From the East...

​Brethren,

We have good news! We are re-opening our lodge September 16th, at 7:00 pm. While
closed, we have been working on changes aimed at making our lodge a safe place to meet.
We will have our opening meeting for the year with a summoned communication on
Wednesday September 16, 2020. The purpose of the meeting will be to elect and Install the
officers for 2020/2021. It will be a Master Mason lodge (no EAs and FCs will be admitted).

For now, our lodge will meet as follows:

1. Stated/Summoned Communications, 1st Wednesday of each Month, 7pm – 8:30pm (Oct
2020 through May 2021),

2. Dress Code-Jacket and Tie for Officers and Bros.

3. Bring your own apron. If you do not have one, you can borrow a reusable one from the
lodge that you keep through the pandemic.

4. Officers will keep their aprons and jewels.

5. Officers will be provided with anti-bacterial wipes for cleaning their stations and other
implements.

6. All Bros attending must RSVP. No Exceptions. andypapad@yahoo.com To limit
attendance, lodge doors will be locked by 7:00 PM. If you show up after that time you
will not gain admittance.

7. Social, Virtual ZOOM Meeting 3rd Wednesday of each Month, 7pm – 8:30pm (Oct 2020
through May 2021),

8. No Visitors, White Plains Lodge members only.

9. No Collations. The bar will be closed and there will be no access to the collation room.
While we are thrilled to re-open our lodge, there are several requirements that must be
met and some of them require a great deal of cooperation from you. We therefore respectfully
ask for your cooperation, and pledge to do our part as well.
Looking ahead for the next few months, we have the task of orderly opening of the
lodge and electing and installing new officers for the new masonic year.

Currently, we do not have authorization for any degrees. Brothers waiting for the second and
third degrees must continue their proficiency work to ensure they are ready when we get the
authorization for degrees.

Here are some of the rules we must follow and some other changes you can expect:

• “Acceptable” face coverings, as determined by The New York State Department of
Health (DOH), will be required at all times, upon entering the lodge. Acceptable face coverings
include, according to the DOH, cloth-based face coverings and disposable masks. The DOH says
that bandanas, buffs and gaiters are not acceptable face coverings. If you’re unable to medically
tolerate an acceptable face covering, you must wear a face shield at all times. There are no
other exceptions. Please bring your own face coverings. We will be checking at the door, and by
law we cannot allow entry to anyone without an acceptable face covering.

• All attending must be screened using a questionnaire required and designed by the
DOH. You will be asked if you have:

1. knowingly been in close contact in the past 14 days with anyone who’s tested positive for
COVID-19 or who’s had symptoms of COVID-19;

2. tested positive for COVID-19 through a diagnostic test in the past 14 days;

3. experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days; or

4. traveled within a state with significant community spread of COVID-19 for longer than 24
hours within the past 14 days. (As of today, there are no restrictions on visitors from Rhode
Island, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, but visit (this link) to see the current list states deemed
to have significant community spread.)

5. We’ll also be checking everyone’s temperature at the door. For everyone’s safety, please
stay home if you have a fever or any other symptoms of COVID-19.

• Practice good hygiene. Hand sanitizer will be available at the front entrance and the
bathrooms for your use. Remember that visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and
water, since hand sanitizer is not effective on visibly dirty hands. There are sinks in the
bathrooms with soap and water to wash hands.

• We have taken many steps to promote physical distancing. For example, lodge room
occupancy will be capped at 25%. Upon entering the lodge from the main entrance, you will be
asked the CDC mandated questions and your body temperature will be taken with a contactless
thermometer. You will then sign an attendance sheet and proceed to the lodge room. Officers
will take your respective places and stations and bros take their assigned seats.

• The men’s bathroom can accommodate only one person at a time. Close the bathroom
door when in use. The lady’s bathroom can accommodate 2 persons at a time.

• Please bring your own bottled water.

We also encourage you to help keep yourself and your fellow members safe by familiarizing
yourself with, and following, current state guidelines. As these guidelines stress, please do not
visit the lodge if (1) you are sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or (2) you do not want to
or cannot wear an acceptable face covering.

We look forward to seeing you back at the lodge!

Fraternally,

Andy Papademetriou, Master White Plains Lodge.