Sertoma President’s Mid-Month Missive     October 2009

Are you Staying Energized?

We just finished the first quarter of our year.  Before you know it, the holidays will be here and the second quarter will have passed. We all start the year with great ideas, great goals, but as time passes, do you find the enthusiasm has dimmed and “life” gets in the way??   How do you stay energized about Sertoma?  Do you believe in what your club does?  Do you get excited about the sponsorships; fundraisers; meetings; members??  Is your club appealing?  If you answered no to any of these, perhaps it’s time to give your club a check-up – a “healthy club assessment” to re-energize your club and its members.

Borrowing some great ideas from Iowa District Governor Terry Moehnke’s recent newsletter attachment, (Thanks Terry!) think about these great membership ideas:

·        new (and old) members need to feel they spend their time wisely and see immediate productivity; they challenge us to teach them about Sertoma at a quicker pace – so JUST DO IT!!  Most new members decide to stay – or not – in the first few weeks or months after joining so during this “honeymoon phase” ensure they made the right decision to join your Sertoma family;

·        take time to reach out and help new members become part of Sertoma,  providing them a buy-in to your projects, your mission, your accomplishments;

·        make meetings worth attending with: quality speakers, fun & levity, NO cliques, greeters at the door, introduce new members at least three times so they are known to all;

·        make a special effort to CALL and invite newer members to social events; they may not feel comfortable coming if they know no one;

·        ALWAYS be POSITIVE – negativity can kill anything:  a club, excited members, a project, new ideas.  Keep things upbeat and positive!!

·        Listen to new ideas, be organized, leaders set the example, be an Ambassador for Sertoma – always;

·        Although focus on new members is critical – don’t forget our older “seasoned” members – be creative in providing tasks in projects that appeal to seniors that they feel they can do.

So – let’s get started.  Try these ideas above and see what a difference a few slight changes can make in our clubs.  Keep up the great work!!!

************************

KEEP GOING AWARD:

Connie Sloan, Sertoma Member Services Director at Headquarters, shared with me a great award – it’s simple, easy, FREE, and makes such a difference to those you send it to.  As we are all ENERGIZED in Sertoma this year – make someone else stay energized by sending them a “Keep Going” award – developed by the folks at Energizer (batteries).  Go to:  www.energizer.com/energizer-bunny/Pages/keep-going-award.aspx  to send this award to someone who does a good job; reached a milestone or achievement; accomplished great things; or just needs encouragement and support.  Show them you care by printing – or emailing – the “Keep Going” award to them!!!  A little gesture – goes a long way!

Top Challenges – part 2:

Following up last months’ Top 2 Challenges for Governors as Governors expressed at the Nashville leadership training – other than membership and club building which we discussed in my last Missive – Governor concerns also focused on helping clubs’ participation in events beyond the club level, such as district, regional and national conferences and seeing Sertoma beyond “just my club”.  If you can get a member to attend even a district event; chances are – they’ll be hooked and getting them to a regional and beyond will be a piece of cake!  But – don’t just ‘drop them off’ at a district-wide event.  Your duty is to be sure they get value for their time (remember the first bullet above); this may be your only chance to capture their attention and interest – so make sure the effort that person took to come, away from family and job, are worth that effort.  Offer to ride together to the conference.  Introduce them to other Sertomans; make them feel welcome.  Be sure they understand the meeting; the agenda; the acronyms!!  Then follow-up – find out what they thought about the conference.  It will help you help others in the future.  Getting the “bigger picture” of Sertoma – is the best way to encourage and mentor future leaders.  ALWAYS be on the lookout for your next new Club President, Governor, Director and beyond.  It is up to us – the current leaders – to identify leadership talent, and help nurture those future leaders. 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Closing thought for the day:

Remember the old saying “Have you Hugged your Kid Today?”  - how about  “Have you Nurtured a Future Leader in Sertoma today?”  If not, why not?

Yours in Service

Julie Hejtmanek –  Prez

222 SW 7^th Street, Topeka, KS 66603

785 235 5678

juliehejtmanek@ksjustice.com

November 2009 FDR NEWSLETTER

EARLY BIRD TIME!

Now is the time to visit your clubs and ask that they support the Annual Fund by being an Early Bird Club. Remember, it is only $25 per active member, that must be received at Headquarters by December 1^st. Many Early Bird gifts are starting to come in. The letters we sent out were mailed about 2 weeks ago, and many clubs are responding – some just need to know that you are watching out for them as an FDR and need to you come visit – so please make your visits!

Sometime in the next couple of weeks a mailing will be sent to all members asking to give to the Annual Fund that have not already done so. This is the time of year we begin to make the shift in focus from Early Bird to asking for those gifts at the Fellow, Benefactor and Sponsor level. An Early Bird gift or 100% Club gift cannot help qualify for one of these other recognition places – but, if someone has made a memorial gift to the Annual Fund, that can help toward a Fellow level or above. Remember, our members can pay over time – PLEASE remind them, that ALL Annual Fund pledges must be paid off by June 30, 2010! So, if they are going to pay quarterly, there are only two quarters really left.

