Jamaica District Board Newsletter July - DST Romona

COLERAINE STREET, ORACABESSA P.O. ST. MARY TEL :(876) 995–3635 FAX : (876) 726-2104 EMAIL:iriesnuff@hotmail.com

Official Newsletter of Key Club Jamaica District Volume 1 Issue 2

In this Issue!

Meet Kiwanis-Family LG Club Visits Role of Club Treasurer Project Eliminate Jamaica Kiwanis AGM and Convention Committee Reports August Checklist Quotes Reminders Board List

District Secretary-Treasurer’s Address Hello fellow members of the district!

The job as a Key Clubber without any specific responsibilities was simply ‘bliss’.

We aimed to attend as many projects as possible because they were not just service but also adventure; opportunities to travel, learn, and discover. I have come to realize however that the higher up this ladder we go our impact is greater and spans not only the people we serve but also the individual Key Clubber and their family and friends. The greater our propensity is to have a lasting impact, the greater the responsibility. The protocols and paperwork put in place to help guide our responsible behaviour become daunting; quite surprisingly we begin to start counting down the months. The aim of July’s newsletter is to help you pump uo your spirit; to remind you of the ‘bliss’ amidst the duties; and to encourage you dwell on the joyous things and not the sorrowful ones. Let’s keep going, you can do it, pump it up!

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The Kiwanis family Kiwanis is organized to provide opportunities for anyone to get involved and serve their community. Learn more about each Kiwanis-family service group online.

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Visiting clubs is a great way to understand the goals, accomplishments and challenges of each Key Club and to gain valuable feedback from members.

Preparing for Your Club Visit 1. Well in advance, set up your visit time, date, location and objectives. Training, leading a team-building activity, sharing district project information-whatever the objective s, make sure your goals are clear.

2. If you are not personally invited by the President, remind him/her that you are required to visit at least twice. Mention you’re there to provide support.

3. Reconfirm your visits with the club President a week in advance.

4. Prepare to share your contact information. If you have business cards, bring enough to share.

5. Bring all necessary information and literature. If you are leading a PowerPoint presentation, bring a printed hard copy. There is always a chance audio/visual will not be available.

6. Wear your Key Club pin and show your pride.

Always be Prepared to Make a Few Remarks Here are some sample topics: 1.

2.

3.

4.

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District and International Convention promotion Division activities Educational activities Divisional training rallies Administrative structure of Key Club International and opportunities to run for district and international office 6. Key Leader promotion. (www.key-leader.org) 7. Service partners and service initiative information 8. Key Club history 9. Promotion of Kiwanis family 10. Scholarship and Youth Opportunities Fund service grants 11. District projects

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During Your Visit This is the time to collect feedback from as many members as possible. The more information you get from club members, the better you can assist them and the more ideas you’ll have to share throughout the district.

1. Write down ideas or concerns in your planner and notebook.

2. Take time to introduce yourself and speak with as many members as possible. Taking the time to do this will mean more to each individual member.

3. Share your contact information.

4. Follow up 5. After the visit is over, shake hands, smile and say thank you for the time and opportunity to get to know them.

6. Follow up with an e-mail to the club leadership, thanking them once again. Provide any answers to questions that may have come up and attach electronically any additional materials for the club.

7. Complete any necessary visit forms, if applicable.

8. Follow up with your district leadership. Share with them all the feedback you received from your members, any new project ideas, etc.

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Duties of the Club Treasurer The office of club treasurer is important because the treasurer is in control of the club’s money, its collection and disbursement. It is important this job is done well.

Many schools do not allow clubs to keep independent checking or savings accounts. It does not matter who writes the checks, school officials or the Key Club treasurer. What does matter, though, is that the treasurer be responsible for keeping accurate books that will enable him/her to give a full financial report whenever requested. The treasurer should do his/her best to see that everything is done properly so that there are no doubts about his/her integrity.

If your school policy permits your club to have its own checking or savings account, it is strongly advised that two (2) signatures be required on each check. Your faculty or Kiwanis advisor should co-sign with the Key Club treasurer or president.

It should be noted that the treasurer’s records always should be open to inspection by the club’s officers, faculty advisor, principal, and Kiwanis advisor.

Duties and Responsibilities  Collect member dues. In coordination with the Secretary, forward dues monies and the Invoice and Membership Roster to the International Office.  Prepare the budget, present it to the board for approval, and ensure that club activities adhere to the budget.  Maintain accurate financial records.  Transact business through a bank or school account.  Inform the club of its financial strengths and weaknesses.  Inform the Kiwanis club of the Key Club’s financial status.  Disburse funds and pay bills promptly as approved by the board of directors.  Bill members for unpaid dues.  Deposit club funds.  Understand school and club policies regarding student financial accounts relating to school organizations.

Weekly Duties  Pay all bills as approved by the board of directors.  Attend club meetings.  Record all expenditures and income for the week.  Secure advice of your faculty advisor and Kiwanis advisor on all financial matters.

