What is Zoom?

by Jim O'Kelley
Director, Elks National Foundation

Zoom--It's like the Brady Bunch, but without Jan.

(This is the first in a series of articles about the need for Lodges to be relevant during the pandemic. To find all posts in the series, click here: #StaySafeBeRelevant.)

Every crisis seems to have its breakout star. This one has two, so far—Dr. Fauci and Zoom.

If you’re not familiar, Zoom is a remote video-conferencing tool with a free basic package. In these days of social distancing and sheltering in place, Zoom is also a godsend. At the O’Kelley household today, we had three concurrent Zoom meetings going on at one point—Meghan, me, and Jane with her Panda Room preschool pals.

In our new teleworking reality, the ENF staff has been using Zoom through Microsoft Teams for check-ins, standing meetings and impromptu discussions. These conferences have helped us stay connected and feel like we’re part of a team despite our isolation.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw on Facebook that Boonton, N.J., Lodge No. 1405 had installed its new class of officers through a virtual Lodge meeting and installation ceremony on Zoom. That post stuck with me as an example of some solid problem solving in this new environment.

Certainly, Zoom and other communication technologies can help keep the Order’s machinery churning until things return to normal. But what if this is the new normal? What if America is not open for business by Easter? What if we’re still hunkered down weeks or months from now? What would that mean for the Elks?

Lodges need to be thinking about that. If you’re a leader in your Lodge, maybe it’s time to do some soul searching about why the Lodge matters to its members. Put a list of reasons together, and then look it over. If you’ve got reasons on the list that no longer matter to a membership that’s effectively shut in, you have a relevancy problem.

How do we fix that? How do we stay relevant in the time of coronavirus? How do we continue to ensure that the Elks matter?

(If you don’t think we need to answer these questions, consider that some experts are saying that the unemployment rate could hit 30 percent as the coronavirus pandemic hammers our economy. We better be relevant when cost-cutting, belt-tightening members start receiving their dues notices.)

The Elks matter to Steve Coulthard, the Loyal Knight at Fremont, Calif., Lodge No. 2121. You probably have guys like Steve at your Lodge. You may even be one of them. They’re the members who get things done. They plan activities, work at all the parties, maintain the Lodge, bust their asses so everyone can have a good time.

Just a quick snapshot of who Steve is. Fremont Lodge has a beautiful bocce court and a bustling league that keeps the place hopping in season. But the Lodge needed a draw for the winter months, so last November, Steve started hosting a trivia night every other Tuesday.

Of course, the pandemic put a stop to that. California has been sheltering in place since March 19. Even before that, people had been practicing social distancing.

One day last week, a Lodge buddy texted Steve with a bad case of cabin fever.

“He was feeling low, so I asked if he would like to chat via ‘Online Video,’” Steve says.

Steve set up a Zoom call, and the two caught up over cocktails. With the help of technology, they were trading stories, cracking jokes, and exchanging toasts, just like they normally did at the Lodge before the pandemic sent everyone home.

“We had a blast,” Steve says. “[My friend] was so thankful to have a buddy to talk to during these tough times.”

The experience got Steve wondering whether other Lodge members were in desperate need of some good old-fashioned Elks fellowship? Soon, he was calling the usual suspects to organize an online version of trivia night, hosted by Zoom.

The inaugural event was last night. It featured a cocktail-hour chat, complete with the Lodge’s bartender, Rob, demonstrating how to make his signature drinks. Your standard two-round trivia format followed.

It was a great first event. I know, because I was there.

I spent some time yesterday reaching out to people to gather information for a possible series of blog posts about ways Lodges are trying to stay relevant to their members during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the people I contacted—Ben Braden of Ballard, Wash., Lodge No. 827—told me about Fremont’s trivia night, so I decided to attend for research purposes. (I finished in the middle of the pack, if you’re wondering. I know a lot of stuff, but the stuff I know tends not to be trivial …)

At the peak, a total of 18 people Zoomed in, with several partners and spouses boosting the count to around 25.

In my bedroom last night, I hung out at an Elks Lodge. I had a couple of beers, listened to stories, laughed, cracked some jokes. It was fun.

I heard Fremont Elks plan for a hopefully not-so-distant future when they could emerge from their homes and return to the Lodge. They talked about scheduling a bus crawl to the other Bay Area Lodges, and about themes for the Lodge’s reopening party. They just did a tropical party for New Year’s, so that’s out.

One guy nodded to the nation’s war footing against the pandemic. “Maybe we do ‘Happy days are here again,’” he suggested.

At the end of the night, Rob the bartender summed up the general attitude of the attendees: “I love the entire organization.”

I left the event feeling like Fremont Lodge is more than its building. The Lodge building may be the gathering place, but it’s the community the Fremont Elks have built and the friendships they’ve forged that give them all a reason to gather. I suspect the Lodge will weather the pandemic just fine, and I hope to see some of my new friends at Convention one day on the other side.

Until then, Fremont Lodge’s new online trivia night will be every other Tuesday. I better brush up.

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Disclaimer: Before using Zoom or a similar tool to conduct official Lodge business, please ensure that you're following the appropriate rules, regulations, recommendations and guidelines for your state association.

Also, if you're concerned about securing your Zoom chats, check out this helpful article from Wired. And keep your eye on the ball. The point here is that while the pandemic prevents us from gathering in person, we can leverage technology--Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, whatever--to extend the legendary fellowship of the Elks beyond the walls of our Lodges. 

Don't miss the second installment in this series! Thanks for reading.

Other blog posts by Jim:  

• Here for You, if Not There for You 

• Hope in the Time of Coronavirus