Brothers,

At the start of the year none of us could have predicted where we are at today. The anticipation of riding, fun, brotherhood and camaraderie has given way to the uncertainty of dealing with this Chinese virus. There is no doubt at this point that things will be unsettled for some time to come. Your Executive Board has been in constant contact, not only amongst ourselves, but with law enforcement, many of them members themselves, and local government. The safety and security of our members and their families is our paramount concern. As you know, we have already canceled our March General Meeting and our Beefsteak Fundraiser. We took these steps, under the direction of our state government, out of an abundance of caution as many of our members are in the age group most affected by this virus.

Over the last several days we have been conferring with Tommy Berta regarding our upcoming Car & Bike Show. We see no other choice but to cancel the show at this time. We take this step not only because of the uncertainty that things will return to normal before then but the fact that for the show to be successful we of course need donations from our sponsors. We could not in good conscience ask our members to solicit donations at a time when our sponsors are taking an economic hit due to the current situation. But canceling the show is simply not enough. Our long time sponsors need to know that it's a two-way street and we would like to do what we can to help. Attached to this alert is a letter we would like you to bring to your sponsors. It explains the cancelation of the show, which of course really needs no explanation, but more importantly asks what we might be able to do to help them. It informs them that we will be creating a list of sponsors and the services they may be able to still provide during this crisis. For example, perhaps a restaurant sponsor that is doing takeout and delivery. The list will be posted on our website and shared with our supporters and members via email in the hopes that we can generate some business for them. More importantly, once this crisis passes, and it will, these are the businesses we should endeavor to support to help them get back on their feet. They've been there for us and we'd like to do what we can for them. If you have already turned in checks and sponsor forms I have directed Kracker to return those to you in the near future so you can return them, along with the attached letter, to your sponsors. (The letter will also be available on the members only section of the webpage or via email from a Board member)

Over the next several weeks our Assistant Sergeants at Arms will be making periodic calls to each Parent Chapter member to check on their health and well-being and their assigned chapters to do the same. If you or your family need any assistance please let them know so we can make that happen.

I'm sure that our annual trip to Washington D.C. for Memorial Day is also on your mind. We're currently in discussions with the hotel, the Old Line Chapter and law enforcement in and around our Nation's Capital. We’ll have updated info for you very soon

In closing, please stay safe and follow the recommendations of your local authorities. Don't take unnecessary risks. We’ll get through this together.

God Bless America.

Love & Respect,

Fritz

KFFK