Dear Dedicated Members for Change,
A couple of weeks ago I listed some things that my own Lodge – Davis, California #169 – was doing during the corona virus crisis to help members, help the community, help our Lodge tenants, and implement the use of video technology to “meet”. I invited other Lodges to send in their ideas. Here are some that I have received.
During virtually every crisis over the last 200 years, Odd Fellows have stepped up to help each other, and also to reach out into the greater community. We continue to do what we can to fulfill the great admonition of Odd Fellowship: “To elevate the character of man.”
F – L – T
Dave Rosenberg
Past Grand Master
Jurisdiction of California
Dave,
Greetings and thank you for continuing your tireless publication of the DMC Newsletter!
After reading this latest issue I want to share another aspect of this new reality we face, rents from our tenants. Most lodges have tenants and benefit from the revenue stream of their rents. Ocean View Lodge has two tenants who run lively and successful businesses in our building, they are partners we want to support in the terrible financial situation they find themselves in because we want them to survive.
We instituted a plan of rent relief which we feel is mutually beneficial. We have divided the rent into equal thirds. One third is due as usual, One third is deferred until a later date and one third is forgiven as our charitable contribution. The deferred third may possibly be recovered via SBA loans/grants, a benefit to both tenant and landlord.
FYI in FLT, Joe Brennan
Ocean View Lodge, Secretary
Hi Dave;
Nice communication. Since you asked….
Bay View Lodge 109 in Redwood City is conducting our regular twice per month meetings via Zoom. In fact, we’ve had a couple members join the Zoom meetings that typically never come to the in-person meetings! We’ve also made two emergency donations to local organizations who are specifically helping the homeless in our area to stay safe and preferably get off the streets during this time: Street Life Ministries and St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room. Finally, we were able to secure 2,500 sugical face masks and donated to PAMF Sutter Health Medical Center in San Carlos. That Medical Center, incidentally, has as its top administrator our Brother and current Vice Grand Raymond Fellers. We are so proud of Raymond! He is working very long hours, and he led the effort to create a drive through testing and respitory clinic — set-up in two days — serving the greater SF Peninsula community. Raymond is truly one of the front line heros here locally.
Stay safe and healthy,
Steven Koury
Secretary, Bay View Lodge 109
cell 650-922-7457
Dave:
I hope all is well. One of our new members, Oscar Ortega, runs a charity in a low income neighborhood. www.livedexperiences.org He has been feeding residents. We are supporting him with masks, gloves and donations. We have been reaching out via phone and text messages. We had our first Zoom meeting last Tuesday. We will have another one this Tuesday. These have been social type calls to catch up and see if anyone needs help.
I will send you some photos from Oscar’s operation.
Stay safe and healthy!!!
FLT
Ed Burns
Oceanside Lodge #346
Morse Lodge #257 has communicated regularity with its members via email and phone encouraging its members to carry out a number of projects;
1. How to make one’s own Face mask Please follow this link for step-by-step instructions to sew a face mask. https://sarahmaker.com/how-to-sew-a-surgical-face-mask-for-hospitals-free-pattern/
2. Donating Blood as Blood Banks are facing shortages
3. Check in with our elderly neighbors. Offer to pick up their groceries or other essentials.
4. Will continue to donate to charities in this time of need, including the food pantry in SF’s Tenderloin District, which is still open.
5. For the Lodge’s ongoing project, continue collecting the following newspapers and old towels for the PHS/SPCA, personal care items for our Stockings for the Homeless Project, Coats, jackets and winter accessories for One Warm Coat, 9 inch aluminum pie pans for our Pie Baking for St. Anthony’s Dining Room project.
Berkeley Lodge #270 has conducted a successful regular business meeting (not using signs, password, gavel etc.) via Zoom video and has actively stayed in contact on a regular basis with its members via email and phone.
The seven (7) trustees of the Lodge have been especially active and to date has conducted two Zoom trustees meetings to ensure that the 47,000 sq ft building with its 24 tenants that include retail and office space remain sterile clean, well maintained and safe.
The Lodge Building is located one block from Berkeley downtown and the main campus of the University of California – Berkeley of which many of the Lodge’s retail tenants count on for their business.
The top priority is to try and ensure that the Lodge’s tenants stay in business and address their concerns. For those tenants ( primarily retail) who share the common area maintenance expenses, the lodge has agreed to not charge those fees until school comes back September 1st (value 10% per month).Four tenants requested a deferment of their rent for May which the Lodge has agreed to.
The Lodge has also encourage all tenants to sign up for the Federal Payroll Protection Program. SBA loans as well to seeking out City of Berkeley Grants being offered to small businesses. The Lodge Building also has a payroll and has filed for Federal Payroll Protection to mitigate the drop in rent anticipated for the coming months.
Rita Cooper, Trustee
Our new COVID Relief Committee is ready to help Odd Fellows. If you are a senior citizen or at risk, we are willing to purchase supplies for you. It is expected that payment will be made at the time of delivery.
Here is how you start:
1. Use request form. Fill out the simple request form and submit it. You will be asked to provide us your name, address, phone number, email address, and list of supplies needed. If you have a preferred grocery store, specify it. Typically, our volunteers will only go to one grocery store for you. If you prefer certain brands of supplies, specify. If no brand preference is given, the volunteer will use their discretion, which could include purchasing generic or store brands. If you request a prescription pickup, make sure the pharmacy has all the information they need and that the volunteer has any documentation they may need.
Another option: If you don’t want to use the form, send us an email with your list of supplies and preferences and contact information
2. Filling your request. Our goal is to fill each request within 24 hours. When we receive a request, we will connect you with a volunteer and they will call to confirm details. If you have not heard from me or a volunteer within two hours of your request submission, feel free to follow up by email or phone call to me.
3. Delivery of supplies. The volunteer will deliver your supplies to you and will collect payment for the purchases.
Want to volunteer? If you would like to volunteer, please contact me.
We are trying to take care of our Odd Fellow family. Thanks to the volunteers!
Dave Reed
Davis Lodge #169