May 18, 2021 Newsletter #18

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter Introducing a new Spirit of Service Program CDC Masking Guidelines Eased Home Office News Thanks for Being part of our Video Chat     Introducing Our Newest Program The Supreme Council is happy to introduce a new program: The Donald E. Ferry Jr. Spirit of Service Memorial Award This program is a tribute to Donald E. Ferry, Jr., who was a Home Office Customer Service Specialist with 29 years of service, and a member of the Supreme Council Junior Committee for 22 years. Donald passed away in November 2020 but his legacy of service to our Society will be carried forth in the fraternal work and fellowship shared by the Royal Arcanum Family. With allegiance to our founding attribute of Charity and his dedicated efforts for the success of the Society’s Junior Department and its programs, Donald’s willingness to create fraternal projects and lead by example was witnessed in the Royal Arcanum for over a quarter-century. This new program is a recognition and remembrance of the inspiring and selfless dedication Donald had for the Royal Arcanum. The program’s purpose is to “See a Need and Take the Lead” in support of a children’s charity or charitable program for the benefit of children. The program runs from June 1st, International Children's Day, through November 20th, Family Volunteer Day, and is open to subordinate councils that sponsor a volunteer activity for a children's charity or a charitable cause for the benefit of children. Each year one project will be selected as the winner by a panel of independent judges and the sponsoring Royal Arcanum council will receive a $500 award for its use. The full guidelines are in the program brochure, which along with the program application are on the Royal Arcanum website. We hope every council has a chance to engage in the program as we honor Donald and his legacy.     CDC Further Eases Masking Guidelines If you've been vaccinated, good news! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday eased indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places. This past Thursday, at a White House briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, said “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities – large or small — without wearing a mask or physically distancing. If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.” As a reminder, "fully vaccinated" are those who are two weeks past their last required COVID-19 vaccine dose. The changes come as the number of Americans who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has topped 154 million, or more than 46% of the U.S. population. The aggressive campaign to get Americans vaccinated is paying off with lower numbers of new cases and fewer death rates. If you haven't yet been vaccinated, it's not too late. Vaccination appointments are much easier to get than they were even a few weeks ago, and many are accepting walk-ins. Some states and businesses are offering incentives to those who are not yet vaccinated. We are hoping the progress against this virus continues and that as our members achieve "fully vaccinated" status, we'll all soon begin to rejoin all of our normal council activities.    Home Office News The Royal Arcanum wishes long-time Home Office Associate Dough Kahn good luck after 21 years of service. He has been a fixture in the Home Office, working in supporting accounting, paid agent commissions, and many other critical but behind the scene roles. We appreciate his years of service to our councils and members, and thank him for his more than two decades of service!    Roy's Corner Thanks to members who tried out the new free Royal Arcanum Video Chat service! Our video gathering on May 13 was small, with only 5 members joining us. Connecting was quick and easy, but David and Joanne Covelli had a problem with granting microphone access, so they dropped off early. We are exploring answers to their issue and will provide additional instructions prior to our next gathering.

 

May 04, 2021 Newsletter #17

Hi Member, We hope the longer days and sunshine are providing you with opportunities to connect with your family and friends! Here are some thoughts as we begin May: Annual Reports May is a busy month! Don't forget about IFS projects CDC Easing Restrictions for Those Fully Vaccinated Product focus: 20 Pay Life Roy's Corner:  A Royal Arcanum Video Chat Gathering    Annual Reports for Councils Watch your mail! This month, we will be sending out reminders for the annual council reports. Council secretaries can get a jump on the reports by downloading the Grand Council Annual Report or the Subordinate Council Annual Report forms.    May is the Month for... Mental Health Awareness Month Millions of people suffer with mental illness. During May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness, strives to raise awareness about mental health. This year their theme is You Are Not Alone. ALS Awareness Month The Muscular Dystrophy Association dedicates the month of May to awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS. It is a disease of the parts of the nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement, where motor neurons are gradually lost, leaving muscles to become weak and non-functional. Their campaign to find a cure was announced on April 26 and extends through Lou Gehrig’s Day on June 2. Military Appreciation Month The U.S. Congress first designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to honor those who have served and sacrificed their lives in the military. We honor all those who have served both in the U.S.A. and in Canada, to recognize the contributions made on behalf of us all.    IFS Reminder Councils, remember that your International Fraternal Service projects can earn you a reimbursement of up to $1,000 per year for donations or cost of projects. Spring is a typically slow time for charitable giving, but the organizations supported through your generosity is needed year-round. If you need an inspiration, consider the three very worthy organizations listed above for IFS project subjects. We look forward to seeing your project requests soon.    CDC Updates The CDC has issued new guidelines for fully vaccinated people (two weeks after both doses of Moderna or Pfizer, or two weeks after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson). Outdoor activities for those fully vaccinated is considered safe without masks, except for crowded, outdoor events like a live performance, parade, or sports event -- in those cases, they still recommend wearing a mask. This is in addition to the earlier guidelines for those fully vaccinated and indoor activities, from early March, and on travel from early April. Let's keep our fingers crossed that things keep getting better! Our Home Office continues to follow COVID-19 safety measures that were implemented last year.    Product Focus: 20 Pay Life Insurance Do you know anyone who lost their job and benefits due to the COVID pandemic? Perhaps their only life insurance was the coverage they received while employed. What a great reminder of the importance of whole life insurance policies. A great choice is the 20 Pay Life plan, where you pay a fixed amount for 20 years, and no payments afterwards. Like all whole life plans, Twenty Payment Life provides a living benefit, providing permanent protection while building cash value each year. Some key benefits are: Protection for life. Unlike term insurance, Whole Life doesn't expire or go down in value as long as the coverage is not cancelled due to non-payment or fraud Cash Value. The policy builds cash value, which can be borrowed against as a loan in accordance your policy Guaranteed Death Benefit – The amount your loved ones receive is guaranteed Level Premiums – The rate you pay for your policy will never increase Accidental Death Benefit – A rider is available providing for payment of double the amount of the basic certificate in case of accidental death Waiver of Premium – For a few pennies more, all premium payments are waived in case of permanent disability while your full benefits continue Dividend Participation – After two years of membership, the certificate participates in dividend distributions Certificate Loans – Loans are available on the security of the certificate for a sum equal to the cash value Fully Paid Up – Certificate is endorsed as fully paid-up for designated face amount at the end of 20 years We recommend you review coverage for yourself and for your family regularly. It's a great way to offer protection to your family and know that the Royal Arcanum reinvests their profits in your community. Contact your council's volunteer recommenders or the Home Office if you have any questions or would like to add or increase your protection, or want to sign up a new member.      Roy's Corner Roy is eager to try out the new Royal Arcanum Video Chat Service. There are a few differences from the Zoom video service, which make it much easier to use, but should be kept in mind. Only 16 connections are allowed – So far, we've not had 16 connections for our gatherings, so it shouldn't matter, but if you can't get in, this is likely why. Don't try out the link early – The video link is intended to be used on the day of the gathering, and using it early could result in the link expiring before our gathering. You can join a few minutes early if you like, then sit back and enjoy visiting. Grant access to your camera and microphone – The video chat service will ask for access to your camera and microphone, so don't forget to grant access to join the gathering. No telephone-only access – With the video chat service, there is no option to join in by telephone only for those without smart phone, tablet, or computer access. So, when will we next gather? Let's try next for next week: Thursday, May 13, at 6 PM Eastern / 5 PM Central / 3 PM Pacific Join by using this Link: Royal Arcanum Gathering Please add our gathering to your calendar and plan to join us!