Getting Ready for a New Ride

June 21, 2008

We are closing the 2007 - 2008 Toastmaster year which ends June 30, 2008.

Thank you again for serving your Club Members as the Club Officers of your Club!

There are many things that your clubs in District ONE have to do before the end of the year:

1) Keep Your Club’s Non-Profit Status
We got word that the IRS has fixed the problem that some clubs had with their “tax year” in regards to filing for the IRS 990-N filing. The clubs need to do this to maintain their non-profit status. Toastmasters International has prepared detailed instructions to help clubs. To access this information, please go to http://www.toastmasters.org/irs_990n.aspx. Questions? Send an email to IRSquestions@toastmasters.org.

2) Your Club Distinguished? Earn Gift Certificates
Register your club members' educational achievements on-line if possible, and submit your new member applications as soon as you can. Do this at the Club Business Section on-line at https://ecommerce.toastmasters.org/ecommerce/timssnet_new/timssnet/login/tnt_login.cfm. District ONE will (again) give any club reaching Distinguished status $15 in gift certificates usable at the Toastmasters store, $20 for Select Distinguished status, and $30 for President’s Distinguished status. See your club’s Distinguished Club Program status online – enter your club number at http://reports.toastmasters.org/reports_new/dcp.cfm. See if your Club has received all the credit that it should have received.

3) Enter your New Club Officer List by June 30, 2008
This is one-half of one of the easiest DCP goals (Goal #10) that your club can get – submit your Club Officer List. The other half of Goal #10 is to pay your club’s dues renewals on time for either April or October. This is done at the Club Business page of the Toastmasters web site at https://ecommerce.toastmasters.org/ecommerce/timssnet_new/timssnet/login/tnt_login.cfm. Your Club President has the password (actually looks like a 6-digit PIN) that came with the Club Dues Renewal package in March and September. You also can call Toastmasters International (That’s “World Headquarters”) at 949-858-8255 – if you are a Club Officer of Record, they will give you the PIN.

4) Review and Update Your Club Members Contact Information

“I haven’t used that email address for the past three years – where did you get it?!!”

Your Club Secretary may be maintaining a true and accurate Club Roster for your Club Members. You should also periodically review and update your Club Members’ contact information at https://ecommerce.toastmasters.org/ecommerce/timssnet_new/timssnet/login/tnt_login.cfm. Again, Your Club President has the password that came with the Club Dues Renewal package in March and September. You also can call Toastmasters International (That’s “World Headquarters”) at 949-858-8255 – if you are a Club Officer of Record, they will give you the PIN.

5) Plan Where Club Officer Make-Up Training Can Done
See District ONE web site calendar at http://www.tmdistrictone.org/calendar.asp and look at the months of June, July, and August for available Club Officer Training. The statistics have shown that Clubs with four or more Club Officers trained twice a year serves its Club Members through increased numbers of complete educational manuals, as well as bringing more new members who all benefit from the Toastmasters educational program. Do your part – have your Club Officers trained!

It has been my honor and privilege to have served as District ONE Toastmasters Lieutenant Governor of Education and Training.

I look forward to the next term when I will be serving you as the District ONE Governor.

This has been one great ride so far!

mjj