Feb 23, 2021 Newsletter #12

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter A Message from our Supreme Chaplain New Supreme Council Session IFS Reimbursement Reminder Scholarship requirements deadline Spring Bulletin submissions    A Message From Supreme Chaplain Evelyn Magarban As we continue to cope with Covid 19, the cold weather and in New Jersey, more snow than we like, the members of Versatility Council have kept in touch with its members by telephone and e-mail. Because of the generosity of the members we are still able to continue with our charitable projects. Here are a few: We were able to provide Christmas gifts to children at the Felician School for Exceptional Children in Lodi, New Jersey. We couldn’t forget our animal friends and made a trip with a donation to the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro. St. Lucy’s Shelter in Jersey City provides shelter, food and training to both men and women in need. Our members collect flip flops and small bottles of soaps, lotions and shampoos for its residents.  We look forward to spring and maybe a time when we will be able to see our family and friends again. I am fortunate to still be able to work, some days in the office and some days at home. I have been able to spend time with my grandson and some of my family that I see on a regular basis. I miss our Royal Arcanum meetings and social gatherings and look forward to seeing my Royal Arcanum Family again soon. Stay well. Evelyn Magarban      We've Reset the Next Session Date After reviewing the progression of COVID-19 and the rollout of the vaccines, the Executive Committee has decided to postpone the Session again, moving the next Session to March 27 - 31, 2022, or more than a year from today. This additional delay should ensure that all members will have the chance to get vaccinated, and can safely and confidently travel to Annapolis. The Session will remain at the same venue, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and the same rates will remain in effect. Please update your calendars, and please plan to attend once we can again safely gather in person.    Last Chance for 2020 IFS Reimbursements Hurry! If your council participated in an IFS project last year but have not yet requested a reimbursement, it's not too late. The International Fraternal Service Program runs on an annual basis, and the Committee will accept reimbursement requests from 2020 as long as they arrive in the Home Office by the end of February. Even if your project was from the pre-pandemic days of January 2020, you can still request a reimbursement until February 28, 2021. For fastest results, email your project to the Home Office, or if you mail it in, call them to let them know it has been sent so we can record the request arrived before the end of February. Each council is allowed up to $1,000 reimbursement each year, so any 2021 donations you have started making are also eligible to submitted. And don't forget to submit an article for the Bulletin on these and any other fraternal acts your council is participating in at this time. Please consider your local charitable organizations. Most experience a drop-off after the New Year's holiday, and with the ongoing pandemic, many have more needs and more clients than usual. Why not use this opportunity to help those in need in your area?    Only 1 Month Left for Completing Scholarship Requirements Scholarship applicants, the deadline to complete your application requirements is March 31. Be sure to get requested items all in on time to be included in consideration for our scholarships.    Bulletin Reminder The Royal Arcanum Bulletin will be accepting pictures and articles until the end of March for the Spring Bulletin. There's still time to let your fellow Arcanians know what your council has been up to and what your plans are for the Spring. Why not use this as an opportunity to think about plans and then let us know with a Bulletin article submission.

 

