‘You Can’t Enjoy Dinner Without Having to Look Through a Cloud of Smoke’
> We often visit our daughter in Danville, PA, and have asked why they don’t belong to their local Moose operation. Their reason for not joining is the same reason that my wife and I have for not attending more functions at our Lodge here in Erie: Smoke Smoke Smoke!
You cannot go in and enjoy a Friday-night fish dinner without having to look through a cloud of smoke. For an organization that is supposed to be so family- and child-oriented, you would think that smoking would be discouraged or outright banned in the Moose.
If the Perkins and McDonald’s chains can take the step to ban smoking, you would think that you would also get on the bandwagon.
L. Daniel Weber
Erie, PA
. . . and more . . .
> The Moose organization neglects its senior citizens when it comes to looking out for their health. A lot of seniors have health problems related to smoking; heart, asthma, severe allergies. But the Moose doesn’t care enough to give a smoke-free environment to its members.
We have been fighting lung problems; we can’t go into a smoke-filled place. Give your senior members a place to go in your Lodges where it is smoke-free. A lot of families don’t come to the Moose because they don’t like their children in second-hand smoke. Moose Lodges should address this smoking issue.
LeRoy and Wilma Carson
Franklin, IN
Editor’s note: It is appropriate here to excerpt from General Governor David Chambers’s response to Mr. & Mrs. Carson:
“We certainly understand your viewpoint and respect your comments. However, it is impossible to adopt one law that would fit every situation in almost 1,900 Moose operations throughout North America . . .the members of this fraternity have adopted laws providing that smoking rules be adopted at the local Lodge level.”
Sec. 48.2 of the General Laws, as amended in 2004, does require that every Moose operation must set a written smoking policy:
“The House Committee shall comply with all state, local or provincial laws governing smoking. (For example, no Moose operation in California may permit indoor smoking, unless they procure a local exemption.) If smoking is lawful, the House Committee shall adopt rules and regulations regarding smoking during social functions . . .(which) shall be considerate of all members and provide smoke-free areas. It is recommended that smoking be prohibited during all meal functions occurring in separate areas from the Social Quarters.”
The General Governor’s letter to the Carsons continued:
“If you are dissatisfied with smoking in your Lodge home, you have the right to call a special meeting of the Lodge membership by submitting a petition to the Governor, signed by at least eight (8) members, or 2% of the good-standing members of the Lodge, whichever is greater.
“The decision of the Lodge pertaining to smoking is (then) based on majority vote.”
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Send correspondence to LETTERS, Moose Magazine, Mooseheart, IL 60539-1174, or to kwehrmeister @mooseintl. org. Letters must be signed, and may be edited for brevity and clarity.
‘My daughter’s reason for not joining. . . SMOKE!’
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May/June/July 2005
