Sep 07, 2021 Newsletter #26

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter September is the Month of... Bulletin Reminder Scholarship and Grant Applications Are Being Accepted! Manual for Council Officers & Members: Section D    September is the Month of... The month of September marks the traditional beginning of the school year and the end of summer. Here are a few of the other things celebrated in September.   Baby Safety Month The month of September is recognized as Baby Safety Month, a time when we can assess the everyday common objects around our homes and vehicles that may be a danger to young children. Sharp corners on furniture, window blinds with long, looped cords that could be strangulation hazards, glass-topped coffee tables: all these and more can seriously harm babies and young children when they are left alone for even a few seconds. Take a few minutes to be sure your children, grandchildren, and visitors are safe.   Intergeneration Month The Royal Arcanum has long encouraged projects that join different generations to work together, so the celebration of Intergeneration Month is important for all Arcanians. Consider how we can work together across all our ages, perhaps on a charitable project, to help celebrate this month.   Childhood Cancer Awareness Month The diagnosis of cancer can be devastating, all the more so when it's given to a child. Childhood Cancer Awareness Month spotlights events, campaigns, and fundraisers for research to treat and prevent childhood cancers.    Courtesy Month Being kind to each other is so easy to do and frightfully easy to forget. Let's help make September's Courtesy Month a success with a kind word and a smile or one of these 33 ideas.   Self Improvement Month We have to take care of ourselves if we're going to be able to take care of others, so take the opportunity during Self Improvement Month to better yourself this month. No improvement is too small, from eating healthier foods, learning a new language or skill, starting a hobby, or reading a book, why not celebrate yourself this month with some of these daily ideas.    Bulletin Article Due Date Reminder What's been happening with your council and your members? The next deadline for articles and pictures is just about a month away. Keep the Bulletin in mind whenever your council sponsors any event or project. The Bulletin is also on the lookout for pictures of kids returning to school or any other interesting things happening with our members. Take some pictures, jot down some notes, and sent them along to the Bulletin Committee for publication.    Scholarship and Grant Applications The new school year has begun, and with it, the window has opened for the next round of  Royal Arcanum scholarships and grants. Competitive Scholarships for graduating high school seniors (Two) $10,000 (Two) $8,000 (Two) $5,000 (Ten) $1,500 Non-Competitive Grants (chosen at random for all qualifying applications) (Four) $750 (Continuing Education) (Five) $600 (High School Seniors) (Ten) $250 (College Students, Years 2,3, and 4) Scholarship applications are accepted now through the end of the year. To apply, call 1-888-ARCANUM or visit http://royalarcanum.com/collegecareer.html. Applications are due by December 31, 2020. Please include a photograph of yourself in your application that we can use for advertising winners. Please note that after your application is received, you will be notified by the Home Office of the remaining items required to complete the application process (turning in the form is just the first step). If you don't hear from the Home Office within a month of submitting your application, please reach out to them by phone. All components of the application must be submitted and completed by March 31, 2021 2022. Good luck to all our applicants!    Officer & Member Manual: Section D The fourth and final part of the Manual for Council Officers and Members is Section D, which focuses on awards available to councils, a quick summary description of the council officers and their duties, with special notes for Grand Regents and Deputy Supreme Regents. The section wraps up with often used member forms.   Council Awards Subordinate councils receive awards for new or increased adult and junior protection. Details of the awards are based on terms of policy and are paid over a 3-year period for policies that stay in force. Grand councils also receive awards for production. Production money may be used to pay for plaques or other awards for production; to pay or subsidize new members and recommenders to social functions; production awards to recommenders to participate in Supreme and Inter-Jurisdictional activities; Grand Regent traveling expenses if the travel is specific to promoting the Supreme and Grand Regent programs; prospect dinners; and other similar purposes, with prior approval of the Deputy Supreme Regent, used to further the Supreme Regent's and Grand Regent's programs. However, production award money cannot be used to pay cash to members for their production; to set up a program of individual or council prize awards that competes with the Supreme Council or Supreme Regent's program; to pay for any personal expenses outside the Grand Regent's jurisdiction; to pay for normal  Grand Council expenses; to pay for spouses, other than the Grand Regent's spouse, for attending functions; or to pay for Grand Council Officers' and Deputy Supreme Regents; traveling and visiting expenses. When in doubt, always verify prior to spending production funds.   Council Officers Council Officers each have a set of responsibilities they must follow while serving in their office. These responsibilities are not extensive, but prior to the Manual, finding a simple listing of the key responsibilities was elusive. The responsibilities of the Regent, Vice Regent, Orator, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplin, Guide, Warden, Sentry, and Trustees are provided in the manual. Each council was issued a manual for their reference; please contact the Home Office if your council has misplaced their copy and needs some information from it.   Grand Regents Grand Regents have a set of special responsibilities, such as submitting a proposed program to the Supreme Secretary for approval and completing a report of the account of receipts. The details and forms are provided in the Manual.   Deputy Supreme Regents The Deputy Supreme Regent represents the Supreme Regent in a jurisdiction and has a specific set of duties which are listed in the manual. Included in those duties is the need to provide a report to the Supreme Regent before each Executive Committee meeting, to discuss the activities of the jurisdiction under their supervision.   Member Forms Common forms used by members are provided in the manual. Many are now also online on our website. The forms included are: Application for Social Membership Change of Address Change of Beneficiary Change of Name Change of Sponsor In addition, our website provides additional forms not listed in the manual, such as the Annuity Withdrawal Request, EFT Check-O-Matic (for US Members), and Credit Card Authorization forms. Check our website's Forms section for all available forms.   Privacy Commitment Finally, the Manual contains a privacy commitment of our members from the Supreme Council. Such a privacy protection policy is required by law and has been approved any the Executive Committee for the benefit of our members.