Feb 09, 2021 Newsletter #11

Hi Member, Well, we're more than halfway through winter now and COVID vaccines are beginning to find their way to our members. Here are some interesting items for your mid-winter reading. A Message About the Bulletin Valentine's Day Ideas Groundhog's Day Member Stories Roy's Corner    A Message About The Bulletin Our Winter Bulletin has been sent off to the publishers and will soon be on its way to your mailbox. If you don't receive the Bulletin and would like to, let us know you want it. On the other hand, if you're receiving multiple copies at your home and you don't need so many copies, we'd be happy to save some costs and reduce the number of bulletins you receive.    Make Valentine's Day Special A romantic table for two in a crowded restaurant is definitely not going to be the iconic image of Valentine's Day 2021. But that doesn't mean the day shouldn't be special! Here are some ideas to enjoy that special day this year. Why not have a candlelit dinner at home? You'll save electricity, and everyone looks great in the soft glow of a candle Turn off the TV and put on your favorite music. Maybe you'll find yourself swaying to a special song from years ago that warms your heart, or shaking it up to get your heart pumping! Time for your favorite recipes or dinner ideas. You can still order to-go from your favorite restaurant or find an easy to make but special entrée or dessert Homemade card for couples and families Remember this year by making a time capsule. Include memories from your favorite times of past years and be sure to include what you're doing this year. Place them in a box, tie a ribbon around it and mark it "Do not open until February 14" -- so you can revisit it and add to it every year. Go around the room and tell a story. Perhaps you'll reminisce about a past Valentine's Day, or your family could take turns on "chapters" of an adventure story. Use your smart phone and record it to enjoy again later. What better example of sharing love could there be than doing a good deed today? Make an effort to do a special, unexpected fraternal act in honor of the day. Read -- together as a family or by yourself. Rediscover the heartwarming relaxation of a good book. Perhaps match that with a cup of hot chocolate or a glass of wine.    The Groundhog Has Spoken! Last week, Punxsutawney Phil, the nation's premier weather prognosticator, saw his shadow and predicted another six weeks of winter. How he saw his shadow that snowy Tuesday morning we don't know, but who can question a groundhog who has been predicting the end of winter with a claimed 100% accuracy rate for 134 years -- nearly a decade after the founding of the Royal Arcanum. I guess we'll have to stay at home and avoid the rest of winter until the middle of March. At least, that's true in the east. In Woodstock, Illinois -- the site of the filming of the movie Groundhog's Day, Woodstock Willie did not see his shadow, and predicted an early spring in the Midwest. One can only hope. A few things are certain: Staying safely inside is a good idea, and Spring is definitely arriving next month. Let's hope we'll be able to begin to enjoy the warmer weather together.     Member Stories The Royal Arcanum has been around for over 140 years, with hundreds of thousands of members over that time. For many, the Royal Arcanum has made a profound impact on their lives, often through help received at difficult times in their lives. Perhaps a scholarship award helped to receive an education that otherwise would have been too expensive. Perhaps an insurance policy provided a financial safety net that was more than a help but a real necessity. Maybe a friendship found through a council meeting, mini-vacation, or session developed into a life-long relationship that altered the course of your life. Or maybe there's just a knee-slapping or charming tale that you love to retell as one of your fondest memories. Whatever the story, we'd love to share it with our members. If you have a narrative to retell, please share it with us, and we'll share it with our members.    Roy's Corner Royal Arcanum members met for over an hour at the last Zoom gathering, catching up with each other. Eight different connections with 13 members joined us. What fun! Jan Brazas was able to join us only by phone, and it was great to at least hear her and have her join in. Plan on joining our next gathering yourself!

 

Jan 26, 2021 Newsletter #10

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter A Message From the Assistant General Counsel We Are Now Licensed in Texas! Scholarship applicants - Get your documents in Make your 2021 IFS donations Roy's Corner - Zoom Gathering Tomorrow!    A Message From Assistant General Counsel Matthew D'Emilio It is common – indeed, standard procedure – for a member to designate his or her spouse as the beneficiary of his or her Benefit Certificate.  But what happens to the proceeds of the Benefit Certificate if the member and his or her spouse get divorced?    If the member did not update his or her beneficiary designation, the answer is . . . it depends.  While a divorce decree, separation agreement, or court approved property may dictate the payment of the proceeds of a Benefit Certificate, that is not always the case.  Further, many (but not all) states have legislation or case law on this subject.  Believe it or not, the prevailing rule is that a divorce does not operate to invalidate a proper beneficiary designation!  The result is a distribution of the proceeds to a former spouse.  That is often not the intended result.   It is critical to keep your beneficiary current on your Benefit Certificate.  You cannot rely on your divorce paperwork or state default rules to pay the proceeds to the “correct” person.  Be sure to review your beneficiary designation periodically to ensure that the proceeds from your certificate pass to the intended recipient.    It is simple to change your beneficiary – all you have to do is complete and sign a change of beneficiary form.  To get the form, simply call the Home Office or print it from the Royal Arcanum website. If your interested in the Life Insurance Products and Annuities that we offer please review our website for more information with the link below. If you’re looking for a policy change form such as a change of beneficiary click on the link below” https://www.royalarcanum.com/products.html https://www.royalarcanum.com/forms.html    Now Licensed in Texas! The Royal Arcanum is continuing to expand its operations! We are now officially licensed in Texas. This is part of our operational expansion plan to grow our membership and operational results. We're registering agents now and expect to get the benefits of this step in our multi-year plans. Do you have any relatives living in Texas? Why not sign them up as members now!    Scholarship applicants, don't delay! Scholarship applicants, be sure to get in all your documents and a recent picture before the deadline, March 31. You should have gotten a notice of all missing documents needed, just be sure to get them all in on time.    Make your 2021 IFS Donation Now! 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! And don't forget that any 2020 donations should have their IFS program request sent into the home office by the end of February. That's just a month away, don't wait!    Roy's Corner Zoom gathering tomorrow! We will be having our second Zoom gathering tomorrow afternoon / evening, on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 PM Eastern / 5 PM Central / 3 PM Pacific. Come join us and catch up with your friends from other Jurisdictions. It's so simple, just use this link on your smart phone or computer. If you have video, you can let your friends see you. If not, you can still see them and talk to them through your phone or computer microphone and speakers. Besides catching up, it's a great opportunity to see how you can use Zoom for your own council meetings. No need to register, just click this link to join the meeting. Hope to see you there!

 

Jan 12, 2021 Newsletter #9

Hi Member, Highlights of this newsletter A Message from our Chief Operations Officer Scholarship Applications - Next Steps IFS Donations - Important Date Reminder Roy's Corner    A Message From Nick Benoit, Chief Operations Officer Happy New Year!   I believe I can say with an abundance of confidence we are all glad to welcome 2021!!!  2020 brought on so many unprecedented situations with COVID-19 that affected us personally and professionally. It made us realize how many things we took for granted before and how much we will enjoy them when we have the opportunity, when things get back to a relatively normal state. It’s the little things like taking your son or granddaughter to the park to see them play or just going to a restaurant.   I’m glad to see vaccinations starting to be rolled out , which hopefully will make a tremendously positive impact with this pandemic.  For those who don’t know I’ve been  married to my beautiful wife for 12 years and 4 children who are currently schooling in a remote capacity, yes it’s a challenge in the Benoit household.  I should add we just adopted a rescue puppy who should reach about 100lb’s.  Ever yearning for a new challenge!   It's hard to believe that I’ve been a member and responsible for leading the Royal Arcanum home office and insurance operation for 8 years now effective this past December.  Coming from a large commercial Life Insurer, I didn’t know what to expect initially, however coming from an Insurance background and being involved in many charitable endeavors and this opportunity 8 years ago brought me the best of both worlds.  The challenges we faced in 2020, challenged the associates within the Home Office, our Executive Committee, Council and those marketing our Insurance products. I have to say we are a resilient bunch and sustained and maintained our mission at Royal Arcanum.  We adjusted many of the initiatives we had in place from an operational standpoint, shifting staff to approximately 70% working in a remote capacity to postponing the Supreme Session to 2021.  I’m confident we will see a better year in 2021 and build off the experiences we faced in 2020 to ever improve our Society from a fraternal and professional standpoint. It’s not going to be easy, however there isn’t anything great to accomplish that has been easy.      Stay Safe and Best Wishes,     Nick Benoit COO     What's Next for Scholarship Applicants? The initial application deadline of December 31st is past, and thanks for all those who have applied. The next deadline to remember is March 31, which is the last date to complete all material needed for your application. If you still have items you need, such as a missing transcript or an essay, you will be notified about what you need. Just don't miss that deadline! And do be sure to include recent picture for us to use for scholarship winners in our Royal Arcanum Bulletin or other materials. Thanks!   Deadline for IFS reimbursements from 2020 Has your council made a donation as part of an International Fraternal Service project in 2020, but haven't yet submitted your paperwork for reimbursement? Don't worry, you still have time: the deadline for submission isn't until the end of February. If you made a late December donation, it's better to wait a bit until you get an acknowledgement letter from your charitable organization and include that with your submission. By the way, do you know why we prefer an acknowledgement letter? It's because our Fraternal department has to provide reports to various places on our fraternal work, including reports that help us keep our non-profit status. We know that not all organizations do provide acknowledgement letters, and that some projects, especially non-cash donations, may not lend themselves to getting an acknowledgement letter. We'll work with you to make sure you can provide acceptable material, such as a purchase receipt or a canceled check. But when possible, an acknowledgement letter is the favored item to include. The IFS Committee is also already open to receiving any 2021 donations your council may make. For councils that have maximized their $1,000 reimbursement for 2020: it's a new 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!    Roy's Corner Roy is happy to announce another Zoom gathering! His last small but enjoyable gathering was during the busy holiday season. Now that we're past that, why not join your Royal Arcanum friends and say hello at a Zoom gathering on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 PM Eastern / 5 PM Central / 3 PM Pacific? Please join us. It's easy to join: just click on the link on your smart phone or tablet or computer and it will walk you through getting into the meeting (or downloading and installing the Zoom app, if needed). You can click the link any time before the meeting to get Zoom installed, if you need to; you just won't be able to join the meeting because it won't have started. Please join us!

 

