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August 2016

Fellow Ganders of the St. Louis Pond ~

We did it!  We organized and executed an incredible convention here in St. Louis last month at the Hilton at the Ballpark.  The events were fantastic, the food was fabulous and the entertainment was exemplary!  The following thank you excerpt will give you a sense of how well the convention was received by those attending:

“Thank you for a wonderful convention.  It was outstanding!  You really gave us a taste of St. Louis.  We enjoyed every single activity.  Thank you for your warm hospitality.”

We have received many such thank you notes from members that attended our convention from all around the United States and Canada.  As such, I cannot say enough of the incredible job that Patty Semke and the St. Louis Convention Committee did in organizing the convention.  Thank you all so much!

I also wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the highlights from the Grand Nest meetings during the convention.  As you may know, the convention is one that is attended by delegates from the various Ponds in the Blue Goose. This year at the convention we had nearly 90 percent of our total number of Ponds represented.  The Grand Nest officers were quite pleased at that turn out.

The Central Region of Ponds (of which St. Louis is a member Pond) took home the Regional Challenge Award, which is the best region in membership growth based on a number of categories.  The Central Region during the fiscal year ended June 2016 had positive net membership growth of over one hundred members and had a net increase in Ponds with two new Ponds receiving their charter in St. Louis.  The new Ponds are Cincinnati and Northeast Ohio.  The Blue Goose is alive and well and looking to expand upon its influence of promoting its mission of advancing the precepts of ‘giving back,’ to our communities in charity, to ourselves in character development and to each other in good fellowship. There was also a constitution amendment that was passed by the delegates in St. Louis.  Effective immediately there are now four geographical regions in the Blue Goose, including the Central, South and Eastern United States plus Canada.  Together with this is that the Grand Nest officers for convention host cities is trimmed to four.  The upcoming convention sites included Savannah, Georgia in 2017, Edmonton, Alberta in 2018, Indianapolis, Indiana in 2019 and Hartford, Connecticut in 2020.  The convention planning cycle has therefore been shortened to four years as well.

The convention in 2019 in Indianapolis is the newly constructed Central Region convention.  Once I completed my tour as MLGG and the constitutional amendment passed, Kim Bilbrey, who was elected as a Grand Nest officer from the western region, merged with us in the Central.  Indianapolis promises to be a wonderful location for a convention.  And, as a corollary to this merging of the regions per the amendment, there was no newly elected Grand Nest officer in that the Grand Keeper is now an appointed position.  And, believe it or not, the new MLGG appointed me to serve in that role.

And finally, there has also been some new changes in leadership at the Grand Nest level.  Of course, the advancing line officers moved up and Linda Meik of the Texas Pond is our new Most Loyal Grand Gander.  She has a huge heart for the Blue Goose and its principals and traditions and will be an outstanding leader for the Order.  Additionally, there were some major appointments.  John Bishop, PMLGG from the Nova Scotia Pond, has been appointed to serve as our new Grand Historian.  John is a wonderful person who cares deeply about the Order and will be a fantastic Grand Historian.  And, Lorena Kohlruss, PMLGG from the Alberta Pond, has been appointed to serve as our new Judge Advocate.  Lorena is excited for this opportunity and I believe that she will do a great job.  We are in a good place with these new additions to the Grand Nest board in that they have the experience with the Order as PMLGGs and have a strong willingness to do a fantastic job for the Order.  All on the Grand Nest board are committed to continuing the path of growth, communication, organization and a return to our precepts that has been the hallmark of the board for these past few years.  The Blue Goose is relevant again and we should all do our part to help the insurance community see it through our efforts to ‘give back.’  It is our actions that get noticed, not our words … we have to be able to walk the talk.

My final thanks to all of the members of the St. Louis Pond for your kind support and encouragement to the process of serving our Order in this special way.  We have a wonderful legacy here in St. Louis having now hosting three conventions.  During my acceptance speech last July in Baltimore I indicated that I was dedicating my year in office to Chuck Cramer.  He served as MLGG in fiscal 2001 and reigned over the Gateway to Fun in 2001.  We lost Chuck while I was serving the Order and I wanted to honor the great person that he was … so full of faith and love and character.  He was a true mentor and role model for me and I will always cherish his memory.

