I am still planning on visiting clubs in northern Nevada and Northern California as far south as Stockton in conjunction with the Mid-Year Governor’s Conference in Reno.  Barb and I expect to make a week of it.  Bill Hupp has provided me the meeting dates of all the clubs I might be able to see and I’ll start contacting clubs to see if I can get on their schedule beginning next week.

 Close on the heels of the Mid-Year will be the Chartering of the new Honolulu Club and Freedom Week celebrations in Colorado and New Mexico.  Julie Hejtmanek will be attending the chartering and then come to Colorado and New Mexico for Freedom Week.  I have started talking to the District Governors in Colorado and Rich Colvin, Club Consultant, in New Mexico.  Next step will be to float a draft itinerary.  That will probably hit the affected Club President’s desks just after Thanksgiving.

The News:

Mission Activities –

·         Annual Fund – Early Birds only have until December 1^st to get their Annual Fund contributions of $25 per member.  We are also still looking for that first 100% Fellow Club.

Market Development –

 

CALLING ALL LEADERS.  True Growth is accomplished when we build new clubs!  Many people ask me “Why doesn’t Sertoma build a club or give us the “stuff” we need to build a club in the way of publicity in an area or contacts in an area where we do not have a club?”  The implication is that Kansas City is responsible for club building.  Sorry but it doesn’t work that way today and it never has.  WE ARE SERTOMA AND LEADERS MAKE IT HAPPEN.  As leaders I can assure you we have many resources available to you, none of the least of which is assistance from the Sertoma Headquarters Staff and the members of the Market Development Committee and the New Club Development Working Group.

·         When it comes to inviting a new member to join Sertoma many members have problems taking that step.  Instead of inviting a prospective member to a meeting, invite them to serve with you at an event.  The picture at right is a great example.  Lodo Field of Dreams members waved flags from a Denver area freeway overpass on Veteran’s Day. 

                                                                                                                                                        

Two of those pictured are Sertomans, Chris Tucker and Don Holdaway.  The other is a prospective member.  Can you tell which one is the prospective member?  You can’t unless you know Chris and Don.  My point is that those new prospective Sertomans look just like us and get excited doing the same things we do.  They want to be asked! 

·         In the meantime Retention is the benchmark that tells leaders how their programs are being received by the membership.  These are the MW Region Clubs who are in the GREEN retaining and growing as reported through November ^1st – East Valley, Foothills, Tucson Midtown, South Park, Dry Creek, Arapahoe, Eaton, Austin Bluffs, Honolulu, Las Vegas Paradise, Reno, Stockton, Westwood Village and Whittier.  Arizona and Wild West are the only districts with net gains.  As a region we are at -12 for the year.

Member Services –

·         The President’s nomination letters and documentations of support from the District Governors for Club Distinguished Secretaries have been received and judged.  We have some truly Outstanding and Distinguished Club Secretaries among us.  Club Sertoman of the Year and Service To Mankind award packages are due to the District Governor on December 1^st.

·         As a Region we are doing a tremendous job of getting our required reports (Activities and Dues) in.  As of  today I have received  78% of the Club Quarterly Activities Reports and 76% of Quarterly Dues Statements and payments of Region dues.  I will be sending out some reminder letters.  Remember, 100% on reports is the only acceptable level.

·         Please download and make copies of the attached Reno Pre-Convention Flyer and share them with your membership.  Since the last newsletter I have enlisted the help of Harvey LeCato, Certified Trainer, to coordinate training at the regional convention this year.  He not only needs your good ideas on what you want to learn more about to better serve your clubs and communities, he will be asking for help from among the other CT’s in the region and the Regional Trainers to train the sessions.  We will again offer the Regional Trainer Training Program during the day on Thursday.   If you would like to develop your personal skills and share your Sertoma knowledge with others go to the Sertoma.org website and review the Regional Trainer Job Description and Application form.  Questions – Give me a call.  If you have suggestions for training, contact Harvey, me or Jo Carroll.  Harvey and Jo contact info is at the end of the newsletter.

·         As I have visited clubs sharing the message “Sertoma – Investing in the Future I have asked everyone to invest themselves by striving for the next level of service in their club, the district, region or at national level.  I have seen so many of you who can step up.  We need your leadership.

