| Message from Director General Airey
and Grand Chancellor Fregulia
On Per-Capita Assessment Increase Coming September Recently, the Supreme Council of Moose International and the Grand Council of the Women of the Moose rendered a decision regarding increases in the annual per-capita assessment of the Women of the Moose, and the annual per-capita assessment of the Loyal Order of Moose (formerly known as the ABCD amount) – amounts paid as a portion (NOT the entirety) of each member’s dues. Decisions were reached based upon the following facts: As reported during the Orlando convention, the operating costs of Mooseheart Child City & School and the Moosehaven retirement community are running at approximately $32 million per year. Increased expenses of the two campuses have resulted in the fraternity needing to borrow funds from the Moose Foundation – which includes Endowment Fund donations. The fraternity has fallen far short of keeping pace with inflation in the per-capita assessment amounts. The ABCD amount was initially set at $4.00 in 1929 ($1.00 per quarter – therefore the reference to “A Big Charity Dollar” or ABCD.) And, according the U.S. Consumer Price Index, what could be purchased for $4.00 in 1929 cost $48.50 in 2007. The per-capita assessment of the Loyal Order of Moose has been raised just six times since 1929; the Women of the Moose per-capita has also been raised just six times since its inception in 1923 – in none of those cases fully keeping pace with inflation. From the 1960s through 1980s, when total Moose membership increased 25 out of 30 years, the per-capita assessment generated by the growing number of members was sufficient to fund operations. But, from 1991 to 2007, the total number of dues-paying members increased only 3 times in 16 years, and the drop in available per-capita funds has meant that the inflation shortfall could not be made up to sufficiently fund operations of our children’s and seniors’ campuses. Therefore, the decisions of the Supreme Council and Grand Council are as follows: As of member-renewals payable September 30, 2008, the Per-Capita Assessment for each member of the Women of the Moose will increase from its current $12 per year, to $20 per year. As of member-renewals payable September 30, 2008, the per-capita assessment, or ABCD amount, for each member of the Loyal Order of Moose, will rise from its current $16 per year, to $28 per year; then will increase a minimum of $2 each year for the next five years. We wish to stress that, while the officers of each Lodge and Chapter may respond to these per-capita increases by asking the Lodge and Chapter membership to approve increases in overall dues amounts – such a decision rests entirely with the voting membership of the Lodge and Chapter. What the Supreme Council and Grand Council have done is ONLY to increase the per-capita amounts coming from each member’s total dues amount. If you have any questions concerning the content of this message, please contact Moose International headquarters at 630-906-3658, or via email at helpdesk@mooseintl.org. |
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