 

Aug 24, 2021 Newsletter #25

Hi Member, We hope you're enjoying the end of your summertime activities. August is the month of... Henri Leaves His Mark Free Video Service Reminder Manual for Council Officers & Members: Section C    August is the Month of... The month of August is almost over, but it's not too late to remember some of the remembrances celebrated during this month.   National Dog Month A relatively new day of celebration is National Dog Month. It began just last year, at the behest of Milk-Bone brand dog food company, to recognize all the ways that dogs make our lives better. Get in on the ground floor for celebrating this new observance.   National Catfish Month Founded in 2013, August is also National Catfish Month. Yes, there's a month-long celebration of the humble catfish! While there was originally a National Catfish Day instituted by then-President Regan in the 1980s, an entire month has been declared to celebrate the Catfish Industry and all the workers who raise the #1 farm-raised finfish in America.   National Golf Month Time to hit the links to celebrate National Golf Month. Often described as a lovely walk ruined by a little white ball, National Golf Month is a time for golfers to share their love of the sport and bring new golfers to share their passion. And in the spirit of passion, it may not surprise non-golfers that both May and Julyalso lay a claim to National Golf Month. Any excuse to go golfing, right? Fore!   Romance Awareness Month February 14 isn't the only time to celebrate romance in your life. It's important to keep from taking your relationships for granted and grade yourselves during Romance Awareness Month.      Henri Leaves His Mark Hurricane Henri was thankfully weakened to a high-end tropical storm before he coming ashore in Rhode Island on August 22nd. It was the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in Rhode Island since 1991. It packed 60 mph winds as it arrived and weakened while still delivering slow-moving, drenching rains that have left thousands without power. Our thoughts and prayers are with all our members and their communities that are being affected by this storm. If anyone wants to share pictures or stories in the wake of Henri or has needs for themselves, their members, or their community, please let us know.      Free Video Chat Reminder Back in April, we introduced the free member benefit for free video chatting (from the April 20th edition). We wanted to remind everyone of this free benefit for Royal Arcanum members. No downloads or apps are needed, and it will run on any phone, tablet, or computer with a microphone, camera, and Internet browser.      Officer & Member Manual: Section C Part three of our coverage of the Manual for Council Officers and Members is Section C, which covers information about our Junior Department and programs designed for our pre-adult members, including our generous Scholarship and Grant programs. It also covers the conversation of members from Juniors to Adults and programs to recognize members who have been Arcanians for 25 years and more.   Junior Department The Royal Arcanum has a very active Junior Department that encourages and supports our pre-adult members from birth until they turn 18. The Supreme Council engages our Committee on Juniors through our Junior Director to engage our younger members at every turn: in our Bulletin through dedicated "Junior Pages"; through games and activities at our Sessions, through birthday and Valentine's Day cards, and other ways as they see the needs arise.   Scholarships and Grants The Royal Arcanum offers many Scholarships and Grants opportunities for our junior members to support their education. Tragedies may be covered, depending upon the policies in the family, such as scholarships for orphans and our Child Cancer Grant program. All qualifying junior members may participate in our Competitive Scholarship Program and our Grant programs, which accept applications annually in the fall and are announced around June the following year. Each program's rules are explained in the Manual and are also available from the Home Office. Conversion to Adult Membership When members turn 18, they are automatically converted to adult members, and they become eligible for full participation in all council activities.   Veterans' Awards The Royal Arcanum supports honoring our long-time members through Veterans' Awards, which are available to recognize members who have been a part of the Royal Arcanum for 25 or more years.

