Fortunately And Unfortunately

Heading to the lodge this week I had a clear cut set of objectives that I needed to address with a number of the brothers who would be in attendance. There have been a few item that have come up over the last week that needed to be worked on immediately and a number of scheduling matters that had to be taken care of so nothing was overlooked heading into the summer. With these projects in place and the responsibilities coordinated, it would afford me the time to take care of a few other tasks so that we could have a clean slate after the stated meeting.

After sitting in an inordinate amount of traffic on my way down and saying goodnight to my son over the phone, I arrived at the lodge with a number of brothers already gathered around one of the dining tables taking care of business. Certainly a welcomed sight knowing all that needed to get done. While I did arrive a touch later than usual, by the time I set my bag down the necessary conversations had already begun. As soon as I sat at the table, I pulled out my laptop and we got to work.

Fortunately and unfortunately, some of the recent difficulties that we have faced earlier in the year have actually put us in a great position to fulfill some of the recent requests made of us by Grand Lodge. This is also why the work that we accomplished last night was quick and highly efficient. There are a few things that still need to be collected but we will certainly be able to submit all the necessary paperwork well before the 45 day deadline. It was actually rather surprised as well as appreciative and impressed by the organization demonstrated by the Trustees of the lodge. Everything was ready to go and transferred to me within minutes.

I had expected this first meeting to be much more drawn out than it was so all the other tasks for the night were handled in a much more casual and also thorough manner allowing me to check and double check regarding a variety of ongoing and new projects. By the time we locked the doors and headed back out to the parking lot I was feeling good about the upcoming meeting and looking forward to the long break over the summer. Hopefully, meetings like the ones I had tonight become more of the norm rather than the exception to the rule which has been the case in previous years.

Bills And Bank Statements

As many of you know, I am one of those people that checks all financial statements on almost a daily basis. I have had credit cards hijacked in the past and I know how much of an issue that can cause. I am also doing everything I can to pay off debt and keep our financials in a healthy position so the little bit of time each day is well worth the effort to ensure that all the numbers are where they should be. And this is just my personal accounts.

While not nearly as regular as my personal habits, I am also continuously cognizant of the financial situation of the lodge. This is just another one of the duties that I agreed to when I took office as Secretary. Just like my personal financial situation, we are not talking about big numbers so I make sure to know where every dollar is coming from and how much is going out. Lately, we have gotten a little behind as all of our summer schedules have hindered us from getting together. We were finally able to get everything squared away this evening… it really puts my mind at ease knowing where everything stands.

Of course, when some of the balances were brought to my attention I expected some inquiries to be made by some of the brothers at the lodge. After all, this is our budget and our accounts and this is why I keep a meticulous record of what has come in and what has gone out. It is required of me to do so and I would expect them to hold me personally responsible if I was unable to provide them with a receipt. And that is what we should all take away from this.

It shouldn’t matter if you are involved in the financials of a business, lodge, charitable organization, or your own personal accounts. Everything has to be accounted for. I know that if I want to be reimbursed for a purchase at work or for the lodge I have to have a receipt. No receipt means no check. While we have provisions in place to ensure transparency, I have heard of too many instances of fraud and downright theft both within lodges and outside of lodges. I am well aware of these instances and I made it known that the books are open to members and that I am happy to answer any questions.

Even when looking at my own debts I can account for all the credit that has been used… this is particularly important regardless of the type of account because you don’t want to wake up one day to the reality of owing 10 or 20 thousand dollars to a bank or credit card company. I know where all of my money is going (especially on the tight budget that we have had in recent years and the process of paying down debt that we are currently undertaking). I shouldn’t expect any less from the lodge and the lodge shouldn’t expect any less from me.

Donate Space, Donate Blood

On an almost daily basis lately, there seems to be one thing or another that I need to address when it comes to keeping things running as smoothly as possible at the lodge. Sometimes I can help while other times I am not sure that there is anyone that can offer assistance. A midst all of the phone calls and emails this week revolving around a variety of lodge matters, there was one particular call that I didn’t expect. A call that allowed me to take action on behalf of the lodge and make something happen to help someone else.

As you may recall, the lodge conducted a blood drive in December and for the event we had a pretty good turnout especially given the fact that this was the first time that many of us were in charge of coordinating and the fact that we were late in scheduling the day and time with the Red Cross. Well, afterward everyone left happy with a respectable turnout and a lot of donations made. It wasn’t the easiest thing to pull off but the results motivate us to ensure that we make this an annual occurrence.

We had come up with a preferred date toward the beginning of the year and while I had been meaning to call the coordinator I simply haven’t gotten around to tracking her down. Yesterday I didn’t have to call her, all I had to do was pick up the phone. As it turns out, the Red Cross needed our help. The venue that they were scheduled to use on April 18^th was now unavailable and so the scheduled blood drive had everything but a location.

After making a few calls and making sure many of the brothers were on board I was able to call her back and offer her, on behalf of all the brothers, the use of the lodge for that particular day. While it was by no means an expected task during a busy week, it was gratifying to know that we were able to help in some small way. Of course, while I had her on the phone I also booked our blood drive for the fall on Saturday, October 3^rd, from 10am to 3pm.

I guess it is a simple lesson that while it is good to seek out ways to help the community sometimes you just have to keep yourself open and pick up the phone when it rings. You never know, you could make a difference just by answering. So, whether you are free in April or October (or both), take some time out of your day, give something to those in need, and donate blood.