Elizabethtown DeMolay: New Members & Parents’ Dinner

Sunday, May 17th was a hugely successful day for Elizabethtown DeMolay. When planning his term, Master Councilor-Elect Martin Stoner had no idea that the pandemic would strike and pretty much shut down the fraternal world. One of the signature activities planned for his term was a Parents’ Dinner to be held on May 17th. The members were looking forward to helping prepare and then serve a meal to their parents and families in observance of the DeMolay International Parents Day Obligatory Day. Then COVID-19 came knocking on the door.

Through Zoom Conferencing and emails, the Councilors and key advisors brainstormed for alternative ways to hold the dinner, and an idea was borne: contract with the caterer for Patton Campus to prepare a nice meal that families could pick up using the “grab and go” practice used by restaurants during the pandemic. On May 17th, in 5-minute intervals, twenty different families, representing 14 DeMolays, 3 soon-to-be DeMolays, and 3 Advisors drove through the line, the staff of WGC Catering loaded the cars with a meal for six that included sirloin steak, red-skinned garlic mashed potatoes, corn, cheesy bacon broccoli, fresh baked rolls and butter, a gallon of iced tea, and an apple pie for dessert – all at no cost for the members’ families. When Martin planned his term, he also developed a budget that allowed for the dinner costs.

Following the dinner, the members and Advisors joined together for their 5th Virtual Stated Meeting held by Zoom, and during the meeting inducted three new DeMolay Members by using a newly authorized Pennsylvania DeMolay Virtual Induction Ceremony. This was the first time the virtual ceremony was performed by a DeMolay Chapter in Pennsylvania. 

Congratulations to the newly inducted members of the Order of DeMolay. Thank you to WGC Catering for helping make a scheduled event that had been complicated by this pandemic, still possible. WGC Catering has been doing a lot with PMYF to keep families safe and still eating during these times, and we are very proud of the partnership we have with them. 

Until next time - Joseph Pullin