COVID-19 Grand Lodge and NYSEA Elks

Grand Lodge and NYSEA Elks
              COVID-19
         Information Central
     Information will be updated as updates are made available

        Schedule Impact in NYSEA
Please Read for Lodge Opening Direction /
               Constraints
       Hoop Shoot 2020 Cancelled
     NYSEA 2021 Bowling Tournament
                Cancelled
Lodges, please be aware of the new manner of managing the spread of COVID 19 in
New York using micro clusters that was put into place by Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The state has established enhanced public health restrictions that are based on statistics
gathered daily for specific areas referred to as zones. There are three zones yellow,
orange and red which are progressively restrictive and need to be monitored daily to
ensure that your Lodge is in compliance. For additional details please see the following
link: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20268-continuing-
temporary-suspension-and-modification-laws-relating-disaster-
emergency

All members of our Elks Family, please adhere to Social
   Distancing to remain safe and healthy. Thank you.

NYSEA 2021 Bowling Tournament
2021 NYSEA Bowling Tournament cancelled due to the ongoing uncertainties and
restrictions of the Covid19 pandemic, the 2021 tournament will not be held. The 2022
tournament will be held in Oswego, NY. Be safe!

Elks Memorial Sunday – Grand Lodge Guidelines
Along the line of previous communications about COVID-19 from Grand Lodge, the
Memorial Service must be conducted in a safe manner and must comply with federal,
state, local, county and state public health announcements, mandates, laws, rules and
regulations. If this cannot be done, the use of a video conference can be utilized, or
the Service may be postponed until a later date when this special event can take place
safely. This may mean a carryover until December 2021.

Common sense must be used during these trying times.

Grand Lodge hopes each Local Lodge and State Association continues implemented
the following CDC guidelines on practical ways to prevent the spread of infection:
•   No shaking hands, hugging, knuckle bumps or high fives.
•   Keep a safe distance from others. Six feet when possible.
•   Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
•   No soap? Use hand sanitizer (60–95% alcohol based).
•   Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth.
•   Cover your cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow or a tissue, then throw
    the tissue in the trash.
•   Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    Encourage others to do the same.
We all need to keep in mind that the health of our Members, spouses, significant
others, friends, volunteers and employees is paramount. The BPOE remains vigilant in
our efforts to keep one another healthy!

Office of the Grand Secretary
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
   Of The United States of America

To clarify questions that have arisen regarding the effect of the recent Executive Order
which went into effect July 17, 2020 please see the highlighted excerpt below from the
NYSLA web site that clearly states that the Executive Order does not apply to Club
licenses which by definition are granted to nonprofit or veterans organizations that
provide service only to members and their guests.

The Statutes of the BPOE in Section 14.130 establish that subject to State and local
laws, the use of the facilities are limited to members in good standing, their spouses and
guests. Because this is the case NYSEA Lodges are encouraged and expected to
obtain a Club license and therefore should not be subject to Executive Order 202.52 .

                       *************************
                     New York State Liquor Authority
 Guidance On Requirement that Licensees With On-Premises Service Privileges
                   Serve Food With Alcoholic Beverages

                               Effective Friday, July 17, 2020
Pursuant to Executive Order 202.52, effective Friday July 17, 2020, all licensed
establishments with on premises privileges (e.g. restaurants, taverns, manufacturers
with tasting rooms, etc.) shall not serve alcoholic beverages unless such alcoholic
beverage is accompanied by the purchase of a food item which is consistent with
the food availability requirement of the license under the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Law.
The State Liquor Authority offers the following guidance:
•   This guidance applies to all licensed on premises establishments apart from those
    which do not require food as a condition of licensure (i.e., clubs, and bottle clubs),
    in addition, it applies to all licensed manufacturing establishments with on premises
    service privileges.
                                ************************

Please remember that it is always prudent to check with local authorities who are
charged with enforcement to ensure that you are in compliance with the local
application of the order.

