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All salaam Sir Nobles, Lady Nobles and Sultanas May 2021
In last month’s Fez Sez I mentioned that I think it’s time for Ben Ziri caravan to start having our usual activities again, such as monthly meetings and some type of social events. I believe that we are approaching the right time to get back to in-person activities and want to do so by planning a Caravan meeting in JUNE. The meeting will be on our usual 3th Thursday of the month (June 17th) at the usual location, (K of C room at Mission San Luis Rey). The time has been at 7:00 pm, but we can move in earlier. More on this in next month’s Fez Sez.
As we all know, both at the federal and state level, there are changes occurring regarding the wearing of masks if you have been fully vaccinated, and I believe most of our members have been. By June, we should know what the restrictions are.
I would welcome anyone’s comments or concerns on getting back to in-person activities. Call or email me or Bruce Taber.
Mike Caligiuri, Grand Commander.
All Caravan Functions will be Postponed until the Coronavirus Pandemic has passed. Be Safe and God Bless.
Region Eight Raffle:
April Drawing $100 Edward Scheer, $50 Rich Miro.
The Raffle drawing will take place at the Ben Ziri Meeting each month. Please join us.
Tickets are still available!!
Contact Info: We are adding additional contact info in our database to help us keep in contact in case of changes we are not aware of. Please forward your alternate contact info to my email: taberbc@gmail.comor the address below:
1826 Via Monserate
Fallbrook, Ca. 92028
ON GOING PROJECTS:
Website……. I encourage everyone who has access to the internet to visit the site periodically. You can view the latest Blog, Photo Gallery, The Fez Sez, Event Calendar, Meeting Minutes, Membership Applications, Scholarship Application, Caravan By Laws and Make a Donation at www.benziri.com.
The Fez Sez:…..If anyone is not receiving the Fez Sez via email and would like to, please contact me and I will make sure it happens.
The Fez Sez:…..If anyone would like contribute to The Fez Sez please forward it to me for publishing.
FUTURE EVENTS:
Thursday, May 20th ……. Monthly Ben Ziri Meeting
Cancelled due to Coronavirus !
GOOD OF THE ORDER:
May Birthdays:
1……. Caye Baxter 20…… Fernando Acuna
May Anniversaries:
7 ……..Charles and Joan Ayash 14……. Robert and Mary Flaherty
Sickness and Distress:
Please keep in your prayers all our members, families and loved ones, and especially;
Violet Mosqueda, John Pacheco, John Brown, Lucy Carroll, Mary Cloud. Joy De Maggio. Tom Baxter’s sister Elizabeth, Tom Baxter. The Andreas family member Shane Romick. Lupe Marez, Juliana Renfro, Bob Santos, Fran Santos, Dorothy Van Tassel, Ken Owen, Juliana Taber, Don and Janet Getty , Eric Gilliland son of Stan and Marilyn Gilliland, Fr Michael Dallmeier, Carol Kostick, Chuck and Joanie Ayash, Ted Napolitano and Fran Samhammer.
Michael Caligiuri, Grand Commander
Phone # 760 940-9546
Email: mscaligiuri@cox.net
Website: www.benziri.com
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Proclamations
MAY-2021-NEWSLETTER
FROM: DENISE BLAKELY, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Thursday, May 6, 2021 is the country’s National Day of Prayer. Let us pray and share the gospel!
CONVENTION 2021
59TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION, BALTIMORE, MD
THERE ARE STILL ROOMS AVAILABLE PLEASE BOOK NOW!
EVERY MEMBER WAS MAILED CONVENTON INFORMATION. PLEASE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO ITS CONTENTS.
PLEASE START MAKING YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR THE 2021 CONVENTION IN BALTIMORE, MD. PLEASE RESPOND A.S.A.P. TO RESERVE YOUR ROOM. THIS HOTEL FILLS UP FAST AND WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ROOM BLOCKS. A CREDIT CARD ISTAKEN JUST TO HOLD YOUR ROOM, NOTHING WILL BE CHARGED TO YOUR ACCOUNT UNTIL YOU CHECK-OUT. PLEASE CONTACT
THE DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON ON-LINE: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/B/BWIBADT-OOA-20210723/index.jhtml OR CALL THEM AT 410-859-8400 AND TELL THEM YOU ARE WITH THE ORDER OF ALHAMBRA CONVENTION. DATES ARE: JULY 25, 2021 - JULY 27, 2021. YOU MAY WANT TO ARRIVE ON SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 AND CHECK OUT JULY 28, 2021. IF YOU NEED ACCOMENDATIONS, PLEASE LET THE HOTEL KNOW. ANY ROOMS NOT CANCELED BY JULY 5, 2021, BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEMBER TO PAY FOR THESE ROOMS IF THE ORDER IS CHARGED. PACKAGE REGISTRATIONS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE IF YOU CANNOT FIND A REPLACEMENT. ALL FUNDS ARE IN U.S. CURRENCY. THE HOTEL HAS OPENED THE DATES TO STAY TO 2 DAYS BEFORE AND AFTER IF ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE. (PLEASE LET THE HOTEL KNOW IF YOU ARE EXTENDING YOUR STAY AND ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE LET THE HOTEL KNOW IF SPECIAL ACCCOMEDATIONS ARE NEEDED) . PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY FOOD ALLERGIES OR DIETARTY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE HOTEL A.S.A.P. (410-242-0660). ALL STATE/COUNTY MANDATES WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE HOTEL AS WELL AS THE ORDER. *THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER, IF
YOU ARE FEELING SICK IN ANY WAY, I.E., COUGH, HEADACHE, FEVER, ETC., OR HAVE BEEN AROUND ANYONE WITH COVID OR ILLNESS, YOU SHOULD ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION.
