Statement Regarding Coronavirus COVID-19

Statement from Polish Falcons of America National Headquarters Regarding Coronavirus COVID-19

The Polish Falcons of America is carefully monitoring the coronavirus situation and its impact on the entire organization. As a fraternal organization, we recognize that the social interaction of our Members is a critical aspect of the Polish Falcons. Whether it’s a regular Nest meeting, an awards dinner, or just stopping at the Nest for a drink with friends, we all have to be aware we should take measures to reduce personal contact as much as possible.

To that end, we have already decided to cancel the National Volleyball Tournament that was scheduled for the end of March. In addition, the National Bowling Tournament, scheduled for late April, is also cancelled. While the Bowling Tournament is still more than one month away, we based our decision on the latest guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control which is advising that all gatherings of 50 or more in the next eight weeks be cancelled.

We are considering rescheduling both of these events for later this year. National Physical Education Director Christine Puskar and Bowling Manager Janet Knauber have already started looking at options. All entry fees for the Bowling Tournament are 100% refundable. Information regarding refunds will be announced later this week.

As of today, this does not affect any other of our National events scheduled in 2020, especially the National Convention. However, we are closely watching new developments and if anything changes we will certainly let all Members know.

At National Headquarters, as of today there will not be an interruption of our business operations. Almost half the staff will be working remotely until further notice. The Office will remain open for regular business hours. You will still be able to contact the staff and Executive Officers by email and phone. We will be as responsive to our Members’ needs as always.

Nest and District Activities

National Headquarters recommends the following actions be taken by Nests and Districts as it relates to local activities and programs:

1. Follow the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and cancel all activities scheduled with 50 or more people over the next eight weeks.
2. Follow all regulations from state, county and local officials regarding any restrictions placed on businesses in your area. States are beginning to limit activities for non-essential businesses, bars and restaurants. We strongly advise everyone to comply with these requirements. Even though there may not be restrictions in place, we still think it advisable to consider closing the Nest voluntarily until further notice.
3. For Districts that have important Plenary Meetings scheduled in the near future, we suggest postponing those meetings until a later date. We are also investigating possible alternatives regarding the schedule for these meetings.
4. Consider a method to contact members and ascertain their wellbeing.
5. Use regular email communications to Members to keep them informed about important news at the Nest or District.

Additional information is available for Members and their families on the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. Keep in mind that the elderly and sick are highly vulnerable to this disease.

Polish Falcons has faced many challenges in its history, and we will get through this as we have done time and again. There will be hardships and sacrifices in the coming weeks, but now is the time to stay true to our dedication to the principles of a fraternal organization where we band together to aid and assist one another.

With all that is happening keep in mind that this is a highly volatile situation and circumstances may change quickly. We will do our best to send notices and keep our Members informed. The best resource is the website, www.polishfalcons.org. As always, if you have any questions or need more information, please contact National Headquarters toll-free at 1-800-535-2071, or by email at info@polishfalcons.org.

Czolem,

Timothy L. Kuzma
National President