Some DeMolay ideas during COVID19
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When DeMolay meets with a challenge, we find solutions.
COVID19 presents some unique challenges for us as an organization. We are based on social interaction, events, meetings and activities. Yet, those very things that make us so great are the very things that public health officials are cautioning against. So does that mean no DeMolay activities? Nope. It just means that we are not physically present together for DeMolay activities. Now, more than ever, is the time to be creative. Below are some ideas that you and your chapter can do as DeMolay activities that do not require you to be physically present.
1. Online Game Tournament: There are so many multiplayer video games out there that there is no limit to what you and your chapter can do. You can easily organize that everyone is online at the same time. Maybe you invite your brothers from another chapter and challenge them to a game. You pick the time, the game, the place, have fun!
2. Virtual Meetings: Just because you cannot meet in person doesn’t mean that you cannot meet. With the power of Skype, free conference call services, Google, and others you can easily have a meeting where you talk over chapter activity and events. It takes a little getting used to and as I remind the state officers on our biweekly calls, if you’re not talking please mute. For virtual meetings you do not need to open ritualistically, but we ask that you do a prayer before the meeting and close with the nine o’clock interpolation.
3. Online Ritual Practice: One fraternal group I belong to opted to hold our ritual practice via a Google hangout. You can do the same thing. Our ritual contests for Convention will be announced soon and you could work on it that way. Don’t have a ritual? Let me know and we’ll get you hooked up with a copy.
4. Online Ritual Tournaments and Contests: Maybe you’ve been itching to try out a new ritual part. This could be a great time to do it! If your chapter wants to put together a ritual tournament to try out a new part we can adjudicate it using a Skype or a Google hangout.
4. Remote Service Projects: There are a number of great ways you can do some volunteer work online. You could type letters to troops, make dog toys, etc. I would ask that you refrain from printing letters to troops or mailing things at this time, but there are plenty of others. Some quick ideas may be found here:
https://barkpost.com/life/3-dog-toys-you-can-make-from-things-around-the-house/
https://www.operationwarm.org/blog/25-volunteer-jobs-to-do-from-home/
5. Host an online Leadership Correspondence Course Challenge: Have you been wanting to get the LCCs done? Now is a great time to do it. Please reach out to “Dad” David Schneider
f people need a Leader's resource guide you can get it from here:
if you need a HI Dad you can get here
6. Work on your Representative DeMolay or Mentor Someone else: Now is a great time to get the Representative DeMolay done. It was the dream of our Founder “Dad” Frank Sherman Land that each of us be a representative DeMolay. Now is a great time to get this done!
7. Take an Online DeMolay Course (starting Monday): New York DeMolay is putting together some online course learnings that you can use to learn new skillsets. Our hope is to nave new modules added but look out for an announcement soon!
8. Read Hi Dad! Have you ever read Hi Dad! Now is your chance! Florida DeMolay has it online: https://www.fldemolay.org/
9. Revisit the Centennial Moments: “Dad” Labagh wrote a great deal of DeMolay history that’s well worth reading here: https://demolay.org/centennial-celebration-moments/ Take a shot at some of the answers, feel free to share your response with us and we may publish it!
10. Look over our Governing Documents: The State Officers recently reviewed out State Constitution and Bylaws, you may want to take a look at see what parts you want to change or modify. Have an idea, send us a note and we’ll take a look at it!
https://www.nydemolay.net/en/page.php?id=877
11. Kach Essay Contest: The deadline for the international contest has passed, HOWEVER, for the New York based prizes, we are willing to extend the deadline until April 1, 2020 following the same set of rules.
12. Create an Attitude of Gratitude List: This is a great exercise to do on a regular basis, but sit down and write a list of things you are grateful for. This really helps to keep your positive emotional energy up and is a great time!
13. Explore the Art of Manliness: The Art of Manliness is one of my favorite websites, lots of great content can be found here on how to dress, how to do new things, you name it. https://www.artofmanliness.com/
14. Read a Classic: Project Guttenberg has some awesome free books out there. I’m a big Dickens fan, and that story about Pip? I have great expectations for it. Or the one about the orphan boy in London? Quite the plot twist. You can also look up some plays there and maybe do them together with your brothers.
https://www.gutenberg.org/
15. Apply for Scholarships: DeMolay has Scholarships that you can apply for!
https://demolay.org/opportunity/
16. Call or Email or Text a brother: Take time to reach out to a brother you have not heard from in a while, he'll love to hear from you!
17. Have a pun off: My friends and I do this, but we go through and do a pun off. It is a thing of beauty at times.
Use your imagination and share your ideas! Just because we are physically distant, doesn’t mean DeMolay stops, we just get creative!