"MoosePages" is an Easy-to-Use Template For Moose Websites--With Server Space Free from Moose International

Eric Vonhoff Director, Information Systems Phone: 630-966-2238

Kurt Wehrmeister Director, Communications & Public Affairs Phone: 630-966-2229

Ever since December 2009, Moose International has offered an answer to Lodge/Chapter, Moose Legion and Association leaders who either lack the funds to pay for assembly and server space for a Website, or who feel they have no one with enough "tech savvy" to assemble and maintain a site.

It's MoosePages -a new Website content-management system, more than a year in development from the Moose International Department of Information Systems, and being serviced through the Department of Communications & Public Affairs.

With MoosePages, anyone with enough computer knowledge to just click a mouse, and write and send an e-mail, can maintain and update a simple Website for their Lodge/Chapter*, Moose Legion or Association! There's no need to register -or pay for-a domain name.

Your MoosePages site will allow you to draft and display top news items, draft, post and update specific messages from your top leaders; to update your Moose facility's hours of operation, show and update your events calendar several months into the future, and highlight upcoming events; to upload, organize and display photographs; and to get feedback from your membership through a "Contact Us" feature. A left-side column will offer easy links to www.mooseintl.org, www.mooseheart.org, www.moosehaven.org, www.moosecharities.org, and www.GoodSearch.com -- the search engine that donates to Moose causes every time it's used.

And perhaps best of all-it's absolutely free . . . free to receive, pre-assembled and ready to fill; and free to maintain-no monthly maintenance or server charges!

Give MoosePages a try with these simple steps:

1. Have your Lodge Administrator, Chapter Recorder, Moose Legion Secretary or Association Secretary send an e-mail to Teresa Ehlert (Tehlert@mooseintl.org) in the Moose International Department of Communications & Public Affairs; in the Subject line indicate: "MoosePages Set-Up Requested." The email text should indicate full identification of the Lodge/Chapter, Chapter only, Moose Legion or Moose Association for which the Website is being established; and the name and the email address (if different) of the Webmaster designated by the Lodge/Chapter, Chapter only, Moose Legion or Association, as the case may be. (We require that the e-mail come from an "@mooseunits.org" e-mail address simply so we know that this is an authorized request from that particular Moose Fraternal Unit.)

2. We will establish the basics of the Website, including placing the appropriate name/number at the top of its Home Page.

3. We will send a return e-mail, both to the Fraternal Unit and to the designated Webmaster, informing both of you of the Web address (URL) of the new site, your username and password-and the notification that it is now ready to be "moved into!"

That's all there really is to it! We think that in most cases, and with most users, the MoosePages template is sufficiently simple and self-explanatory to be able to "fill in" and update on your own, going forward – but if you have questions or problems during regular business hours, do contact Teresa at Tehlert@mooseintl.org or by phone at 630-966-2229!

(We should note here that of course, we're aware that several hundred Moose Lodge/Chapter combinations, Moose Legions and Associations already maintain their own independent, previously-established Websites . . . and we need to make clear that in such cases, you're under absolutely no obligation to switch to a MoosePages site-but you're certainly free to do so if you wish!)

Enjoy!

Eric Vonhoff
Director, Information Systems

Kurt Wehrmeister
Director, Communications & Public Affairs

*-- As with Moose newsletters, it is Moose International's strong preference that a Moose Lodge and its affiliated Chapter present itself to its membership and the outside world with one unified Website. We will, of course, establish and host a MoosePages site for those Chapters of the Women of the Moose which carry no Lodge affiliation.