Returning To In-Person Meetings
In preparation for our return to in-person meetings at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on July 20, 2020, the executive committee has approved the following policies to be implemented and maintained until such time as physical distancing is no longer required or mandated:
Advance Registration:
Both eaters and non-eaters must register their attendance at Club meetings in advance. A reservation email will be sent to all members on Monday afternoons (after the regular meeting and prior to the next Monday's meeting). Eaters must reserve their box lunch choice by Wednesday (see details below). Due to limited seating capacity, registration will close when capacity is reached.
Food Service:
Until such time as buffet-style hot lunch service from Joe’s Inn can safely resume, box lunches will be provided to those who wish to purchase them in advance. Our lunch vendor provides a variety of options, including salad, and the choices will be available in the reservation email.
Box lunches must be ordered by the Wednesday prior to the Club meeting.
Due to cost increases, the lunch price will be increased to $12 for members and $15 for guests (Lunch Punch discount cards may still be purchased for $100 for 10 lunches).
Advance payment is encouraged; however, members may use check, credit card, or their Lunch Punch Card to pay at the door.
For the safety of members and teller/checker, only credit card and check payments will be accepted at the door to prevent handling cash. If a member brings cash to pay for his/her meal, Christy will not accept, but will bill the member after the meeting for payment.
Guests & Prospective Members:
Due to social distancing limitations and interest level of members wanting to attend meetings in person, we discourage guests in person in July. We will reassess this as the summer progresses. Guests and prospective members who wish to eat a box lunch must reserve their choice in advance, and box lunches to prospective members will not be complimentary but will be offered at a reduced member price of $12.
Entering the Museum:
The VMHS has asked that all Kiwanians enter the building from the Learning Center Entrance (facing Kensington Avenue), as the main entrance is reserved for museum guests with pre-purchased tickets.
Restrooms:
The VMHC has asked that all Kiwanians use the Learning Center restrooms to reduce flow between our group and museum ticket holders.
Face Coverings:
Club members are expected to honor the Governor’s executive order as well as any VMHC requirements regarding wearing a face covering in the Museum. Please refer to the following link for more information on VMCH requirements: https://www.virginiahistory.org/your-visit/reserve-your-tickets. Face coverings may be removed to eat lunch, as you would in a restaurant. They may also be removed when speaking at the podium.
House/Reception Procedures:
To aid in physical distancing, the House committee will provide only one volunteer to serve as a teller/checker, and Reception will provide only one volunteer to serve as a greeter at the door. These volunteers must wear a face covering. Please refrain from shaking hands or other physical contact.
For the safety of members and teller/checker, only credit cards, checks, and Lunch Punch payments will be accepted at the door to prevent handling cash. If a member brings cash to pay for his/her meal, Christy will not accept, but will bill the member after the meeting for payment.
The president will introduce any guests to avoid multiple people using the podium.
Lecture Hall Seating:
To maintain appropriate social distancing in the Halsey Lecture Hall the VMHC will have significantly reduced seating capacity; there will be 12 tables with 4 chairs each. Please do not move seats from their locations. If the number of members attending exceeds the VMHC’s maximum capacity for safe physical distancing in the hall, overflow seating may be provided as needed in one of the adjacent classrooms with access to the program and speaker via closed circuit broadcasting.
Announcements:
Announcements must be made from the podium by the president to avoid multiple people sharing the podium or handheld mic; we will not be using the handheld mic at this time. If you have an announcement, please email it to Christy or Barbara by end of day Friday prior to the Club meeting.
Music:
Due to concerns about singing spreading the virus, we will refrain from singing our patriotic song as a group. However, a patriotic song will be played and perhaps sung solo, the pledge of allegiance will be recited, and invocator will be invited to the podium to give the blessing as normal.
Continued Zoom Access:
For members who are not yet able to attend in person meetings, a live video feed of the meeting and speaker program will continue to be broadcast via Zoom; recordings of the speaker program will be available on request and eventually will be archived on our new Club website. Zoom participants must remain on mute. High quality access to livestream broadcasting of our speakers as a members-only benefit is a long-range priority of the Club in future months.