As this issue of Moose Magazine arrives in your mailbox during the first part of November, the time has come (at least in our northern climes) when we annually turn inward--both on a practical level, and psychologically. No longer do we linger outdoors; no, the darkness of late afternoon and the blustery chill in the air hunches our shoulders as we turn up our collars and head briskly into the welcoming brightness and warmth of our homes--and our Moose homes.
And as we do so, we look ahead toward the comforting traditions of the holiday season--what they mean to us as members of the Moose, perhaps especially this year.
As we first approach the bounty of Thanksgiving 2006, we’re reminded of how thankful we are for YOU--the many hundreds of thousands of men and women of the Moose who have stuck with this fraternity during a period in which, frankly, it hasn’t necessarily been easy to do so! We at Moose International headquarters are immensely grateful for our members who have patiently worked with us through our change in leadership this spring--and as we then waded into the huge challenge of Centralized Dues. As you’ll see in the update on page 6, it is one that has been wrestled into a manageable situation, one which is improving by the week. Through this difficult year, you have stuck with us--because you knew that the needs of our children and teens at Mooseheart, of our seniors at Moosehaven, and in our communities, were all too important to lose your support.
After Thanksgiving, for most of us, we think ahead to the season of Christmas and Hanukkah, with its tendency to infuse even the most jaded among us with a warm spirit of goodwill to all humankind--and to impart a spirit of giving. Your fraternity needs that spirit of giving from its loyal members right now, as much as it has ever needed it. The most essential thing that your fraternity needs you to give right now is new blood--by sponsoring a new member into your Lodge or Chapter. As we’ve said so many times, if EACH Moose member sponsored just ONE new member every year, there’s nothing we could not accomplish--the amount of good we would be able to do for society would skyrocket.
Additionally, we would hope you might be inspired, during this season of giving, to generously respond to monetary appeals from Moose Charities--as your circumstances allow, of course. And, when your Lodge, Chapter or Moose Legion leaders approach you seeking a helping hand with various holiday projects and events--you know how much it would be appreciated if you could find just a small bit of time to enable you to say “yes.”
Finally, then, it comes time to turn the calendar to the new year of 2007. That is the occasion to take advantage of the clean slate, to take stock of ourselves, and to resolve to do things differently--more efficiently, more successfully.
Regarding your Moose fraternity, we hope your resolutions might include more frequent service to your Lodge, Chapter or Moose Legion--perhaps as an officer! And, again--to sponsor another new member, or two or three, especially before April 30, which is the last day of the 2006-2007 Moose fiscal year.
For, you see, we’ve already made a New Year’s resolution, one we think we can quite realistically attain: We are going to make this Moose year the first one in the last dozen in which we will show an INCREASE in members on the rolls--in the Loyal Order of Moose, Women of the Moose, and the Moose Legion.
But only YOU can make it happen!
From all of us at Moose International--have a wonderful holiday season!
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November/December/January 2006-2007
