Treasure Valley Chapter, Order of Demolay, Idaho

Treasure Valley Chapter, Order of Demolay, Idaho

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The Chapter Dad

WHO IS THE CHAPTER DAD?

The importance of the Chapter Dad of a DeMolay Chapter cannot be over emphasized, for leadership he exemplifies to the members will be a vital determining factor for insuring progress and successful results in any specific chapter activity, as well as the chapter as a whole.

The Chapter Dad should be young at heart, if not in years. He should possess the knack of being a friend and counselor to the members in the Chapter.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CHAPTER DAD?

The Chapter Dad is the liaison from the Advisory Council to the Chapter members. The Chapter Dad works closest with the Councilors of the Chapter and sees that the Chapter Program Plan is followed.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAPTER DAD

1. GENERAL AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE — The Chapter Dad must become thoroughly familiar with the DeMolay program and all of the resources available including the Leader’s Resource Guide, Chapter of the Year Booklet, Program Planning Guide, Chapter Meeting Handbook, and Installation Planning Guide.

2. CHAPTER MEETINGS — The Chapter Dad is responsible for seeing that Chapter meetings are well planned, attended, and executed. He should attend all Chapter meetings and Advisory Council meetings. He should see that Councilors Meetings are held 30 minutes prior to each Chapter meeting and the chapter officers should be present.

3. PROGRAM PLAN — Using the Program Planning Guide, the Chapter Dad works with the Councilors to establish a well-balanced Program Plan with the Chapter members. He should keep the Chairman aware of the needs of the program so that the Chairman can see that the program is adequately supported by the Advisory Council. The Chapter Dad should see that the Installations of the Chapter are well planned and executed.

4. COMMUNICATION — The Chapter Dad should communicate often with the parents of the members so that they are aware of what is expected of their son. Having a good relationship with parents is essential. He should keep a file of communications received from DeMolay International and the jurisdiction and bring their contents to the attention of the chapter members and the Advisory Council. He should see that the Chapter publishes a regular newsletter (if another Advisor is not assigned that role) and communicate with the membership often.

5. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT — The Chapter Dad should develop the leadership skills of the Councilors of the Chapter and constantly work with the younger members to develop future leadership for the Chapter. Find opportunities for them to exercise their leadership and public speaking skills at meetings and activities of Masonic, civic, and other youth organizations.

There are a multitude of other duties that the Chapter Dad finds among his responsibilities. Familiarizing yourself with the DeMolay program and effectively gathering the support of all adults involved with the Chapter will aid you tremendously. Don't try to do all the work yourself, but seek the help and cooperation of other Advisory Council members and other adults interested in DeMolay.

GENERAL AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE

As the key adult leader of the DeMolay program in your community, it is vital that you be knowledgeable about all aspects of the program. Make sure you have a copy of all resources available like the Leaders Resource Guide, and all the other resources mentioned in this and other handbooks. Read the “Hi, Dad!” book so that you are aware of the history of the organization.

It would be very helpful if you were to complete the Leadership Correspondence Course which will require you to use all of the essential resources.

Keep in contact with the jurisdiction office and read all correspondence sent to you from the jurisdiction and DeMolay International so that you keep abreast of changes and new programs. Pass this information along to all Advisors and Chapter leaders since they may not have received the same information.

It is also helpful to always be aware of events and programs that are offered in your community. The Chapter should be involved in community events and projects as much as possible so a good knowledge of community affairs is important. Community calendars are normally available from Chambers of Commerce and Visitors Centers.

The following is a list of resources that the Chapter Dad should have and refer to on a regular basis:

___ The Leader’s Resource Guide DeMolay International

___ Program Planning Guide Idaho DeMolay

___ Chapter Meeting Handbook Idaho DeMolay

___ Installation Planning Guide DeMolay International

___ Chapter of the Year Guide Idaho DeMolay

___ Rules and Regulations (Statues) DeMolay International

___ Jurisdictional Policies Idaho DeMolay

___ DeMolay and More Store Catalog DeMolay International

The following is a list of resources that the Chapter Ad visor should review and be knowledgeable of.

___ Chapter Administration Handbook Idaho DeMolay

___ Youth Protection Kit DeMolay International

___ Orientation Videos (Initiations) DeMolay International

___ Insurance and Risk Management Guide DeMolay International

___ A Parent’s Guide to DeMolay Idaho DeMolay

___ 501 (c) (3) Guide DeMolay International

___ Chapter Activity Guide DeMolay International

___ “Hi, Dad” DeMolay International

The following is a list of videos available from the DeMolay and More Store that the Chapter Advisor may find helpful in managing the Chapter program.

___ The Legacy of DeMolay For Parents, sponsors, and adults

___ Chapter Management and Administration Basic Chapter operations

___ Chapter Program Planning Basic steps in Program Planning

___ Welcome to the World Introduction to DeMolay

___ Now More Than Ever Regarding the need for DeMolay

CHAPTER MEETINGS

Well run, well thought out Chapter meetings are essential to the health of the Chapter. Chapters that do not have well planned Chapter meetings normally do not have well planned activities and suffer from a lack of participation on the part of the membership.

PURPOSE

Regular, well planned Chapter Meetings provide the cohesiveness that is necessary for a strong DeMolay program in any community. The meetings are a reflection the character of the Chapter. Chapter Meetings serve several purposes:

1. CONSISTENCY — In having regular meetings, participating in DeMolay becomes a habit to the members, a regular part of their daily life. This is one of the greatest services DeMolay provides its members - a safe place to meet regularly, make friends, and have a good time.

