My dear Brothers and Sisters, after a year of political uncertainty and a global pandemic, I invite you to step forward with boldness and confidence, to experience a renewal of your hearts, minds, and souls. If the past year has taught us anything, it is that we cannot let opportunities to spend time together pass us by. I am looking forward to coming together in meetings and events; to lodge visits, hearing the laughter and rejoicing among all of you, especially after being apart for so long.

On Thursday, December 9, 2021, I attended Enrico Caruso Lodge #1463 (My Lodge), Meeting and Christmas Party. Our charities representatives from Bethlehem Center, Food Link, and The Rescue Mission attended the meeting. Each were presented with a check in the amount of $500.00 from our Lodge. We had a delicious dinner with a visit from Santa who gave each child a gift. The tables were set

Dear Members,
A look back, during the pandemic:
It has been an unusual year and a half. The COVID-19 pandemic has reflected on how OSDIA and our members remain resilient and continue finding ways to serve our lodges.

Years from now members will look back on these issues and see how our world is constantly changing and how new things became part of our everyday lives, such as face masks and virtual meetings.

How many of you participated in a videoconference such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams before 2020? How many unfamiliar products are now considered commonplace as we use them to connect with others.

These platforms allow us to continue to connect, even if it is through a screen. The pandemic pushed us to use technology that has been around for a few years and get creative on how we reach members and serve our Lodges.

Our National Supreme Lodge and Grand Lodge

Dear Members,
Hopefully, those Lodges that have a candidate for the upcoming Royal Pageant for the 2022 Grand Lodge Convention in Southern California have sent their participant notification to Pamela Ricci, Royal Pageant Chairperson. This is one of the few opportunities that we have to highlight our youth. This is a fun event and a good opportunity to encourage the youth members to get involved. Please let us all make, an effort to support this event whether you have a participant or not!

The sessions of the National Convention in August 2021 by Zoom ran smoothly and like clockwork! Our National President

This is a brief report on the Grand Council Meeting, held at the Hilton Hotel Arden West, Sacramento, CA on September 17th and 18th. On Friday, September 17, 2021, the State Trustees had their audit meeting of accounts of the Grand Lodge. Immediately following, the state officers met for the executive meeting.

On Saturday, September 18th, at 9:00am was the Grand Council Meeting. With Roll Call of officers, Pledge of Allegiance, and the Invocation. There was reading and approval of minutes of the Grand Council Zoom meeting, held on March 20, 2021.

The State Officers gave their reports. State Financial Secretary, David Lavezzari, reviewed the report of the General Fund

I will be including in brief some information regarding Membership & Leadership in my article each month “Back to the Basics”: simple ideas to keep members engaged in Retention and Recruiting members.

For some members of our Order, recruiting is the easy part. Membership retention, however, is sometimes the most difficult and important. It’s great that you got those members in the door, but how do you make them stay?

The Lodges have learned that former members