REHEARSING AGAIN IN THE CLUB ROOM: The Ron Aprea Big Band with vocalist Angela DeNiro (photo by Chris Drukker)

By the Local 802 Communications Subcommittee (Deborah Assael, Bud Burridge, Sara Cutler, Martha Hyde, and Wende Namkung)

Local 802 is thrilled to offer access to the Club Room once again.

Most of the rules for renting and reserving the room are the same as they were pre-pandemic.

802 members can rent the room for rehearsals at the rate of $10 per hour from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. The room is also available for 802-related meetings on a first-come first-served basis. The room will continue to be closed evenings and weekends for now.

What’s new? Health and safety protocols!

They include:

• 3 shot vaccination proof (2 shot proof if Johnson and Johnson)
• Mask requirement at all times, except for singers/winds/brass when actively singing or playing
• Completed health survey (filled out upon entry to building)
• 35 person limit for rehearsals
• 100 person limit for meetings, with chairs placed 3 feet apart

A few other changes:

• Cash is no longer accepted. Payments can be made by credit card or check.
• Paid-up membership number and photo ID are required to rent the room for rehearsals.
• We ask that users please leave the room as clean as they found it.

The road to opening the room was unexpectedly difficult. 802 consulted an industrial hygienist who required more actions before signing off on the reopening. These included:

• The purchase and installation of five HEPA filters.
• Daily deep-cleaning of the room.
• Most arduous, a number of calculations having to do with the air flow ratio to the size of the room were necessary to ensure the proper and safe rates of air exchange.

Room B and the rest of the building remain closed to members for now. Room B currently has almost no air flow or access to fresh air. The Executive Board has approved retrofitting the room with ventilation. Once that is complete, it will be available for small rehearsals and meetings.

Want to reserve the Club Room? Click here for the rules and contact info.

If you have questions for the Local 802 Communications Subcommittee, please send an e-mail to allegro@local802afm.org

Ric Becker (trombone), Dave Chamberlain (tuba), Pam Fleming (trumpet), Frank Hosticka (trumpet), Marco Malgiolio (French horn)