Lodge Opening Directions

     https://forward.ny.gov/phase-three-industries

Lodge Opening Directions

Lodge Opening Directions / Constraints

IMPORTANT LIABILITY INFORMATION

From: GRANDLODGE 
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2020 2:19 PM
To: Area 1 DDGERs
Cc: 'David R. Carr'; Michael Zellen; Rick Palanzo; ajc8134.excite .; Bob Jones;
lrb440@aol.com; 'Robert Campo '; Bruce A.Hidley
Subject: "Stay At Home" @ Grand Lodge

Area 1 District Deputy Grand Exalted Rulers,

At 5:00 pm Saturday afternoon March 21, 2020, the Governor of Illinois mandated that the
State of Illinois will be operating in a “Stay At Home” status. This means that only essential
travel and life necessities can take place. With this announcement, I have closed the national
headquarters and all employees are to stay at home. As of this moment, this action is
scheduled to be in effect until April 7th but this can change on a day to day basis.

As an FYI, many of our staff have the capabilities of working from home and will be. What
does this mean when you try and contact the national headquarters? Possibly longer
response times; shipping of orders will be minimal; if you call the office, you might not talk to
someone but will need to leave a message for a return call to name a few.

DD’s I have one request, please forward this e-mail to the Exalted Rulers and Secretaries in
your District. Thanks for the assistance and all you do for Elkdom!!

Fraternally and sincerely,

Bryan

Bryan R. Klatt
Grand Secretary

From: PDDGER Tony Thanopolous
To: NYS DDGER-Designates
Sent: Saturday March 21 2020 1:47:13PM
Subject: National Convention

Dear DD-Designate,
National Convention and State May convention is still on as of this time.
GL has delayed online preregistration until May 1. I'll send instructions and any
changes as they come to me..
In lieu of lodge closures and officer installations and lodge approval of budgets
being delayed , I plan on extending the deadline for National Convention
forms/payment and any outstanding monies due until May 15. I will also have
State Secretary Paul send an e-mail to all Lodge Secretaries. Please let your
lodges know as well.
Stay warm and well.
Tony T

To: Advisory Board, DDGER’s, and Lodge Secretaries
From:     Dave Carr, PGER and Bruce A. Hidley, PSP, Special Representative,
State President Brian Greene
Re: New Guidelines
Date:     March 20, 2020

Please be advised that since the March 16, 2020 memo was distributed by Bruce
and me there have been new directives issued by Grand Lodge. These new
directives will be sent to the Exalted Rulers and Lodge Secretaries by Grand
Lodge through the District Deputies.
1. Regular Lodge Meetings – Lodges are urged to continue with regular Lodge
    Meetings when the ban on non-essential business is no longer in place in NY.
2. Installation of Officers – All Lodges must have their 2020 -2021 Lodge Officers
    in place up to April 15, 2020. The Grand Lodge Advisory Board did note that
    Installations may take place at a regular Lodge Meeting held elsewhere or by
    other means such as phone, Skype or Facetime. Any P.E.R. may conduct a
    modified version of the Installation, with or without Officers being involved.
    The Oath of Office is all that needs to be conducted and is the most
    important part of the Installation of Officers. A full Installation of Officers
    may be conducted for your members, family and friends to attend at a later
    date.
3. Initiations – Grand Lodge has requested that all pending candidates be
    initiated before March 31, 2020. I know this does not leave much time before
    the March 31st date. Try to do this by the best means possible, whether at
    your regular Lodge Meeting or otherwise. With today’s technology there are
    several options. Due to the virus concerns you may use a modified version of
    the Ritual by using one or more officers and making sure each candidate
    does take the Obligation and sign the required documents. The new
    members are encouraged to be invited to another initiation at a later date.
    Wherever the Initiation takes place it must be recorded in the minutes of a
    Special Meeting for the sole purpose of Initiation.
Finally, District Deputy Clinics, our State Convention and the National Convention
remain as scheduled. We will inform you of any potential changes.
We need each of you to know that guidelines could change in a moment’s notice
as the Center for Disease Control and the Governor of the State of New York set
forth future mandates.
Thank you in advance during these very serious times we are experiencing not
only in NYS but across our Great USA.