But if a person stores the word “ICE” in their cellphone address book, and connects it to the most reliable number of the person they would want contacted “In Case of Emergency,” police, paramedics, and hospital staff immediately recognize this code and contact that person. It’s so simple, just about anyone can do it--and of course it costs nothing extra.

And just to make sure, for more than one contact number, one would simply use “ICE1, ICE2, ICE3,” etc.; connecting those to the second and third numbers one would want contacted in case there was no answer at the first number.

Maybe this is a great idea that the Moose could get started nationwide. As a retired firefighter, I feel for firefighters, police and emergency workers worldwide. This program could be a huge benefit to all. We only have to get it started.

D. V. Gregory
Sonora, CA

> In the August/September/October 2005 Moose Magazine, (Moosehaven Executive Director) Faye Stevens stated there would be a “pay-as-you-go” concept for Moosehaven. So far I have not heard any more about this program; please advise.

Don J. Lanning
Muncie, IN

Editor’s note: Ask and ye shall receive; full details (as far as we know them now) on the developing Moosehaven “PAYG” plan constitute the cover story of this issue of Moose Magazine-- click here.

> The last time we corresponded, I think you or Mr. Ross were considering an article in Moose Magazine on the dangers of second-hand smoke (SHS) or were considering including it as a Convention subject.

As you may be aware, the smoking question is a major issue in many Lodges. My wife and I were just down in Arizona for a six-week vacation and did attend a couple of Lodges that were very bad as far as SHS was concerned; other Moose members also mentioned this fact.

As a nation, we get all out on the defense when it comes to SARS or Asian Flu; however, second-hand smoke kills many more each year than SARS ever thought about killing. When are we going to put SHS in Moose Lodges on the same critical-alert status as SARS or the Asian Flu?

Franklin R. Fronek, Ph.D
Greeley, CO

Excerpts of our e-mail response to Brother Fronek follow:

Thanks much for your correspondence of March 6. Your recollection in its first paragraph is only slightly inaccurate; we did indeed already run a Moose Magazine cover story (Nov/Dec/Jan 2005-06) on the smoking issue and how the banning of interior smoking has boosted the fortunes of one Florida Moose operation (Merritt Island Lodge 2073).

And, Mr. Ross did see to it that the topic was discussed at a national meeting of roughly 600 or our Lodge and Chapter leaders, this past November at Las Vegas. His brief report on that, as recounted in the February/March/April 2006 issue of Moose Leader & WOTM Bulletin, was as follows:

It shouldn’t be surprising that there is often disagreement--throughout the fraternity, and here at headquarters--on the answer to the perpetual question: “What do Moose members want?”

In any organization of nearly 1.5 million men and women of differing backgrounds and opinions, it’s impossible to even come close to answering that absolutely. And yet, I must grapple with some form of the question every workday. I have come to rely heavily on the direction we receive roughly every fall, at the meetings of 600-700 leaders of Associations, Lodges and Chapters that we’ve been holding for the last half-dozen years, usually in Las Vegas. This past November, at our “Imagine the Possibilities” sessions at the Excalibur Hotel, here were the condensed opinions expressed by five focus groups . . . . (one of five items).

On smoking: We must somehow accommodate smoking and nonsmoking members--but all activities for children and seniors should be smoke-free. Moose facilities should be required to have proper ventilation. However, Moose International has addressed this subject enough, and should simply enforce the General Laws as written while continuing to educate members regarding smoking laws. With antismoking laws and ordinances becoming increasingly pervasive, “in five years it will probably be out of our hands anyway.”