Jan 25, 2022 Newsletter #36

Hi Member, With winter weather firmly settling in, remember the days are getting longer, and spring is only two months away. The Omicron spike is beginning to drop in places where it hit first, giving us hope for an easing of our COVID-weary isolation. No update yet on the Supreme Council Session Scholarship Applicants: Get your Documents in! IFS Donations for 2022 are Being Accepted    The Supreme Council Session: No Update yet The Executive Committee and Home Office have been working to reschedule the Session, but there is no update that can be communicated yet. Your officers are working hard to identify and negotiate a contract for our Session and ask for your understanding that such matters can take a bit of time. When we have plans confirmed, we will share that news. As a reminder, the deadlines for reservations and nominations have also been postponed. The new deadlines will be announced when the rescheduled Session dates are determined. If you have already sent in your reservation, your deposit will be kept on account for you. If you have already sent in your nomination, that will also remain on file. We look forward to having information to share in the near future.    Scholarship Applicants: Get your Documents Sent in! Scholarship applicants, be sure to get in all your documents, along with a recent picture of yourself, before the deadline of March 31. Don't wait, complete the process right away. As a reminder, every application should have received a confirmation of their application from the Home Office and a checklist of items that will need to be completed before the application is finalized. If you never received a confirmation, please contact the Home Office immediately. Please call (888) 272-2686 or send us an email to ensure your application has been received.    2022 IFS Reimbursement Requests are Being Accepted Don't forget that each Subordinate Council and each Grand Council is each eligible for reimbursement of half their qualifying donations, up to $1,000 each year! Why not help your community and/or your council's favorite charities? We look forward to sending your council a reimbursement check soon! Still haven't sent in a request for a 2021 donation? We are still accepting requests from last year as long as they are sent into the home office by the end of February.

 

Jan 11, 2022 Newsletter #35

Hi Member, As we continue to welcome the new year, we mix our hope for the future with the realities of today. This year promises to be filled with many changes, including new Supreme Council Officers in our next election. Another Postponement of the Supreme Council Session January is the Month of... Next Steps for Scholarship Applicants IFS Deadline for 2021 Reimbursements    The Supreme Council Session has been Postponed (again) We've had a trying couple of years adapting to COVID-19. It has affected our everyday lives, including the cancellation of many planned in-person events. We're fortunate that many of our members have been able to pivot their fraternal efforts and continue to contribute to many communities across North America. At the same time, we understand we would like to have in-person events back as soon as we can. The Royal Arcanum continues to prioritize the health and safety of all our members, and with that being said, we will be postponing our planned March Supreme Council Session. Additional details will be announced as soon as the rescheduled dates are confirmed. Due to the postponement, the deadlines for reservations and nominations will also be postponed. The new deadlines will be announced as soon as the rescheduled Session dates are determined. If you have already sent in your reservation, your deposit will be kept on account for you. If you have already sent in your nomination, that will remain on file. We'll keep you posted on session news in the coming weeks.  Hang tight with us!      January is the Month of... Ring in the new year with a bit of trivia about the month of January.   National Bath Safety Month Start the year by staying safe! January is National Bath Safety Month. The simple ritual of bathing, which goes back to ancient times, is the cause of thousands of deaths each year by drowning. Many more are injured from slipping and the soapy-slick surfaces. Learn how to keep your bathroom safe.   National Blood Donor Month Giving blood is giving life! What a perfect way to start the year by supporting National Blood Donor Month. Blood donation is safer than ever before and benefits millions of people, including cancer patients, organ recipients, accident victims, and many more. The Red Cross and other blood banks rely on donors like you to fill the need.   National Hobby Month Not sure what to do with your time during the cold winter months? Why not take up a new hobby during National Hobby Month. Find something new, or rediscover a forgotten joy by changing your routine to include a little self-indulgence of a hobby. It will help to bring a smile to your own face, and depending on the hobby, may help you to help others as well.   National Mentoring Month Use this month to focus on how we can all work together and help our younger people during National Mentoring Month. Mentoring produces benefits in both the mentor and the student, especially in improving confidence, developing communication and organizational skills, providing new experiences. The mentoring relationship can be very rewarding and help to provide help to those struggling to learn. Look into a mentoring program in your area.      Next Steps for Scholarship Applicants We were pleased to receive so many scholarship applications before the initial application deadline ended on December 31st. Thank you and good luck to all our applicants. You should receive confirmation of your application from the Home Office and a checklist of items that will need to be completed before the application is finalized. All materials requested must be provided by March 31. Be sure to watch for your application needs and keep the deadline in mind to ensure you're in the running for a scholarship or grant.    IFS Deadline for 2021 Reimbursements Council International Fraternal Service Projects that were completed in 2021 but haven't yet submitted their request for reimbursement are not out of luck. There's still have time to send in a request until the end of February. Councils that made a late December donation may choose to wait to receive an acknowledgment letter from your charitable organization to include with their submission. Such acknowledgments help our Fraternal department has to provide required reports on our fraternal work, including reports that help us keep our non-profit status. We know that not all organizations do provide acknowledgment letters and that some projects, especially non-cash donations, may not lend themselves to getting an acknowledgment letter. Other forms of proof of donation are acceptable and identified in the request form.   2022 Donations may also be submitted The IFS Committee is also already open to receiving any 2022 donations your council may make. Maximum council reimbursements are reset each year, and any donations made after January 1st qualify for a new yearly limit for donation reimbursements. We look forward to your continued generosity to your community and all your fraternal efforts!