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Secretary’s Column

The Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of every month. At our latest meeting, November 2, 2011, we discussed dues notices.
Most of you remember receiving printed invoices in the mail for past dues statements. Last year, in an effort to save on paper and postage, the board decided to try email statements. The idea was great, but the results were terrible. People change emails. They use one for work and one for play. They use others for specific tasks. Apparently, this year, not all the emails were received by the intended members. As a result, nearly one-third of our club membership has not paid dues yet this year. This causes a problem for the club.

When dues statements go out in June and December, they are due either July 1 or January 1. The club pays $138.50 to a combination of Rotary International and Rotary District 6540 for each member of the club, often before we even receive dues payments. We also pay for at least 40 lunches at every meeting, even if only 25 members show up. Many members are not aware of these facts. Your dues and your attendance are vital to this club.

Invoices include several options for payment: full-pay; partial-pay; active-exempt; with an additional option to pay by credit card, or to pay in two installments. Full-pay covers your dues and your lunches for the six-month period. Partial-pay covers your dues and half the cost of your lunches (you pay $5.00 at the door). Active-exempt is a special category for members who have reached a total of 85 years in club membership and age. This must be requested of, and approved by, the board. Active-exempt members pay $138.50 per six months and pay $10.00 at the door for lunches. The exempt part means they no longer need to attend the traditional 60% of meetings.
If you don’t remember receiving an invoice in July, or don’t remember paying your dues, or DO remember paying but your check hasn’t cleared, please contact Treasurer Sandy Smith.

This year, we will be returning to printed invoices. They will be distributed at meetings beginning in December of 2011. Please remember that dues must be paid OUT. This means members need to pay them IN. Payment is due by January 1, 2012. If there are extenuating circumstances, please talk to President Pat Harris to make arrangements for payment.

One more thing to remember:  In addition to your dues, we can’t do all the good that we do as a club without YOU! Your presence at meetings and events is worth much more than the dues and lunch payments. Rotary is nothing without its members!