 

Aug 10, 2021 Newsletter #24

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter Have You Sent Your Letters of Support? Another COVID Wave Manual for Council Officers & Members: Section B    Have You Sent Your Letters of Support? Thank you for all the letters of support that have been submitted thus far! If you haven't yet sent in your letters of support for the Massachusetts legislation regarding investment restrictions for fraternal societies, won't you please take the time to send them? The investment legislation would help to allow our investments to take advantage of the stock market while the bond yields are at historic lows. The proposed legislation would still be more conservative than the restrictions other states require for insurance investments and would help to allow the Supreme Council to continue the level of support they provide to councils for their charitable and fraternal events. Sample letters were provided in the last newsletter. You can feel free to modify them into your own words and send your signed letters to the Home Office. You can send them by US Mail or email them to us. Thank you!    Another COVID Wave The CDC has issued updated guidance because of the rise of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths due to the Delta variant. From late June to late July, the 7-day moving average of new cases increased from around 12,000 to over 60,000. The new recommendation is for everyone in areas of substantial or high transmission to wear a mask in public indoor places, even if they are fully vaccinated. The new data that has begun to emerge indicates that the Delta variant is more infectious and is leading to increased transmissibility when compared to other variants, even in vaccinated individuals. While the vaccines that are authorized in the United States and in Canada have been shown to be highly effective in preventing severe disease and death, they are not a 100% guarantee. We urge you to follow the suggestions of infectious disease experts and your own doctors to protect yourself, your families, and your communities. Together we can overcome this pandemic and once again enjoy our previously normal social interactions.    Officer & Member Manual: Section B Continuing our summary of the Manual for Council Officers and Members, today we'll discuss Section B, which discusses some important procedures and programs in place for our councils and members.. As a reminder, this article provides a quick summary of the information in the Manual, and in some places provides updates that have occurred since the June 2015 printing of the manual. Procedure for Volunteer Recommenders The Home Office uses paid agents to generate much of the new business that is currently produced, but we still encourage traditional volunteer production. Due to changes in insurance regulations over the years, it is necessary for volunteer recommenders to work with a licensed insurance agent, which is provided by the Home Office through their Service Specialists. A call to the Home Office at 1-888-272-2686 will connect you with a specialist to guide you through the process. Volunteer Recommender Awards The manual provides a summary of the awards honoring volunteer recommenders, through Distinguished Service Award pins, the Legion of Honor, 1105 Royal Purple Achievement, and the Founders' Ring of Distinction. Volunteer recommenders will find how to earn points and how to achieve the awards offered. Supreme Council Session A summary of the purpose and procedures of the Supreme Council Session is provided, along with the Grand Council representation for the Session. This one-page summary helps to make the details provided by our constitutioneasier to begin to understand. Member Contact The Royal Arcanum keeps our membership informed through the Royal Arcanum Bulletin, our website and our Facebook page. These newsletters are an additional point of contact for our members. Fraternal Activities and Programs Subordinate and Grand Councils are encouraged to sponsor charitable and fraternal activities, and the Supreme Council supports these through several programs: The Fraternalism in Action Program provides funds for subordinate councils that participate in fraternal and charitable activities. This program has been revised since the Manual was printed to allow more councils to participate and win awards. Councils should include a report signed by the regent, secretary, and member submitting the report to include the councils' Meetings, charitable activities, fraternal activities, participation in the Supreme Regent's charitable service campaign, partnerships with the community, and any fraternal awareness or advocacy activities. Reports should be mailed to the Home Office. The International Fraternal Service Program provides for the reimbursement of funds to subordinate or grand councils for qualifying charitable projects. Our website provides the latest brochure on the program and request form. The Lorraine J. D'Emilio Legacy of Hope Award Program invites grand or subordinate councils to sponsor a volunteer activity for a charity that best exemplifies providing a measure of hope through their fraternal service and charitable work. The Lend A Hand - Lift a Heart Program is designed to encourage participation in our fraternal mission of service through volunteer fraternal and charitable activity. The Donald E. Ferry Spirit of Service Award 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 brochure and application are provided on our website only, as it was dedicated after the printing of the Manual.

