Here we are, July 2024, and so much has changed in the Lodge. Our in-person meetings have vanished, and our membership numbers have declined to the point where we really have to start having some brave conversations. What will they consist of, you may be wondering. I really don’t have the answer. It’s not for me to spell out what the future of FHL should be.

We used to be a strong CVS organization, but now we only participate in two annual community programs. Unfortunately, participation in each program has drastically declined for various reasons. There is no need to assign blame; it’s just a part of life. I would like to acknowledge Stewart Indig and Carl Zeliger for submitting reports on our Lodge’s involvement in the Purim Megillah reading and Toronto Marathon. Your efforts continue to make FHL strong and Kol Echad relevant.

Unfortunately, Kol Echad became less relevant at the April meeting when members voted to discontinue all advertising in our publication. This decision has resulted in the Lodge losing a significant source of revenue, approximately $3,000, which cannot be replaced. Unfortunately, no one stepped up to manage the business side of Kol Echad, which the Silvers successfully maintained for many years. Additionally, we lost another revenue stream last year when our Pushka Can program was discontinued.

In our last issue, I mentioned that despite the significant changes in Kol Echad, I would keep it running. Since then, there has been much to consider and discuss in our household. Having a regular stream of advertisers meant we were committed to running a certain number of issues each season at specific times. All of that is now history.

What I am thinking now is that Kol Echad should be published online when there is sufficient material. There is no point in pushing our columnists to turn out new material every other month if nothing is happening in the Lodge.

As I mentioned earlier, there is much to think about, much to talk about. The future is in all our hands. It’s definitely time to start a dialogue.

As many of you know by now, I continue to view spring/summer as the best time of the year for travel. Once again, I headed west to Nevada (as well as a visit to Arizona), and to Niagara Falls.

This year’s journey to “Lost Wages” saw me take in a repeat performance of Cirque du Soleil – Love (the Beatles still are the best). I had seen this fantastic show 10 years ago, but when I discovered it was closing for good this month, I knew I had to buy a ticket. In Arizona, I explored the old mining town of Oatman, where donkeys freely roam the streets. I also visited the Electric Vehicle Museum in Kingman, AZ., which was a real eye-opener. It seems these four-wheel vehicles have been around longer than most realize. It is partially due to the efforts of oil-producing companies that they never became part of mainstream society.

During a getaway to Niagara Falls, Lisa and I saw several shows, including a magic show with Greg Frewin and another by BTO (Bachman-Turner Overdrive for those who may not be familiar with them).

So far, summer 2024 is shaping up to be pretty good. What’s next? As I mentioned earlier, more dialogue and discussion.

All being well, we’ll be back in September with a new issue.

Stay tuned.