Monthly Duties  Collect all monies from club projects.  Prepare a financial report for the board of directors meeting.  Attend the board of directors meeting.  Collect dues from new members and forward them to the district and International office.

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Annual Duties  Obtain all financial records, receipts, and files from immediate past treasurer.  Prepare a budget for the Key Club year.  Organize all financial records to give to the treasurer-elect.

Preparing the Budget The budget should be the regulating factor for the club’s activities. The budget is a statement of the organization’s planned expenditures and income based on the approval and commitment of the club. Use the budget as a guide for the club’s activities during the year.

When approving the budget, the club must commit to raising the necessary income, for without the budgeted income, the club cannot spend as it had planned without incurring a deficit. Thus, when total expected income is not achieved, total expenditures must be cut.

Maintaining Accounts Key Club International is a nonprofit organization, receiving much of its receipts from the general public. Therefore, the la w requires that two separate accounts for receipts and expenditures be maintained. These accounts are the service account and the administrative account.

Service Account-All monies collected from the general public must be returned to the general public. Such monies cannot be used for club administrative costs, such as printing, conventions and conferences, and travel to non-service projects.

Administrative Accounts-The administrative account is the operating account for the club. It is used for those monies to be spent on club administration and/or members. Monies coming from the administrative account are collected from dues, Kiwanis-family members and school subsidies. Monies in this account may be used to buy supplies, purchase advertising, send members to conventions and conferences, etc. Funds in the administrative account can be transferred to the service account. However, no funds from the service account may be transferred to the administrative account.

It is helpful in bookkeeping and auditing to note on each receipt into which account the money was deposited. Likewise, all checks should note from which account the money was drawn.

Collecting and Submitting Dues Your club’s faculty advisor will receive a letter in early September containing your Key Club number and a unique password. This will allow you to update your club roster and generate a dues invoice on-line at the Key Club Membership Update Center. Please keep and safeguard this password, and use it to add new members throughout the year. By updating your club’s roster on-line, the electronic submission will generate cards, pins, certificates and handbooks for your new members much sooner.

Annual dues are payable by November 1 , and become past due on December 1 . Any time your club recruits new members throughout the year, you should submit their names and contact information on the Membership Update Center, generate an invoice, and mail the payment to Key Club International. st

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Maintaining Accurate Financial Records It is important to keep an account of all transactions as they are made. A simple method to use is the general journal, containing three columns: income, expenses, and balance. Log in each transaction when it occurs; specify the date and a simple description; list it properly under income or expense; and record the balance.

When disbursing money, always obtain a receipt as evidence of payment. When at all possible, use a check rather than cash.

This will provide you with an additional receipt. When reimbursing a club member for expenses, require them to complete an expense voucher and attach a copy of the receipt to receive reimbursement.

No more than two individuals should have authorization to write checks. Typically, the club treasurer and president are authorized to write checks. When receiving money, always issue a receipt, especially when you receive cash (i.e. dues and fundraiser money).

And finally, never hold cash personally for any length of time. You are responsible for the finances of the club. By depositing cash soon after receipt, you guarantee that your members’ money or community’s contributions are secure.

Bank Reconciliation Periodically, the bank will submit a statement listing all transactions that took place within a certain period of time.

Upon receipt of the statement reconciliation should be made to certify the accuracy of the club’s balance. If this is done upon receipt of each statement, errors can be corrected.

To perform this reconciliation, follow these steps: 1. Verify all amounts on the statement with amounts noted in your checkbook.

2. Place the amount of the bank balance in the appropriate space on the back of the statement.

3. Add any deposits not noted on the statement.

4. Deduct all outstanding checks, not yet cashed.

This adjusted balance should agree with the checkbook balance. If it does not, double-check your arithmetic. If the error is not yours, contact the bank and ask that they review the statement for the possible error.

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Project ELIMINATE Source: Eliminate pamphlet

When time is short, no act is small Maternal and Neo natal tetanus isn’t just a fatal disease – It makes every moment of a baby’s short life painful. That pain robs a mother of the chance to provide even the comfort of her touch.

But a US $110 MILLION FUNDING GAO REMAINS. With the Eliminate Project, our goal is to raise US 110 million by 2015, filling the funding gap and becoming the world’s largest single donor.

In countries where people lack healthcare education and services, a baby can be infected during birth. Infection brings a disease that kills within days. Hat short life time is marked by stiffness, difficult breathing and convulsions triggered by the slightest sound or contact.

Our work will make a historic impact. On average, US $1.80 can protect a woman and her future children from this horrific disease. Using this average, we will save and protect more than 61 million mothers and their babies.

To eliminate MNT, more than 1oo million women and their future babies must be protected. This comes at a cost of roughly US 240 million (Ja $20 640 million).

Millions have already been committed.

After all there are times when something as simple as a mother’s touch requires a group effort. The worldwide Kiwanis family has the power to protect that connection.

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DST Report on the Annual General Meeting and the 21st Convention of the Kiwanis Foundation in Jamaica The meeting and convention were both held on Sunday July 24, 2011 at the Roaring River Great House, Mammee Bay, St. Ann. Kiwanis Clubs for Division 23E, 23W, 24 and 25 were present.

