I am writing to you again today to update you about the Lodge’s latest plan to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). With this disease now established as a pandemic and with several local events about to happen, we are intensifying our current response.
I write now, because the situation is so fluid and the global/local hotspots are shifting. The contagion pattern is not well understood. With that uncertainty, we need to make prudent choices to protect the health of our Lodge, it’s members, guests and staff; along with our community and the broader communities we belong to.
Based on the information available to us, we have decided to take these actions:
St. Patrick’s Tailgate Party for Jack’s Kids, Saturday 3/14 will be postponed
The Somerville St. Patrick’s Day Parade for Sunday 3/15 has been cancelled, so will the planned after-party at the Lodge
Our Annual St. Patrick’s Celebration on Tuesday 3/17 will be postponed. Please know that I will “recreate” a version of this at the appropriate time
Lodge Bingo will be postponed until further notice
Several community fundraising events are in the process of rescheduling, including: Home Sharing (3/13) and ICS Bingo (3/27), more to follow
Please know that these decisions were not made lightly. These actions represent the best judgement of myself and our Board of Directors. We choose to err on the side of extreme caution for the safety of us all. Since future challenges from COVID-19 could disrupt other events, we are developing additional contingency plans and will monitor the situation in order to keep you well-informed.
Beyond that, I ask for everyone’s cooperation as we try to choose a sound path for the Lodge. I encourage each of you to share with us how you think we can help limit the risk.
I know that both the spread of this disease and our decisions about it affect community programs and important celebration of life events. For many of you, the steps we are taking to protect the health of the community may involve significant inconvenience, financial burden and personal sacrifice. Please accept my gratitude in advance for your goodwill and understanding.
In this uncertain moment, I have every confidence in our community’s ability to pull together with kindness, care and concern for the common good.
Be Safe, Jim McGrady
March 11, 2020
Fellow Members,
At this time when the news is dominated by the Coronavirus, I wanted to personally reach out and let you know that we are vigilantly implementing enhanced protocols at The Somerville Elks to ensure your safety. Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our Members, Guests and Employees.
Our Board of Directors and myself are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control regarding the spread of the virus. We communicate with each other regularly in order to stay on top of any local and state updates. Our focus is to ensure we meet everyone’s needs while doing our part to keep our members, guests, employees and our community safe.
While we always strive to maintain the highest standards when it comes to cleaning and maintaining our Lodge; we're taking it even further with enhanced techniques.
Here’s what we’re doing:
We increased the frequency and diligence we use to clean our Lodge every day, especially after each banquet, using the recommended sanitizing products. In particular, we are paying special attention to guest touch points and concentrating on public areas.
We have provided additional sanitizer dispensers at our entrances.
In addition, we are taking steps to ensure the welfare of our employees. This includes instructing those who feel ill to stay home and consult their healthcare providers.
We have taken special steps of care for food service, especially with buffets. We are also counseling all employees how to be vigilant about frequent hand washing. We are teaching and giving them the proper tools they need to keep themselves and our environment safe.
If you plan to come to our member’s lounge or attend a function, we look forward to seeing you and want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to promote a safe and secure experience. If you have an event booked with us and decide to change or cancel, you can do so without incurring any fees.
During this challenging time, your safety is our highest priority and we truly appreciate the trust that you place in our team and our Lodge. Please don’t hesitate to call me for any concerns.
Best Regards, Jim McGrady, G.M. & E.C. 908-707-1545