Brotherhood: Be it, Live it, Believe it!
As part of Ma-nu Lodge's Internet presence, we offer two e-mail based listservers. This page provides information about these listservers, and useful links to access their content, and to sign-up to receive and send communications.
What's a Listserver and Why Do We Want One?
A listserver is a computer program that manages one or more mailing lists. The listserver (or listserv for short) provides an automatic way to distribute incoming e-mails to all members of the list. Even though mailing lists are automated, some of them are also moderated. A moderated list has a person filtering the e-mail submissions before they are distributed. The moderator can make sure the subject and tone of the submitted mail are appropriate for the list.
What Listservers Does MaNu Lodge Run?
Ma~Nu Lodge has been running an LEC listserv for the last few years. With this, members of the LEC are able to quickly send e-mails that are broadcast to all subscribers to that listserv. This has provided a quick way for the LEC to coordinate things within the LEC. We have also set up an "all-lodge" listserv where members can send and receive postings that are appropriate for all lodge members. Because listservs receive spam, this is a moderated listserv; every e-mail is reviewed before its passed on to the subscriber list. In addition, the subscriber list is hidden from everyone except the system administrators (selected lodge officers and advisers). Receiving e-mail from the listserv should not increase the amount of spam you receive (unless you consider OA e-mails spam! <g>).
What Postings Are Appropriate for the Lodge Listserv?
1. Announcements about lodge-wide events, or about chapter events to which the entire lodge is invited.
2. Questions about OA or the lodge that you think everyone would be interested in the answer. Posting it on the listserv would speed disseminating the info.
2. Discussion about a chapter event that was a great success and which you'd like to share as a possibility for other chapters to do. What you did, how you did it, etc.
3. A request of all chapters to find support for something ("We need a ceremonies team for a Webelos crossover", etc).
4. Announcements that the lodge website has some hot, new material worth looking at.
5. Whatever else you think of that would apply to the entire lodge.
What Postings are Inappropriate?
1. Questions to a specific individual where the answer applies only to you or limited folks. Instead, please send e-mail direct to that person(s).
2. Anything that discusses an issue of very limited interest. For example, it would be inappropriate for a chapter ceremonies team to discuss their arrangements for next Saturday's AOL ceremony at Podunk Lake. Again, please use direct e-mail.
3. Flame wars. Most everyone knows what this means, but, if you wouldn't say it directly to them in front of the entire lodge, please don't post it on the listserv.
4. A personal commercial announcement (ie, "I'm offering for sale a complete set of rare OA patches", etc). However, it might be appropriate to make a posting about a commercial find in which you have no personal stake, such as "ABC Company has Indian headdresses at 75% off this week".
5. A discussion that is not OA/Ma~Nu Lodge related.
6. Anything inconsistent with the Scout oath and law, of course.
How Do I Sign Up?
"This sounds great; how do I sign up?". Well, in early 2005 we "seeded" the listserv subscribers' list with the e-mail addresses from the lodge roster. If by some chance you have not been receiving listserv postings, please go to http://lists.manu133.org/mailman/listinfo/lodge to sign up. You also can use this link to update your e-mail address, should it change.
How Do I Make a Listserv Posting?
To send out your own listserv posting, first you must sign up as a subscriber to the listserv (this protects the listserv moderators from spam). Then, address an e-mail to the listserver (see below). Shortly after it's reviewed and approved by a moderator (who will automatically receive an e-mail about your posting), everyone should receive it in their own e-mail. Be aware that it may take a day or two before a moderator gets around to reviewing your posting, so please plan accordingly. The e-mail address for the Lodge listserver is:
Are Old Listserv Postings Available for Review?
Listserv postings are archived automatically. They are password protected, but are available for downloading at the following links:
Is There Any Other Help Available?
The listserv provides an automated help system that works via e-mail. To receive help, send an e-mail to lodge-request@manu133.org with "help" as the only word in the subject line or message body.
Send your questions or comments about this website to Curtis Doiron at:
