Supreme Council

These arrangements take time and coordination, and the steps will overlap. Don't get discouraged if everything doesn't go smoothly and in an orderly way. This screening is to the advantage of everyone involved in terms of publicity, as well as public service.

Start making the arrangements AT LEAST six months in advance of the Grand Court session.

FIRST: Get the Grand Royal Matron's approval to arrange for the screening. Be sure to give her periodic updates.

SECOND: Contact the hotel at which Grand Court will be held. Contact Customer Service, or something along that line, to start. Explain that you wish to arrange for free diabetes screenings during Grand Court, at no cost to them, and get them to designate someone on their staff to represent them in making the arrangements. Explain to this person what the Order of the Amaranth and the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation are, and that you want to offer free diabetes screenings for your members and for the public at their facility during the Grand Court session. Choose a convenient and prominent location in the hotel, such as in a corner of the lobby, for the screeners to set up. The area should be large enough to accommodate two persons to perform the screening and two persons to give counseling to those who test positive. You may want to set up signs or have someone to talk about our organization and accept donations for the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation.

THIRD: Contact your regional or local American Diabetes Assn. (ADA) District Manager. Explain to them what the Order of the Amaranth and the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation are, if they don't already know. Tell them that you have tentative approval from the hotel to hold the screenings. The ADA representative should locate a hospital to sponsor the screenings and provide personnel; arrange for donation of equipment and supplies from a medical supplier; and arrange for publicity for the event (you should make sure that all supporters are included in the public service announcements).

FOURTH: Make arrangements through the Grand Royal Matron to have someone in the screening area to take donations to the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation. This person should be able to talk about diabetes, the Order of the Amaranth, and the Amaranth Diabetes Foundation.

SIXTH: Monitor activities at the screening station and make reports to the Grand Court.

SETTING UP FREE DIABETES SCREENING