2. COMMUNICATION — Chapter meetings are the time when all business of the Chapter is discussed including activities, programs, and special events. Members who attend meetings regularly are more likely to be active in the programs outside of meetings because they become part of the development of those programs.

3. EDUCATION — The Chapter meetings are used to reinforce the ideals of DeMolay and teach important leadership skills like parliamentary procedures, voting, and public speaking.

PLANNING

The proper planning of Chapter meetings cannot be over emphasized. Meetings should start on time and there should be well planned agenda for the meetings. The agenda should be copied and distributed to the membership before business is discussed. Use the Chapter Meeting Handbook to plan the meetings. Much of the planning should take place during

Councilor’s Meetings.

COUNCILOR’S MEETINGS

In order for the agenda to be properly prepared, it is necessary for the Councilor’s and the Chapter Dad to meet a few days before the scheduled meeting to discuss the business to be brought before the Chapter. All three Councilors, the Chapter Dad, the Scribe, and any other officer or advisor who may have valuable information to contribute should attend the Councilor’s Meetings.

Councilors Meetings are a good forum for the Chapter Dad and Councilors to discuss the quality of their contribution to the Chapter. Are they on target with their responsibilities - if things are going well - Why? If something didn’t go well? Why? These meetings can be a learning tool to strengthen the performance of the Chapter.

A full description and agenda for Councilors Meetings is provided in the Chapter Meeting Handbook.

ATTENDANCE

Maintaining a good attendance at meetings is crucial and constant attention must be given to this point. Here are some tips in achieving this goal.

1. MEETING NOTICES — The Scribe should send monthly notices to the membership and Advisors about the meetings. A notice or phone call should follow each meeting or function to a member who did not attend.

2. PHONE CALLS — See that the Councilors create a plan to call all members to remind them of the meetings. After the calls are completed to the chapter members the councilors should return a call to the Chapter Dad letting him know who will be attending the function or meeting and who will not be attending.

3. TRANSPORTATION — Some members may need a ride to the meetings, have the Councilors ask in the phone call if the member needs a ride and then try to accommodate him.

4. EXCITEMENT — Try to plan interesting programs for some meetings. Do something different once in a while, like go bowling or have a pizza party on a meeting night. Also, make sure meetings do not drag on. The meetings should be about 90 minutes — any longer and members begin to lose interest.

PROGRAM PLAN

A very important priority of the Chapter Advisor is to help the Chapter leadership create a well-rounded, exciting Program Plan for each term of the Chapter. Insist that the Chapter have a printed Program Plan each term. Use the Program Planning Guide to develop the plan. The Chapter leaders and members should do the actual planning. The Chapter Dad’s role is to lead them in the process outlined below.

PURPOSE

The Program Plan is the Chapter’s “blueprint” for the term. It outlines all of the meetings, activities, and special events of the Chapter. It enables members and their families to plan their schedules so that they can participate in the DeMolay program and do the other things that their lives require. The Program Plan serves as the working tool for the Chapter Advisor to work with the Councilors and project leaders. Without a Program Plan, a DeMolay Chapter will just drift from month to month and members will find that they can not participate like they want to and lose interest in what the Chapter is doing.

There is a list of other uses of the Program Plan in the Program Planning Guide.

ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM PLAN

A program plan consists of three elements- the calendar, the budget and a list of committees and project leaders.

THE CALENDAR — The calendar is the listing of all Chapter meetings, activities, programs, and special events.

THE BUDGET — A term budget is an estimate of the income and expenses that the Chapter will have during the term. The budget will consist of such items as operating expenses , expenses and income from activities and fund raisers planned and in certain instances miscellaneous income and expenses like donations and gifts.

COMMITTEES AND PROJECT LEADERS — The Master Councilor can not accomplish everything by himself during a term. Therefore, it becomes essential that he appoint standing committees and committee chairmen to facilitate programs of the Chapter. Standing Committees are outlined in the Rules and Regulations of DeMolay International. Each committee should have a chairman, at least one other member and an Advisor. The standing committees are not all inclusive. The Chapter may want to appoint other committees to meet the needs of the program. A project leader should be appointed for each activity of the term. Choose the Chapter member who shows the most interest in the project to be the project leader. Assist the Councilors in working with the project leaders.

IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM PLAN

Creating the program plan may be the easiest part of the program planning process. Implementing the program is a bit more difficult, but the most important aspect of the DeMolay experience. Here are some tips in implementing the Program Plan of the Chapter.

1. AVOID CANCELING ACTIVITIES — Members and families need to be able to rely on the Program Plan. If an activity is scheduled, it should happen. Making a habit of canceling activities will turn people off to your program. Canceling or rescheduling events should be the last resort to solving program challenges. Also the Master councilor should contact the Chapter Dad one week in advance of the event.

2. PLAN AHEAD — Make it a habit, when working with the Councilors, to look two and three months ahead in your planning process. It is really never “too early” to start planning, most of the time it’s “too late.”

3. THINK SUCCESS - One of the most difficult decisions for Chapter Dads to make is when to step in and do things for the members and when to let them do things on their own. Review the activities on the Program Plan and decide which activities must be planned and executed well. These activities would include the Installation, fund raisers that are important to overall plan, activities that involve families, prospective members and Masonic groups. These are the events that you should make certain are successful. The activities that are not on this list (that should be), which might include events like movies nights, or pizza parties, are the events that you might decide to use as “experiments” for the chapter leaders.