 

Jul 27, 2021 Newsletter #23

Hi Member, We're more than halfway through the summer months, even if summer technically lasts until the autumnal equinox on September 22. We hope you're enjoying your summer and are getting ready for your normal council activities from here on in. Call for Letters of Support A Message for Past Scholarship Winners Manual for Council Officers & Members: Section A Roy's Summer Adventures    Urgent call for letter writing Last December, we asked you to send in letters of support of the Massachusetts legislation regarding investment restrictions for fraternal societies. That legislation, which was delayed last year due to the pandemic, has been progressing and we hope will soon be due for a hearing. Can you please write some letters again to help us with our investment options? Here is a sample letter to use as a template for your own letter of support. Freel free to modify the letter with your own words and send your signed letters to the Home Office. We will gather all the letters received and forward them to the Massachusetts legislature. If you need to email them, that will work, too. There are two sample letters below, one to each of the chairmen of the committee that is responsible for the Fraternal Investment Bill H1164. These letters can be personalized by you, but we'd ask that you keep the letters focused on Massachusetts, and stay away from mentioning any specific event not located in our Home Office state; that will have the greatest impact on our state legislators. Thank you for your help!   Dear Chairman Murphy, I’m writing you in hopes of getting house bill #H1164 “An Act relative to the investments by fraternal benefit societies” on the financial services committee calendar. As a member of the Royal Arcanum, I support this bill and would like you to support it, too. Our Executive Committee has explained to us how this bill is vital to Fraternal Benefit Societies domiciled within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They explained that due to the stipulations of the current law, we have been required to sell over $600,000 from within our stock investments in 2021, not because of additional stock investments but due to the increase in stock value due to gains in the stock market. Our investments are limited to purchases of bonds, which are only providing historically low yields. This bill seeks to update the investment restrictions for fraternal organizations by changing investment restrictions limiting fraternals from investing only 25% of excess surplus in the stock market to 10% of assets. This is in line with many other states in the United States, such as Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.    Fraternal organizations have a long and important history in supporting their members and the community in which they live. We make donations to those in need and charitable institutions, using funds derived from the yields in investments. By amending this outdated investment law, fraternal societies domiciled in Massachusetts will have the ability to at least sustain Investment revenue that is used to help fund the society's initiatives.  Due to the continued low interest rates on bonds, our revenue has been greatly impacted by our limited ability to invest outside of the bond market. I am a proud member of Royal Arcanum, which was founded in Boston in 1877, and I have been active in many charitable endeavors, such as supporting the Jimmy Fund walk -- an event actively supported by Royal Arcanum. That is just one example of the more than 639,000 hours of time volunteered by Fraternals within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2019. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Please replace with your name here     Dear Chairman Crighton, I’m writing you in hopes of getting house bill #H1164 “An Act relative to the investments by fraternal benefit societies” on the financial services committee calendar. As a member of the Royal Arcanum, I support this bill and would like you to support it, too. Our Executive Committee has explained to us how this bill is vital to Fraternal Benefit Societies domiciled within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They explained that due to the stipulations of the current law, we have been required to sell over $600,000 from within our stock investments in 2021, not because of additional stock investments but due to the increase in stock value due to gains in the stock market. Our investments are limited to purchases of bonds, which are only providing historically low yields. This bill seeks to update the investment restrictions for fraternal organizations by changing investment restrictions limiting fraternals from investing only 25% of excess surplus in the stock market to 10% of assets. This is in line with many other states in the United States, such as Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.    