March 24/2020
By order of the Government of Ontario and the Huron-Perth Public Health, the Office of the Grand Lodge of Ontario is hereby closed for at least two weeks.
Bob and myself will be dropping by to pick up mail and will be taking work home with us so we can do our best to keep on top of things. We will not be in the Office for a long period daily. We ask that you do no call the Office. If there is something that is urgent we would ask you to call the Grand Master and other member of the Grand Lodge Executive.
In order to minimize emails we would request that if you wish to reach John that you email ten.fooi@stnuocca and if you wish to reach Bob that you email ten.fooi@mlawhcsb . Please, for the time being, do not use the other email addresses and please limit emails to essential emails.
The Order Department is closed until the Office reopens. Please do not send in orders until after the Office reopens. We will continue looking after the daily business of the Grand Lodge of Ontario as best we can. Wishing you and yours all the very best for continued safety and health. We will weather this storm together.
Brother John R. Nichols, Grand Secretary.
March 23/2020
Good Morning Brothers and Sisters,
I hope you all have cancelled your room at the Arden Park for this years Sessions. The Hotel is closing March 24, 2020 until at least April 15, 2020 (possibly longer).
John Nichols Grand Secretary
March 19/2020
To: All Odd Fellows and Rebekahs in the Jurisdiction of Ontario. From: Brother John Nichols, Grand Secretary and the Executive of the Grand Lodge of Ontario.
Dear Brothers and Sisters; This important communication is coming to All Lodges via email and Canada Post. Please immediately feel free to share this information in your Districts so everyone can be adequately informed immediately. In response to the current State of Emergency in our Province and notwithstanding the provisions of the Code of Ontario Odd Fellows Laws, The Annual Sessions of the Grand Lodge, and Rebekah Assembly, of Ontario are hereby cancelled and omitted. In accordance with this cancellation, our Grand Master, Brother Jim Broadfoot has declared that all materials and legislation to come before the Annual Session, with the exception of the Election of Officers, the budget and dues increase and other necessary resolutions to continue the operations of the Grand Lodge, are hereby postponed to the 2021 Annual Session. Please remember to call the Arden Park Best Western to cancel your Hotel Room for these cancelled Sessions. We do not have the authority to cancel your Room for you! You can call the Arden Park Best Western at 519- 275-2936, extension 0, or toll free at 1-877-788-8818 to cancel your room. In addition, we will issue cheques to reimburse for the Banquet and DD Luncheon to all those for whom we have cashed cheques. For those for whom we have not cashed your cheques we request your permission to shred your cheque instead of mailing it back to you. Please email Bob Schwalm at ten.fooi@mlawhcsb to give him authority to shred your cheque. We will make arrangements for the Officers of the Grand Lodge of Ontario to be installed, at a later date, at the Lodge Hall of Avon Lodge #41, in Stratford, Ontario. We will notify everyone of the date when we have all matters in this regard settled. We ask your grace during this time as we rearrange and make necessary changes in this uncharted territory. The health and welfare of our Membership is of our primary concern with these actions. We wish you nothing but continued health and success during the time of this crisis. Further information, including provision for voting on the necessary items, will be mailed to each Lodge as soon as we can make provisions for getting these items together. We will give a period of two full weeks for responses to be returned to the Office of the Grand Lodge of Ontario.
Thank you to all of you for being so understanding during this unprecedented time in our history. We remain now, and always, yours in Friendship, Love and Truth. Sincerely Yours Friendship, Love and Truth, Brother John R. Nichols, Grand Secretary. Brother Jim Broadfoot, Grand Master