Apr 19, 2022 Newsletter #42

Hi Member, We're more than a third of the way through Spring, and our thoughts are turning to the warm weather activities. Today's newsletter is focusing on looking forward to the future. Executive Committee meeting summary Annual reports reminder SAT Preparation fee reimbursements Member benefit highlights: Video chat and Royal Perks    Executive Committee meeting summary Your Executive Committee met by teleconference on March 16 & 17. Highlights of the meeting have been sent to officers and council secretaries, and here is a short summary of a few of the items covered: Preparations are continuing for the 105th Supreme Council Session, from the business of the Session meetings to the diners and the area attractions. Those who attend are sure to have a wonderful time. The Home Office is continuing to successfully navigate a hybrid work environment. They have recently implemented a new underwriting software program enabling underwriters to access additional medical information in a swift manner, allowing for quicker decisions on coverage, which is beneficial to making Royal Arcanum policies more attractive to agents. We have also launched this year a new web-based Illustration system, allowing agents and recommenders to create illustrations from their computers, tablets, and smartphones. The Fraternal Director reported early success with obtaining support for the Ukraine Fraternal Project. More help is always needed. Projects such as these are included in the annual report that is currently being compiled for the Americal Fraternal Alliance Our Junior Director recapped the activities by the Junior Department and is calling for past Scholarship winners to get involved with writing an article on the impact of the Royal Arcanum and their scholarship on their lives. New programs designed for our junior members who are involved in volunteerism and community projects are in the works. The Sales department reports in 2021 double-digit increases in first-year premiums and a 5% increase in renewal premiums. The number of new policies sold is increasing, a particular achievement in the face of the pandemic. More information can be found in future Bulletins and by contacting your local Supreme Council Officers and council secretaries.      Annual reports reminder The annual Grand Council Report and Subordinate Council Report are due by June 30 for all councils. Requests are also being sent to the council secretaries of record in the mail. Please note that keeping your council in good standing includes filing the annual reports. Councils in good standing are eligible to participate in the many programs offered that can help provide additional funds to your council. Grand Councils must also be in good standing to provide representatives to the Session. Don't delay, get your annual report completed and sent right away!    SAT Preparation fee reimbursement College-bound members, don't forget that the Royal Arcanum will reimburse you up to $50 for members who submit a request to the Home Office along with a receipt for any SAT prep course that's completed. Don't miss the chance to get your college days off to a good start with a good SAT score. Prepare for the SAT and submit a reimbursement request.      Member benefit highlights: Video chat and Royal Perks Being a member of the Royal Arcanum comes with many benefits. Two we want to highlight today are the free Royal Arcanum Video Chat service, first introduced about a year ago, and the Royal Perks service. Video Chat The Royal Arcanum Video Chat service is a free video chat offered to every member of the Royal Arcanum. This easy-to-use service supports video calls with up to 16 people at a time, all at no cost to you. No special app is needed, only your web browser, and it works from any smartphone, tablet, or computer that has a camera, microphone, and speaker. To get started, simply browse to the Royal Arcanum Video Chat page, and select CHAT NOW to start an immediate video chat, or CHAT LATER to copy a link to a future video chat that you can share with those you want to chat with.   Royal Perks All Royal Arcanum members are eligible to get discounts on travel, hotels, rental cars, clothing, entertainment, and many other items. It's an ideal place to start planning a vacation and save some money. Royal Perks is more than a vacation-savings program: There are hundreds of discounts available: more than 20 different categories to explore and save. Sign up, plan a quick vacation, and while you're enjoying what you saved on your vacation, relax and explore all the other discounts available to you. Join the more than 4,500 Royal Arcanum members who have already joined and start saving.

 

Apr 05, 2022 Newsletter #41

Hi Member, Happy April! Spring is in full bloom, and we're another month closer to our Session in Annapolis. This month, we have a mix of news to share and encourage you and all our members to spring into fraternalism. Another Booster? Happy Easter & Passover! April is the month of... Ukraine follow-up Scholarship update    Is it time for another booster? At the end of March, the FDA and CDC approved a second COVID booster for those over 50 years of age, in addition to those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and received an initial booster dose at least 4 months earlier. The authorization was not a blanket recommendation for everyone over 50 to immediately seek a second booster. While acknowledging that this is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19, there was some question on the timing of an additional booster for everyone at a time when cases were dropping. Some sources suggested it might even be worthwhile to wait until an expected fall increase in cases, or if the Omicron variant causes a sharp uptick in cases. Consult with your medical professionals to determine when would be the optimal timing for your additional booster to determine the optimal plan for you.      Happy Easter and Passover! To all of our members, we offer our sincere wishes for a  Happy Easter and Happy Passover! We invite you to enjoy the Spring holidays with your family and friends, perhaps in person for the first time in a few years. We look forward to seeing you all again at our Session this August, and hope for the best for you and yours!    April is the month of... April brings the first full month of Spring and brings with it a new set of awareness campaigns. Traditional "spring cleaning" can extend beyond our household clutter, and is a great time to raise our consciousness of different needs that need our help. Financial Literacy Month April is focused on educating people about the importance of planning for a secure financial future and has been declared Financial Literacy Month. Take the time to check your financial well-being, review your Social Security statement, and get reacquainted with your finances.   Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month It's estimated that 10% - 15% of people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but many remain undiagnosed and suffer alone. IBS Awareness Month designates April as a time to work to focus attention on the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life issues associated with IBS. Why not get involved by downloading the IBS Awareness Month toolkit and learning how to get involved.   National Donate Life Awareness Month NDLM, or National Donate Life Month, is observed to encourage people to register as organ donors, as well as a time to honor those who gave the gift of life. Current estimates are that there are about 118,000 people waiting on an organ transplant. While the organ donation registry has grown recently, there is still vastly more of a need than there are organ transplant surgeries. Consider giving the gift of life!   National Parkinson's Awareness Month Parkinson's Awareness Month is a chance to increase awareness about Parkinson's, its symptoms, and ways to support its victims. Parkinson's is a long-term disorder where the central nervous system degenerates and affects the motor system. Help support the search for a cure!    Ukraine campaign update Contributions continue to come in for our fraternal project to help Ukrainian refugees. As of March 31, more than $14,000 has been contributed, with 100% of the funds directly helping the Ukrainian people, both refugees and those remaining in the war zone. A big thank you to our Grand Regents and Fraternal Events Committee for promoting the project in the Royal Arcanum jurisdictions, and to all of you for your continued support! Beyond expectations, the Ukrainian army continues to defend their homeland, but unfortunately, the war and the suffering continue, and the needs continue to grow. It's not too late for Grand and Subordinate Councils, Supreme Council Officers, and Members to send donation checks made out to the Royal Arcanum to: Cindy Macon, Fraternal Director 24 East 43rd Street Bayonne, NJ 07002 As a reminder, please let her know if you have given to another organization to support those in Ukraine. Thank you to all who have given!      Scholarship update Our scholarship and grant applicants will be happy to know that all their submissions are in the hands of our independent judge now and are being reviewed and evaluated. We expect to be able to announce the winners next month. Best of luck to all those in the running!