Fraternal organizations have a long and important history in supporting their members and the community in which they live. We make donations to those in need and charitable institutions, using funds derived from the yields in investments. By amending this outdated investment law, fraternal societies domiciled in Massachusetts will have the ability to at least sustain Investment revenue that is used to help fund the society's initiatives.  Due to the continued low interest rates on bonds, our revenue has been greatly impacted by our limited ability to invest outside of the bond market. I am a proud member of Royal Arcanum, which was founded in Boston in 1877, and I have been active in many charitable endeavors, such as supporting the Jimmy Fund walk -- an event actively supported by Royal Arcanum. That is just one example of the more than 639,000 hours of time volunteered by Fraternals within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2019. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Please replace with your name here      Reaching Out to Past Scholarship Winners We are looking to follow up with past scholarship winners. If you or your council has had a scholarship winner in the past, can you drop us a line with their contact information? We would like to follow up with these stellar Royal Arcanum members and hear how they are doing. Many, we know, have moved on from their parents' homes, so we have been unable to follow up with them. Please, send us an email with their contact information. Thank you!    Officer & Member Manual: Section A Last newsletter, we introduced the Manual for Council Officers and Members and provided an overview of this resource. We'll dive a bit deeper into it now, this time highlighting Section A, which covers some general information about the Royal Arcanum. Note that this article is not intended to replicate the information in the manual; it is highlighting the reference information that is available to councils and members. It also provides some updates for those who already have the June 2015 printing of the manual, as any printed information can become outdated over time. Contact Information The Home Office contact information matches the information provided at the bottom of this and every newsletter. Please note one update: the mail email contact for the Royal Arcanum is info@royalarcanum.com (the manual lists infor@royalarcanum.com, with an extra "R" before the "@" sign).   Fraternal History A short history of fraternals explains the reasons fraternals were formed, and what defines a fraternal benefit society. included in that history is the American Fraternal Alliance, of which the Royal Arcanum is the sole remaining founding member (when it was called the National Fraternal Congress of America). The AFA has moved their headquarters, and can best be reached from their website at https://fraternalalliance.org or their new address: American Fraternal Alliance PO Box 68700 Indianapolis, IN 46268-0700 A beautiful, brief history of the Royal Arcanum touches on key dates and changes, from its founding on June 23, 1877, through the acceptance of women as members in 1958. It goes on to describe the symbols and signs that are part of our society, and which are kept secret from non-initiated members. "Arcanum" is defined in the dictionary as "secret", after all. There is even a rendering of two of the Royal Arcanum's trademarked logos, noting that use of them requires authorization. Please contact the Home Office should you want to use the logos for your council.   Plans of Protection and Products The next few sections provide an overview of the value of Royal Arcanum membership and the States and Provinces where we are licensed. We have been growing, and the current list of places we are licensed is on our website. A brief note on the dividends paid on eligible certificates is followed by a list of the products offered, with a short description of each product, riders that may be available, and a discussion on certificate loans. As this information can change due to new regulations or filings, please see our website or contact the Home Office for the most up-to-date information.      Roy's Corner Has anyone taken vacations this summer? Any chance they brought Roy along for some vacation pictures? Drop us a line and we'll share his adventures in a future newsletter.