BOOSTER ADS-CONVENTiON
WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH THE BOOSTER BOOK. Please consider purchasing an ad, memorial and/or booster in the2021 Convention Booklet. We need everyone’s participation. I am asking each caravan to show your support and gratitude to your Supreme Director by purchasing a full-page ad supporting your Supreme Director! I am personally asking for your help. We need all participation, and we have boosters/memorials starting at $10 each. Let us remember our loved ones. If you own a business, please consider sponsoring the Order with an ad and in addition, I will list all names of the businesses that purchase an ad in our “Alhambra Quarterly”.
WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH HOSPITALITY ROOM DONATIONS. If you or your caravan is interested in donating itemsor funds, send to: Order of Alhambra, 4200 Leeds avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229. Thank you for your assistance!
GENERAL FUND RAFFLE
Every member has received two books of ten raffle tickets. If you have not received them or need more books, please contact me and I will send you some. The cost is still $5 per ticket. Every ticket sold will be reimbursed 5% back totheir caravan. There are also cash prizes for the top three sellers. Please participate in selling your tickets to benefit the Order. For additional tickets, please contact me. It really benefits everyone if each member sold their tickets.
MY SPUR OF THE MOMENT MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
I am holding my “Spur of the Moment Membership Drive” again this year. For every new member recruited in February through May 1, 2021 and the application received by me by May 11, 2021, I am giving one free raffle ticket to the sponsor for a raffle drawing. This year, I will put all sponsor raffle tickets in its own drawing for a chance to win $200. (The more you initiate, the better the chance of winning). The draw will be the same day after the General FundDrawing. Even if you cannot hold the qualifying membership initiation for a while, bring them in as a brown tassel and they are considered a new member. This also goes to all members sponsoring a Member-at-Large #298. Initiations can be done virtually, over the phone, etc. ☺ “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrews 6:10. Use the gift God gave you and recruit and mentor for the Order. Thank you for all you do through your selfless work!
MEMBERSHIP
A police officer pulled over a car and as he approached, he noticed an elderly woman driving. He told her he stopped her for impeding the flow of traffic going 22 mph on the interstate. He warned her that she could have caused a deadly accident by going so slow and not even have known it. She stated she was only following the signs. The officer replied, ma’am, that is Route 22 sign, not the speed limit sign. He then turned to the women shaking terribly in the back seat. The officer told them not to be afraid, he was not going to ticket them. The women responded, officer we are not afraid of you, we just got off Route 124. Even though the driver thought she was following the right sign, clearly, she was not. This made me think of the Order’s membership. We are misreading the signs. We see the signs of the good works we do for God’s Special Children, all the happy children at our events and the Alhambra family that we created, that we overlook the signs that shows our dwindling membership. Misreading these signs are becoming a great threat to the continuance of the Order. I am talking that when we follow the right signs, we can prevent a great accident. The signs of the Order show that lack of recruitment is becoming a detriment. There are many Catholic’s who would love to serve God, with the same heart and compassion of our members. Are you ready to read the right sign and recruit for the continuance of the Order? Or will you continue to misread the sign and think we are doing fine with our dwindling membership. Just like the driver in the beginning of this story, you think you are doing the right thing then bam, you may cause a great accident and end an organization that has been around 117 years. In my 14 years, I have received over 50 regrettable phone calls of those caravans that misread the sign. Each caravan that closed their doors always regretted that they did not recruit. All the signs were there, they just didn’t recognize their importance. They got comfortable with the members they had doing such good works that they never thought they would ever have to disband. I am asking you again today to read and recognize the sign right in front of you and prevent an accident that could have been avoided.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Congratulations to all recipients of our scholarships and a big thanks to the scholarship committee. All checks were mailed to the recipient.
IRS AND FINANCIAL AUDITS
Just a reminder that a copy of all U.S. Caravan 990’s should be sent (via e-mail, mail, fax) to the Secretariat upon IRS accepting filing. In addition, each Grand Commander of all Caravans (U.S. and Canada, should follow:
ARTICLE XV-Al Sunna - page 29
Grand Divan Officers Duties and Responsibilities
The Grand Commander is responsible to have all Caravan funds audited at the end of the fiscal year by an accountant, if required, and to submit necessary forms to the Supreme Director and any appropriate government agency.
REGION III EVENT-OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND FROM PSC ED FIORELLA
Reservations for Ocean City, MD will be Oct. 8, 9, 10, 2021. Call for reservations now as rooms go fast, 1-888-465-3451. Any other questions call PSC Ed Fiorella 1-757-362-9225 Thank you, God bless!
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