Feature Articles:

Light at the End
of the Tunnel On Membership Numbers?

Corporate Secretary Joseph Meyer Notes
that Total-on-the-Rolls Decline Is At Its Lowest Level in 14 Years


Joseph Meyer
Corporate Secretary and Director of Information Systems

> Director of Information Systems and Corporate Secretary Joe Meyer gave both the reports of the Secretary and the Supreme Council Saturday afternoon.

Meyer began with positive news: during the recently concluded fiscal year, the Loyal Order of Moose enrolled 113,274 new and former members onto the rolls, a recruitment gain of 3,637 compared with the year before. Dropped memberships, deaths and other losses, however, took Loyal Order of Moose membership down to 902,161 as of April 30, 2005--a decline of 12,604. With Women of the Moose membership at 486,105 on the same date, total Moose strength stood at 1,388,266.

Meyer noted that the Loyal Order of Moose decline was, by far, the smallest annual decrease in 14 years--since 1990-91, the most recent year that the men experienced an overall increase of members on the rolls.

Thirteen states, Meyer reported, showed net membership gains for 2004-2005: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Meyer also reported that Lodges continued to grow financially. The combined total assets of our lodges stand at $808,638,965.78, an increase of nearly $23 million. Liabilities increased by only $2.4 million; therefore, the net financial strength of our lodges is at an all-time record high of $671,090,036.98, a healthy gain of just over $20.5 million. This is more than double the increase of last year, Meyer reported.

Report of the Supreme Council

Meyer reported that in addition to meeting as necessary by teleconference, the Supreme Council conducted its customary three meetings during the fiscal year--twice at Mooseheart, in October and May, and once in Las Vegas in February.

The Supreme Council continually strives to ensure the quality of activities, communication and leadership within our fraternity, Meyer reported, monitoring all business and functional areas of Moose International; plus review of petitions for Past Governor Conferrals.

Meyer also noted that the former Supreme Secretary’s position previously had the authority to administratively close Lodges when necessary; However, the Supreme Council took an action to transfer this authority to the General Governor during the past year.

Meyer said that during the May 2004-April 2005 period, unfortunate circumstances required the Supreme Council to authorize the General Governor to revoke the charters of three Lodges, believing in each case that all other potential remedies had been exhausted.

Meyer noted that, through General Counsel Leonard Solfa Jr., the Supreme Council is kept informed and advised about any conditions that may develop into situations requiring litigation--as well as reports on any ongoing litigation, and pending and settled cases.

The report noted that a major portion of the Supreme Council’s attention has involved a detailed review of Moose International’s corporate restructuring, and the implementation of new technology and fraternal programs (see “The Changes at Headquarters and How They Affect You, May/June/July 2005). Funding was made available to ensure that every Lodge, Chapter and Moose Legion currently using software purchased from Moose International receives an upgrade to the new LCL.Net software--shipped to all units in mid-July--at no charge. Additional funding was approved for professional technology training through Element K, again at no charge to the fraternal units, Meyer reported.

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