 

Jul 13, 2021 Newsletter #22

Hi Member, We hope you're enjoying the summer. Here are a few topics you might find interesting as you sip your iced tea in the shade: Home Office News Product Focus: Simplified Issue Member Highlight: Officer & Member Manual Save the Date for the Session    Home Office News Nick Benoit, our Chief Operations Officer, is pleased to announce that Home Office associate Travis Scofield has been promoted to the role of Claims Supervisor. Travis was hired in February of 2019, previously working for the John Hancock Insurance Company. His continuous strong performance handling many tasks within the operation has earned him this advance. If you happen to speak with him in calling the Home Office, be sure to congratulate him.    Product Focus: Simplified Life Simplified Issue Plan   What is Simplified Life Insurance? The Royal Arcanum Simplified Issue Plan is permanent whole life insurance for those aged 20 - 85 (may be limited in some states). Full underwriting is not required: there are only 7 medical questions, without a medical exam being required.   Benefits Once issued, premiums will never increase, and the death benefit will never decrease. Cash values accumulate over time. The full face amount is payable in the first year.   Face Amounts The minimum face amount is $2,500 for ages 20 - 85 (the maximum issue age for the state of Washington is age 65). The highest face amount is $50,000 for those through age 69. The maximum for ages 70 - 85 is $25,000.   Guaranteed Death Benefit Your chosen beneficiary will receive the full face amount of your policy as long as your premium payments are current.   Membership The insured will become a member of the Royal Arcanum and provide full membership benefits, including social functions, charitable event participation, and access to the Royal Perks program. Details are available here.   Convenient Payment Plans Premiums may be paid quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Monthly payments can be paid with automatic checking account withdrawals with Check-o-matic or by credit card. This is a great way to become a member of the Royal Arcanum without the requirement of a medical exam. Please contact the home office to find out more about this or any of our other products.    Member Highlight: Officer & Member Manual The Home Office is always available to help you to make the most of your membership in the Royal Arcanum. Your Executive Committee has worked to create and maintain resources for your benefit and keep you informed of information that you may need as a member and as an officer in your council. Today we'll begin to explore one of those resources: the Manual for Council Officers and Members. This manual was created to provide information in an easily accessible manner to our members and officers, so they will be aware of the membership benefits, programs, awards, guidance for officers, and answer other questions that have been often asked. In future newsletters, we'll dig deeper into this valuable resource.   Purpose The Manual for Council Officers and Members was published in 2015 in response to our members and officers questions on the many benefits and procedures in the Royal Arcanum. Even members who have reached the level of a Supreme Council Officer have sometimes found themselves unaware of some of the rich history and plentiful benefits of Royal Arcanum membership. Members who are thinking about becoming first-time officers, or moving to a new office, are sometimes worried about the needs of the position and decline to run for office not out of a lack of desire to help their council, but out of a lack of confidence that they can adequately serve. This manual covers the few key responsibilities for each office, making the position more well known and hopefully a more attractive service option for our members.   Outline The manual is composed of four sections, each only a dozen or so pages long; the entire manual is only about 60 pages. Each section has a table of contents that outlines every topic in the section, and the manual has an index in the back. Forms are also included for changing your name, address, or beneficiary; a few other forms are also included. Some of these forms are also availableonline at our website.   Section A - General Information The first section provides general information about the Royal Arcanum, its history, contact information, symbols and signs used in our society, and information about membership and our products.   Section B - Programs & Procedures The Royal Arcanum has created and maintained many programs to help councils with their social and charitable activities. Some programs also provide financial awards to councils for participation. Programs are reviewed regularly by the Executive Committee and revised as needed, and new programs are created when circumstances indicate it will be a benefit to our membership. This section also describes procedures for writing reports, and working as a volunteer recommender (and how to earn recommender awards).   Section C - Age Related Items The Royal Arcanum is happy to accept members shortly after their birth, and has provisions for benefiting our members throughout their life. This section covers information about our Junior Department and programs designed for our pre-adult members, including our generous Scholarship and Grant programs. It also covers the conversation of members from Juniors to Adults, and programs to recognize members who have been Arcanians for 25 years and more.   Section D - Councils and Officers The final section describes awards to Subordinate and Grand Councils, Production Awards, restrictions on the use of production award money, a summary of the duties of officers, and common forms used by our members. As you can see, there's a vast amount of information packed into those 60 pages! We'll be exploring some of the key points of this manual and other resources we have available for you in the future so you can keep your council a fun and active place.    Save the Date for the Session Save the date for the Royal Arcanum Session on March 27 - 31, 2022 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. Our pandemic-delayed Session will focus on our business and elections of new officers, but also includes the usual array of ceremonies, dinners, and area attractions. It's not too early to begin to think about attending, and consider running for Supreme Council offices that will help guide our Society into the post-pandemic times. The end of March in Annapolis historically has temperatures nearing 60 degrees. Future weather is a bit harder to predict these days, so it'll be best to check in on the predictions as the time gets closer. Expect sunrise just before 6 am, and sunset just before 6:30 pm, giving us more than 12 hours of sunlight. We're looking forward to seeing you there!