Dear Club Friends,
It’s hard to believe that it is time to begin our reporting process, but the time is NOW! Remember, we have changed the
reporting deadline to JANUARY 25
by both email and postal service. I am sending heartfelt encouragement and a round of applause for your efforts as the information from reporting is significant in so many ways. Reporting creates your club history, it allows you to evaluate your success and to redefine priorities for the coming year. It also provides a road map for our State and National organization to edit our emphasis and interests for the next administrations. Additionally, GFWC uses our collective information to lobby and to attract new partnerships in our work. The ultimate award/reward for our work, as seen in reporting, is the satisfaction that we have made a real difference.
I’m including a few helpful hints and reminders when preparing your club reports:
1. DO NOT put off working on reports.
Begin this month assembling the tools you will need: calendars, treasurers reports, club minutes, newsletters, FB, email, etc. Create a file (electronic or paper) for each CSP, Special Program or Project and other reports. Review the report form for each area you are completing, this will help you create your file of information.
2. ALL email addresses should end in .org.
If you are reporting electronically, ALL email addresses should end in .org. Do not send reports to email addresses that do not end in .org.
3. Narratives are limited to only the 10 best projects
you have completed in each area of work. The cover sheet statistical information should include the information on ALL work you have done in each area. If you have not done 10 projects, report what you have done. If you have done more, pick the most impactful and report those.
4. ‘Partnership Projects’ is a heading.
When looking at the cover sheet, the line for ‘Partnership Projects’ is a heading. It is not necessary to fill in the boxes next to this line. The partnerships are listed individually under this heading line and that is where the partnership information is recorded.
5. “Club Creativity Form” which equates to most outstanding:
When completing the “Club Creativity Form” consider this to be your most outstanding project even if you do not feel it is “creative”. While we want you to think out of the box when creating activities for your members, we are interested in knowing more about the very best project you have completed in each area of reporting. Remember, this reporting opportunity is not an “11th” project but, an expansion of one of the 10 projects you have reported in the narrative in each area.
6. When completing the TFS report,
under the lists of items to report (like Extra Mile, Tee Time at Tallulah, Tallulah’s Closet, etc.), we asked you to tell us projects, hours, and In Kind dollars. There will be Dollars Donated as well so, in the dollars box put a "DD" after money to indicate this is Dollars Donated from Club Funds.
In addition, from Linda Mote
, you can still do the following for TFS:
Host a Fundraiser
There is still time to do a fundraiser for Tee Time at Tallulah, which is our special project for the next two years. We need to raise funds for the new High Tech Golf Simulator, which will be used by the golf teams as well as the students as part of their physical training. We are holding a contest for both an individual and a club who raises the most money through a fundraiser for Tina’s State Project. The prize will be a round of golf with the top two TFS girl golfers at a course to be determined.
In a narrative describe your fundraiser and how much you earned. This is a separate report and should be sent to: Linda Mote, PO Box 885, Clayton GA 30525 by April 1. The winners will be announced at Convention.
7. Consider having a committee review your draft reports before sending in.:
When writing reports, consider having a committee that reviews each report. The State CSP Chairmen and the Special Program/Project Chairmen are looking primarily at the impact of your work. Be sure to choose your words carefully. Use action and descriptive words that will paint the picture of your project for someone completely unfamiliar with your club or our organization. (It might help to pretend a complete stranger is reading your report 50 years from now.) When re-reading your narrative, does it convey in words the actions, excitement, and impact of what you accomplished? If not, reconsider the wording. Do not assume those reading your reports will read between the lines!
8. Complete the Cover Sheet (Statistical Info) at the minimum.
If you do not choose to complete the narrative in an area to be reported, please complete the cover sheet. This is especially important for the CSP areas. We would like to capture as much statistical information as possible. We know each year we are grossly under-reporting the work of GFWC Georgia because, if we do not receive a club report, we cannot capture the work of that club. Nothing we do is insignificant and all hours and donations to our communities needs to be captured and recognized.
9. If you have questions or need help, reach out!
Please feel free to call on your state chairmen or myself to assist you with questions. You can find our contact information in the yearbook. When you speak with someone, please note who and when on your report so those judging will know you have had a conversation with one of us.
10. Most of all, relax.
We are excited you are working on this history of our organization and cannot wait to read your reports. Take advantage of the new electronic reporting. You will receive a confirmation it has been received. Thank you for participating in the reporting process.
I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season. My family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas. However you celebrate this season of blessings, my wish for you is health and happiness! I am thankful for our GFWC organization and the blessing of friends I would not otherwise have. Until the New Year, I leave you with my gratitude, my friendship and my commitment to helping you through this reporting season. Your state chairmen and I are looking forward to reading all the wonderful reports we will receive!
Kim Sekulow, 2nd VP
GFWC Georgia
secondvp@gfwcgeorgia.org