I hope that we have another wonderful year of service in the Blue Goose.  And, hey, maybe soon we can do this all over again and petition to host the convention.

Thank you all for the support you have shown to me and my family as we had the honor of serving this wonderful Order.

Kindest regards,

Randy
Randall Wilson
Grand Keeper
Past Most Loyal Grand Gander (2016)
Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International

In the Summer of 1965, the 59^th Grand Nest Convention was held in St. Louis.   At this time, the United States was hopelessly mired in the jungles of Vietnam.  People resented the War.  Even returning soldiers were spat upon.  We were facing protests and riots in the streets.  There was arson and looting on a large scale, destroying the hearts of many cities.  Insurance was no longer available in certain areas.  This would give rise to what is now known as “ The Fair Plan”, which provided people in those areas with access to an insurance market.  It still operates today.

Our MLGG Earl S. Hannan refused to allow these historic events to deter the St. Louis pond from conducting a memorable convention.   But, it was reported that this was the only time that the presentation of colors and the singing of anthems was mentioned in the Convention minutes during the turbulent 1960’s.  Those minutes also reflect that the meeting was dominated by insurance industry issues, as well it should have in those years of stress.  The meeting opened with an insurance seminar.  The only change of note was a request to admit employees of The Retail Credit Company as members.  It was rejected.   Character, Charity, and Fellowship were in short supply it seemed.

Some thirty six years later, the St. Louis Pond readied itself to host another Grand Nest Convention, in 2001.   Much had happened in the intervening years.   Overall, our membership was changing.  The insurance industry was no longer supplying a dominate number of members.  Many members now came from the ranks of vendors, and independent contractors who worked with the insuring public after a loss.   The Gordon F. Crowther Charity Award was launched to recognize the Pond  that did the most varied works of charity.  Also, the use of technology was spreading.  Eight Ponds and the Grand Nest were reported as having a website.  Online convention registration was introduced for the first time for the St. Louis Convention.   In 1989 females were approved for membership.  Charles L. Cramer, our MLGG, visited seven other Ponds just prior to the Convention, and commented that every one of them had at least one female officer.

Then, some five weeks after the St. Louis Convention, it was September 11, 2001, and the World Trade buildings came down in the vicious attack of that date.  Five Blue Goose members were lost.  Let us never forget.

The trinity of Character, Charity, and Fellowship seem to be emphasized more these days in all of the Ponds, but especially here in the St. Louis Pond.   A gentler, kinder approach is evident.   We are all the better for it!  What changes will happen at the 2016 convention?   Or after it?   No one knows for sure, but based on past history, we all know that changes will occur.  Stay tuned!

This column is written by David MacLean of Wholehearted Leaders.  David speaks and writes on Wholehearted Leadership and can be contacted through www.wholeheartedleaders.com.

Give Your Money and Your Time

AMERICAN FIRE MARKS – A GOOD STORY

Part 1 of 7
Robert M. Shea, CPCU

Fire Mark Circle of the Americas

Everyone loves a good story, and the modern literature on American fire marks contains one or more of the following ideas to enliven the story:

 The volunteer fire company would not fight a fire unless there was a fire mark on the burning building.

 The volunteer fire company received a reward from the insurance company whose fire mark was on the burning building.

 The use of fire marks diminished because of the institution of paid municipal fire departments.

Like most stories, the above points are more fiction than fact – more hype than history. But, what are the facts and what was the purpose of fire marks in America?

NO FIRE MARK, NO FIREFIGHTING COMPANY

The misconception that volunteer fire companies put out fires only on buildings that displayed a fire mark arises from the fact that some articles on fire marks do not make a distinction between the English and American relationship to fire marks. The English fire insurance companies employed their own fire brigades, which only fought fires on properties identified by their employers’ fire mark or badge.