Dec 29, 2020 Newsletter #8

Hi Member, It's the holiday season, and a short newsletter today. A Message from the Supreme Orator Scholarship application deadline is here! Roy's Corner: Our Zoom gathering Have a safe, blessed, and healthy New Year!    A Message From The Supreme Orator Nicole Covelli Happy Holidays to my Royal Arcanum Family, For those of you who do not know me, I would like to introduce myself.  My name is Nicole Covelli and I am your Supreme Orator.  I have been in the Royal Arcanum since birth, which I will only tell you is a very long time! ☺ My grandparents, Ann and Samuel Leto, were very active in the society, as well as my mother and father. They are the reason I became involved in the Royal Arcanum.  I have met so many wonderful people in the society.  Everyone has been so helpful to me during my early years on the Executive Committee.  I have learned so much from all of you and I am truly grateful for what the Royal Arcanum has become to me.  As I look back upon this tumultuous year we have all endured, I really have come to put many things into perspective. First, I have counted the many blessings in my life starting with my wonderful family, including of course, my Royal Arcanum family. There were a couple of times this past year where I had thought about throwing in the towel, but then I thought about all the people that are struggling much worse than I was.  I have been so fortunate to work in such a wonderful organization where we are constantly helping people who are going through such rough times especially during the COVID-19 crisis.  As we approach the new year, I want everyone to remember all the blessings in their lives and how we as a fraternal organization can continue to help those in need.  We are all so lucky for the family we have made through the Royal Arcanum, and as we work through this current crisis, please see what you can do to make someone's day brighter.  I know I am trying to do that each and every day, and because we all have so many talents to share with the world, I know we can make it such a wonderful place to live. Wishing you all a wonderful New Year.  May you and your families all thrive in the upcoming year.  I can't wait to see all of you in the very near future. Warmest Regards, Nicole Covelli Supreme Orator    The Scholarship Application Deadline is here! The deadline for accepting scholarship applications is December 31! If you know of any members that intend to apply but haven't, it's not yet too late. Call us today at 1-888-ARCANUM or visit our web site's Forms area to find the application forms. But be sure to do this before the new year! Applications are due by December 31, 2020. Please include a photograph of yourself in your application that we can use for advertising winners. All components of the application must be submitted and completed by March 31, 2021.    Roy's Corner The  Zoom gathering on December 18 was very lightly attended, but was wonderfully fun! Errica & Joe Conforto, Joann & David Covelli, and Carl and Chris Krzystofczyk caught up and saw each other for about an hour. They shared stories, laughs, and Errica's Italian Pignoli cookie recipe! We thought we'd do this again because it was so much fun. Interested? Let us know if there's a better date and time than a Friday evening and we can plan another get-together in the new year.

 

Dec 15, 2020 Newsletter #7

Hi Member, We hope you are enjoying this season! Soon the winter solstice will be behind us and the longer days with more sunlight will be here. In the mean time, we hope this newsletter will add a bit of sunshine to your day. A Message From our Sitting Past Supreme Regent Thank you for the letters Join us this Friday for a Zoom gathering The Scholarship Deadline is approaching Roy's Corner and his recent adventures    A Message From Sitting Past Supreme Regent Errica Conforto As we head into the Holiday season, I can’t help but reflect on the past year, the unexpected challenges that we have faced, and the way we connected with each other during these unprecedented times. Holidays are all about tradition, family, community, and being together. I don’t know what this year's festivities will look like with Covid-19 concerns for all of us, with the effort to reduce the spread by staying at home and social distancing, but I’m sure it will be a memorable year. For us, one thing is for sure - celebrating at home with only immediate family members has more meaning than usual this year. Even if we can’t greet everyone in person, let’s aim our energies toward showing the rest of our families and friends how much we love, miss, and value them even if we can’t be at the same table and give each other hugs this year. Let’s try to focus on things that we are able to control. Normalcy will return soon and we will celebrate in person once again. Looking forward to getting together with all our Royal Arcanum families after all this is over. Wishing you and your families a health and happy holiday season, and a prosperous New Year.   Best Regards, Errica Conforto    Thank you for the Letters I wanted to express my sincere thanks to everyone who submitted a signed letter of support on behalf of our Fraternal Investment Bill currently in the Massachusetts Legislation.  These letters of support make a difference with Legislators  and shows the type of members we have within Royal Arcanum. The letters have already been sent to Speaker DeLeo and Minority Leader Jones as I anticipate having a hearing schedule in which I will testify on the bills behalf.  These letters of support will be used to demonstrate the importance of this bill for fraternals domiciled within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.     Thank you again,   Nick Benoit      Join us and Say "Hi" Won't you join us on Friday, December 18 at 8:00 pm Eastern / 7:00 pm Central / 5:00 pm Pacific for a Zoom gathering to say hello to your Royal Arcanum friends? It's been over 2 years since we've been able to gather across all our jurisdictions, To join, just click on the link for the Royal Arcanum Holiday Get-together and say hello to friends that are missing you. Using Zoom is easy: just click the link on the phone, tablet, or computer that you plan to use for the gathering. If you don't have Zoom, it will guide you to download and install it, a process that takes about 5 minutes. For best results, use a device that has both video and audio (a smart phone works well, but so do most tablets and many computers). We're looking forward to seeing you on Friday!    Don't miss the Scholarship Deadline December 31 is the deadline for applications for the Royal Arcanum scholarships! Don't miss the chance to get in on this benefit of membership! To apply, call us at 1-888-ARCANUM or get the application from our web site.    Roy's Corner Roy has been staying safe while getting out of the house lately. Here are some of his adventures in the Rhode Island area. Thank you to Jackie Wudkiewicz for providing updates of Roy's latest escapades. Has he been busy anywhere else? If so, send us some pictures!