Want a hoagie? Want Pork Roll? Want to see the Liberty Bell? Expanded Travel agreement now in place.

Remember last week when I announced that certain parts of New York could travel to parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey with blanket approval provided we have notice? "Dad" Mossberg raised the stakes (maybe even raised the cheese steaks) and said "why not just do it for everyone?" "Dad" Boyce and I agreed.

This new agreement for the tri-state area is simple: Any DeMolay Chapter or DeMolay in the Great State of New York, or the Great State of New Jersey, or the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is granted pre-approval for travel and partnerships. The Chapter needs to notify their Executive Officer (For PA and NJ) or their Personal Representative (for NY)

So to recap the rules:

1) We need to know about it before it happens.

If you are a New York Chapter you need to email me a week before you visit.

2) Youth Protection. Our youth protection policies need to be followed the same way we do with anything else. No one on ones, two deep leadership etc. If a young lady is going there needs to be a female chaperone.

Given the expanded scope of this agreement make sure people have adequate sleep and rest.  If you're traveling from Buffalo to go visit Point Pleasant Beach or going from Suffolk County to Westmoreland Chapter make sure you have adequate sleep for the trip and appropriate overnight accommodations. 

3) Your home state comes first.
 It should not take away from events happening in either state. If Erie Chapter is doing an event and there is a state or regional or close by chapter event, the New York Chapters should be supporting their fellow New Yorkers. If something was planned for a long time outside of the state and something else comes up short notice in New York, go with what was planned first.

4) Finally, have fun!
Some of my best friends in DeMolay come from the Keystone and Garden States and I have lost quite a few games of Risk in both states. Plus, the Erie Dances are amazing!

These agreements came out of a request of chapters to make things easier to promote and share brotherhood. If you have an idea let us know!