel. The national convention office is still open and continues to plan the Convention.

 

We all need to keep in mind that the health of our members, spouses, significant others and friends is paramount. Let's be vigilant in our efforts to keep one another healthy!

 

This update will be sent on a weekly bases. If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out.

 

Respectfully,

 

Tina M Haran

 

Convention & Meetings Director

 

B.P.O. Elks, USA

 

773-755-4838March 17, 2020