 

Region Director 2009-2010 Goals Update –

Mission Services

·         60 clubs earn the Mission Club Award. – Check the attached form to see if you are on track.

·         100% of the clubs support the Annual Fund at the contribution level of $100 or greater. – 28% right now but the Early Birds are flying now.

·         75% of clubs participating in the Sertoman of the Year and Service To Mankind award program. – Now is the time to select and write them up.  Deadline to District Governor is December 1^st. 

Market Development

·         Post the first net gain in membership since… (Can anyone tell me when?).  – Minus 12 as of November 1^st.

·         Completing the clubs in Honolulu and Boulder and build three additional clubs in the region. – Still looking for three new building efforts.  Arizona? South Colorado District? New Mexico?

Member Services

·         Provide the Director News monthly to at least one Club Leader (President, Secretary, or Bulletin Editor) - Yes

·         Receive newsletters from 60% of the clubs in the region. -   Presently at 54%  (Up 2% from last month) - If you are doing a bulletin and I am not on the mailing list please send me one.  If you have a website please keep it updated as I check them periodically to get what is happening with you.  It is now much easier to develop a club website on Sertoma.org.  Check it out.

·         Give the members of the Mountain West another value packed convention in Reno, NV on April 29^th – May 1^st, 2010 that will attract over 200 Sertomans. – On Track

 

CALENDAR:

o    Mid-Year Governor’s Conference – January 9, 2010

o    National Heritage Freedom Week – February 14 – 20, 2010

o    Mountain West Regional Convention – April 29 – May 1, 2010 in Reno, Nevada

o    Annual Sertoma Convention – July 29-31, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas

 

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE SERTOMA BLOG SITE AND THE MOUNTAIN WEST REGION BLOG SITE PERIODICALLY FOR STIMULATING TOPICS AND COMMENTS.   

 

If this email newsletter with attachment overwhelms your equipment capabilities – send me a short email saying “ENOUGH ALREADY GRITZ…I need smaller bites”.  I’ll make that happen for you.

 

Region Staff:  Duane Gritzmaker, Director        (Mail copies of Quarterly Activity Reports

                                14525 Latrobe Drive                    and Quarterly Dues Statements with checks of

                                Colorado Springs, CO 80921     $1/member/quarter- directly to Duane not later  than the 10^th of July, Oct, Jan, Apr.

                                719-481-2424 (H)  719-649-9220 (C)             duane_gritzmaker@earthlink.net

 

Martha (Marti) Collins, Secretary/Treasurer , 4875 Brown Valley Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, 719-598-5338 (H)  marticol@aol.com

 

Sherry Edwards, Awards, 14110 Nicholas Court, Colorado Springs, CO 80921, 719-488-1044 (H)  sherryjocsp@aol.com

 

                                David Oppenheim, Annual Fund Coordinator, 4959 E. Maplewood Pl.,Centennial, CO 80121-2344,

303-850-7888 (H)  303-773-8189 (W)  303-947-6784 (C)  303-773-773-8187 (Fax), captdso@aol.com

 

                                Jo Carroll, Convention Chair, 2145 Glenhill Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

                                719-632-9336 (H)  719-660-3524 (C)  joid@q.com

 

                                Steve Ellis, Sgt-At-Arms, 12078 W. Berry Avenue, Littleton, CO 80127,  303-232-1719 (W), 303-979-3229 (H),

                                Intermountainap1@qwestoffice.net

 

                                Harvey LeCato, Certified Trainer, Convention Training Coordinator, 7460 Taos Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, 719-302-0291 (W), 719-331-1212 (C), mbca@comcast.net

 

Harvey LeCato has been added to the list above as Convention Training Coordinator.  Harvey is one of our best and most experienced trainers and he will put a great convention training package together.  We’ve already got some things in mind but the best ideas and the topics you want to hear more about is what adds value to the regional convention.  To learn what your needs are please feel free to share them with Harvey or me now so we can consider them at the upcoming Mid-Year Governor’s Conference.

 

Thank You for the opportunity to serve you,

 

Duane Gritzmaker, Director            P.S. – This newsletter goes to lots of folks out there – If any of you

Mountain West Region                                 have a person tell you they don’t get it but want it…let me

                                                                        know.  I can’t send by regular mail in all cases but email is a

                                                                        piece of cake.  I just need the current email address.