We have some very busy FDRs out there making visits; helping clubs find affiliates and putting together grant information. If you will note below, there are now two regions showing positive growth in the Annual Fund thus far: Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes. Southeastern/Caribbean almost has their last year total – will they surpass either of the other two in the lead?

What about our districts – there are two that have brought in over $6,000 this year: Central Florida, Harvey Rhinehart FDR and Fort Sumter, Tommy Brush, FDR. These two have simply asked those who used to give to come back and join us – have made great presentations and these are the results. If you would like suggestions or need help, please let me know.

Stars in the making: (those up over $1,000 from last year at the same time) Congratulations!

What is the secret to the FDRs listed below? How did they make such a difference in their district total? Most simply by making club visits and asking the clubs to give. Some enhanced their visit by using much of the training given to the FDRs and adapting it to their district. Some were at the Fall District Conferences and made big headway there. Are you making your club visits? Have you been to a PAC or FDC? Was someone there to ask for the Annual Fund gifts if you could not be there? What are your future planned visits? How can you make a difference and have them support the Annual Fund? Need suggestions – call Meghan or I.

(List is by Region). There are six districts ahead of last year’s total at this time by more than $1,000! There are several districts close to last year’s total at this time – plenty of time to reach the 105% goal over last year’s total.

Name/Total Amount Received                                              FDR/Region

Fort Sumter District $6,285.00 (last year: $2,746.68)               Tommy Brush, Development Committee Member, Atlantic Coast Region

Chesapeake Bay District $2,450.00 (last year: $950)                No FDR currently, Atlantic Coast Region

Northern Indian District $5,520.00 (last year: $4,050)               Ed Potts, FDR, Great Lakes District

Iowa District $2,250.00 (last year: $330)                                  Steve Brown, FDR, Great Plains Region

East Texas District $3,565.00 (last year: $1,836.25)                 Joe Collette, FDR, Heart of America Region

Central Florida District $6,341.66 (last year: $900)                   Harvey Rhinehart, FDR, Southeastern/Caribbean Region

Adopt-An-Agency

Remember the new grant application due date is January 31^st. We have 185 National Affiliates now, and the number is growing. All information about our Adopt-An-Agency program and the new grant can be found on our web site, www.sertoma.org/missionactivities or www.sertoma.org/adoptanagency.

CELEBRATE SOUND

Work is underway to roll out Celebrate Sound and Hearing Charities of America. There will soon be more to tell you! The web site is under construction as we speak and we will email you when it is ready to roll out. There are many exciting relationships we are building with individuals and corporations in the hearing health industry. There will be a web site for Hearing Charities of America where people can go to learn about hearing loss, what to do if you have hearing loss, how to protect your hearing and ways entities can participate. It is an exciting time for all of us. Please watch email and the Sertoma web site for new announcements.

Annual Fund Program Totals – October 1, 2009

Reporting by Category                       Goal                        AC10                             To Go

Sponsor Club/Individual               $22,000.00               $22,034.50                                   $0

Benefactor Club/Individual           $20,000.00               $11,715.00                            $8,285

Fellow                                         $75,000.00               $25,950.00                          $49,050

Other (Below $100)                  $183,000.00               $37,414.05                   $145,585.95

Total                                         $300,000.00               $97,213.55                   $202,786.45

This total does not include unpaid pledges.

*Includes all the Early Bird Gifts of:                               $30,175.00

Total Given to Annual Fund, including gifts from non-Sertomans:

                  Last Year’s Total: $132,707.20    Now: $97,313.55, Difference: $35,393.65

Last year at this time we had a one time gift of $25,000 that came in from a disbanding club. If you remove that – we are behind by $10,393.65. We can easily make that up during fall conferences and fall solicitations.

Annual Fund Across Sertomaland – As of October 1, 2009

Reporting by Region       # of donors         AC09     # of Donors                  AC10        Difference

Allegheny/Canada                             68     $4,375.00                 71           $3,475.00              $900.00          down

Atlantic Coast                              344   $20,166.68               421         $22,450.00           $2,283.32              up

Great Plains                                    356   $14,339.46               128         $10,500.00           $3,839.46          down

Great Lakes                                 190     $9,608.00               236         $12,468.00           $2,860.00              up

Heart of America                            449   $46,740.38               188         $10,355.00       $36,385.38*          down

Mountain West                               362   $14,483.50               128           $9,582.67           $4,900.83          down

Southeastern/Caribbean                  440   $16,370.00               387         $16,191.05              $478.95          down

Grand Totals                               2,209 $126,083.02            1,559         $85,021.72         $41,061.30          down

*This total will not match the total above because of gifts that come in from individuals that do not belong to a club.

REMEMBER: Last year, South Missouri received a $25,000 gift at the beginning of the year.