The meeting began promptly at 9:30 a, with election of new officers. His was followed by the General session which was called to order by PLGC Chairman Kay Anderson. The National Anthem was led by PLG Inlen Johnson from Div 25, Invocation by DLG Daphne Innerarity of Div 23W, Objects by DLG Cherie Rowe of Div 24.

The welcome, opening remarks and apologies were led quite humorously by the chair and was immediately followed by the Inn Memoriam with PLG Corris Samuels. Mr. Kevin Alcock who was once faculty advisor and member of the Downtown Kingston club and Oliver Lotha our Zone Coordinator from division 25 were among those who were remembered during the In Memoriam.

Updates on the performance and downfalls of each division were presented by their respective representative.

Greetings were then made by the SLP Leadership. From the Circle-K Gov Jerome Johnson; from Key Club District of Jamaica, DST Romona Morgan on behalf of the Governor who was representing the district at LeadCon in Illinois; and from the Builders Club, Dahniel Campbell the Builders Club speech contest winner.

The General session was brought to a close after presentations were made by the Kiwanis Foundation of Jamaica, Kiwanis International on Project Eliminate and Trustee updates on regions G and H by Trustees Kermitt McGann and Bobby Moo-Young respectively.

Following the close of the session there was a break out of the convention into workshops. After 40 minutes a bell was rung and the attendees began moving to new rooms the second workshop.

Lunch was provided at about 12:00, after which the 2nd General Session was convened, Announcements and the vote of thanks were both done by DLG Gerthlyn Holman of Div 23E. It is unknown the time the session was terminated due the fact that the transportation for the Key Clubbers was ready before the ending of the proceedings.

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Major Emphasis Programme – Executive Board The committee is in the process of selecting individuals to serve on the committee in helping to promote Live 2 learn and project ideas centered on the theme of education and young children. 

Fundraising – DST Romona Morgan The Fundraising committee has extended an invitation to Steffan Richards, Lindsay Miller, Jelani Munroe of Campion College and Carmen Velasques of Merl Grove. No final responses has been received from these individuals yet.

I have received suggestions to help the District raise funds which would increase the ‘fun level’ in each club. They are as follows: Collect the money collected by each club for sarges to contribute to the District treasury.

Have a fundraising week where each club has a fundraiser, the proceeds of which goes to the District.

Make a district craft such as (head bands, shirts, pins, key rings, pens) and sell them to Key Clubbers.

Have a tin drive.

Send letters seeking financial assistance in specific areas.

It was indicated at the executive meeting that a fundraising week will be organized by the district where clubs carry out their own fundraising and submit 60% of their profits to the district. The proceeds are intended to aid in relieving the cost for Key Clubbers to attend DCON this year.

The committee hopes that with the commencement of September fundraisers towards Project Eliminate can be organized.

Growth Team – LG Chadwick Anderson and LG Brandon Ten-Fah LG Brandon Ten-Fah and I have been in some amount of communication regarding our committee. Thus far, we have chosen persons who would head the committee in the West and East of the island. Unfortunately, we have not had much in-depth discussion on how to address the issues at hand. This will most definitely be addressed in the month of June. We believe that our main issue is finding out how we'll help to increase membership within each school, currently active and inactive schools.

Host your first Divisional Council Meeting.

Ensuring each officer understands his/her responsibilities for the upcoming school year should be your number one priority. Get a Kiwanian to attend and help with training to make it official for those clubs who have not yet had officers trained.  Begin scheduling personal club visits to all clubs in your division, especially those you have not yet visited.  Publish your fourth newsletter. Topics of interest will be…

Great member recruiting ideas Key Club’s official Make Your Meetings Move book and its contents How to pay Key Club District and International dues Information on attending a Kiwanis Key Leader weekend Final tips and tricks for applying for a Youth Opportunities Fund grant  Contact your District committee chairperson with questions and an update on your standing assignments  Contact your Governor or Administrator with questions and with a report of your monthly activity.  Call and/or email all your club presidents and advisors.

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I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love. ~Mother Teresa How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~William James

Divisional Bulletins are overdue Divisional Directories are outstanding and impeding the progress of the District Roster Fundraisin Week Oct 10 -15, 2011 Board Meeting; August 13, 2011

District Govervor Jodie-Ann Dunn District Secretary-Treasurer Romona Morgan District Bulletin Editor Christopher Harper

Live simply that others might simply live. ~Elizabeth Ann Seton

District Webmaster Ijah Brown

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. ~Edward Everett Hale

Division 1 - Shanice Walsh

Lieutenant Governors

Division 2 - Chadwick Anderson Division 3 - Leila Green Division 4 - Jannel Kelly

The difference between a helping hand and an outstretched palm is a twist of the wrist. ~Laurence Leamer

Division 5 - Brandon Ten-Fah Division 6 - Renisha Daley Division 7 - Shanique Campbell

www.keyclub.org Contact Information: phone (455-8662), e-mail (romonamrgn@hotmail.com)