In America, the volunteer fire companies were in existence before the first fire insurance company was organized. They fought fires whether or not a building displayed a fire mark.
Research shows that it is only in the 20^th century when the idea first appears that a volunteer fire company would not fight a fire if there were no fire mark.  Some examples from Philadelphia Include:

• When the fire alarm sounded “…all of the fire companies would respond, but only the company whose house mark appeared on the house in danger fought the flames.” ¹
• “If a piece of property bore no Fire Mark the gallant volunteers more often than not quickly left, for then as now, there was no small profit in gratuitous acts of benevolence.”²
• “If no insurance fire mark was seen the free-lancers [volunteers] would often declare a false alarm and calmly walk away from the scene…”³

None of these stories about early Philadelphia are true. There are no primary sources which indicate that volunteer fire companies would not fight a fire unless the property was insured and had a fire mark. To this day, writers repeat and embellish these stories with the result that readers, while entertained, are misinformed about the early volunteers.
The reality is that volunteer fire companies were prominent social organizations and membership was an honor. Having made their case for funding by proclaiming their work in the public interest, it seems unlikely they would disregard any fire.  Had this occurred, the hue and cry of the insurance industry and the public would certainly have been noted.

Visit the website of the Fire Mark Circle of the Americas
or download the rest of the articles here………

I hope that all of you had a wonderful holiday season and I wish you all the very best in health, happiness and prosperity in 2016!

It’s finally here, the year that the Grand Nest is again coming to St. Louis for its international convention of delegates.  There are so many fun events planned by Patty Semke and her convention committee that we simply can’t wait.  My hope is that each of you will look to the schedule of events for the convention and attend something … the Opening Party, the celebration of the 100^th Anniversary of the St. Louis Pond Charter, the Grand Banquet or the Cardinals Game or even the Art and Architectural Tour of St. Louis!
There will be something for everyone and a wonderful opportunity to meet some of your fellow men and women of Blue Goose from around the United States and Canada.  One of the real treasures of our honorable Order are the terrific people who make up our membership … those that are giving back to their local communities throughout the land of the free and the true north strong and free!

I also send greetings from the Grand Nest Board of Officers and Directors.  One recent news item is we recently approved and acquired some additional insurance coverage to protect our Ponds with Cyber Liability and Directors and Officers Liability policies.
Also, the Central Region of Ponds is having its Mid-Year Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The meetings are being hosted by the Wisconsin Home Nest and are planned for the weekend of the 4^th through 6^th of March.  The planning committee is meeting early this month to finalize the specifics, but in conversation with the Most Loyal Gander in Wisconsin, Andy Kahrs, he assures me that they a fun weekend of activities planned.  Please mark your calendars as this is sure to be a weekend of fun and comradery!

You have probably heard the phrase of ‘Walk the Talk.’   We in the Blue Goose have as our mission that of giving back to our community in charity and to each other in fellowship and to ourselves in the development of our character.  We have found that those Ponds that put these precepts into action and not simply in words are the most active and vibrant in the Order.  Interestingly, we have also found that it a focus on our precepts that attracts the attention of the insurance industry.  Recently, in one of our Ponds, an adjuster with Allstate Insurance Company noticed the charity work that the Pond was doing and contacted us through the international website to say that she wanted to be involved.  It works if we truly ‘walk the talk!’

I hope that you are all having a great year in Blue Goose.  Please know that together we are stronger in our purpose of giving back; to our community in charity, to each other in fellowship and to ourselves in the development of our character and integrity.

Please feel welcome to use the logo and byline below of “Character, Charity and Fellowship since 1906’ on your official Blue Goose communication.  And, remember, you can locate additional information regarding the Blue Goose on the international website at www.bluegoose.org.  Soon the registration link will be live on the website for the Grand Nest Convention coming up this summer in St. Louis.

Kindest regards,

Randy

Randall Wilson
Most Loyal Grand Gander
Honorable Order of the Blue Goose International

Character, Charity and Fellowship since 1906

Word from the MLGG …

To the men and women of the St. Louis Pond, I send greetings to you from the Grand Nest.

As you know I was elected and installed as the Most Loyal Grand Gander in Baltimore in July and currently serving the Order and all of you in that capacity.

My year as MLGG is off to a great start.  In August, Libby and I traveled to Nashville to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of their Charter as the Tennessee Pond.  There were nearly eighty in attendance. Read More »A Word from the MLGG September 2015

Fall 2015 Blue Goose Golf Tournament 

A beautiful day and a beautiful venue were “par for the course” for the Fall Blue Goose Golf Tournament at Lake Forest Country Club on September 24, 2015.
It was a challenging, but stunning course and we received many accolades regarding it.  Dennis Bryan and Art Schulte again delivered a great tournament!Read More »2015 Fall Golf Tournament