Please Foward This Email To Your 
Local Club Board Of Directors
Full of news for the Georgia District of Exchange Leadership
The Georgia Exchangite
"PLUS"
APRIL 2017
Buzz Wachsteter (Rome) - Editor
News For Officers And Directors To Keep Your Club...
New Exchange Strong
We Are Exchange Strong!
We Are Exchange Proud!
We Work Together In Unity!

Wear Blue On Mondays
Show YOUR Support Of
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Sidney Blanton
President-Elect
To Be Exchange Strong, We have To START Exchange Strong

We are on the verge of a new Exchange year and now is the time to commit to an EXCHANGE STRONG finish to this year and an EXCHANGE STRONG kickoff for OUR new year.

If you are a current District Director, I challenge you to visit each of your Division clubs and conduct a new officer training. Make sure every new officer knows what their job is, how to do it, and how and where to find resources on the National Website Member Resources page.  Just read your job description in Leading A Successful District Guide. If the new officers in your Division are not started off on the right foot IT IS YOUR FAULT because YOU are the one responsible for making this happen.  If you need help, we now have three active VFRs who can help you, but you have to ask.

If you are an incoming Local Club Officer, make sure you have prepared yourself for your new job.
  • Make sure your current Secretary has gone on line and reported your year's new officers to National. This is a requirement. 
  • If your District Director has not yet contacted you about conducting officer training for your club, contact them and set up a date for your new officer training to be completed prior to May 15th.  Their contact information is on the District website if you don't have it.
  • Go to Member Resources on the National Website and download your copy of the 2017-2018 copy of Leading A Successful Club guide. It is already posted. Read it and follow the suggested items listed for your successful year. 
  • If you are the incoming President or President-Elect, Secretary, or Treasurer, you need to complete the Exchange University Course online by June 1.  There will be officer training in Valdosta at our Convention but these courses will not be Exchange University.  
If you are a current District or Local Officer, I ask for YOUR pledge to Lead By Example and recruit one new member each in the first 90 days of OUR year.  If we don't believe in our own organization, why should anyone else?

WOW, just think of it Exchangites. We are the leaders, we must set the example, and by working together we will make OUR year, OUR District, and OUR organization the strongest in all of our communities...EXCHANGE STRONG!
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Calendar
Dates YOU Need To Know

  • April 15, 2017
    • DEADLINE  for 5 copies of local club American Citizenship Speech Contest submitted to District Chair (FIRM)
    • DEADLINE for local club A.C.E. Award form submitted to District Chair (FIRM)
    • DEADLINE for local club Youth of the Year Award Form submitted to District Chair (FIRM)
  • April 15, 2017 - DEADLINE for "Early Bird" convention registrations for free convention registration package contest
  • April 17, 2017 - Blue Monday
  • April 29, 2017 Local Election Results Due To National (FIRM)
  • April 27, 2017 - Blue Monday
  • May 1, 2017 - 
    • GEORGIA DISTRICT CONVENTION AND HOTEL REGISTRATION DEADLINE
    • DEADLINE for District Officer letters of intent from candidates and sponsoring club to be in the hands of the Nominating Committee Chair or District Secretary. 
  • May 15, 2017 - DEADLINE For Georgia Award Entry Forms To Be In The Hands Of The Chairman. (FIRM)
  • June 1-3, 2017 District Convention Valdosta.
  • July 1, 2017 - Happy New Year!  Exchange Year 2017-2018 Begins 
  • July 12-15, 2017 99th National Exchange Convention Jacksonville, FL
check
Local Officers...Here Is An Important 
Pre-Convention Checklist

There will be elections  and a Bylaw amendment voted at District Convention.  Under the District Bylaws each club in good standing is entitled to delegate representation to vote on these issues. To avoid any confusion, please read over this Pre-Convention checklist to make sure your local club is properly represented.
  • Who may be a delegate and how many may my club have?  Use the following link to see Bylaw Delegate Regulation
  • If my club cannot send the full number of delegates, can we use proxy votes?  NO.  Per the District Bylaws, proxy voting is not allowed.
  • Is there a registration deadline for delegates?  YES.  As per the Georgia District Policy Manual, "Voting Delegates at District Conventions- All voting delegates must be registered at the Convention by 6:00 PM on Friday night."  
  • Is There any special requirement on my club?  Yes.  For the delegates for any club to be seated and allowed to vote, the local club must be current on District and National dues.
  • Must we send in our list of delegates to the District Convention in advance?  Yes.  The Club's Secretary shall give written notification of the delegates to be received by the District Secretary (Betty Lindsey, 1292 Hubbard Road, Columbus, GA 31904) 30 days prior to the Convention. Delegate forms have been emailed to each club.   
  • Is there a procedure for running for District office?  Yes. Please click: Rules For Nomination   
VFR
Welcome To Georgia's Newest
Volunteer Field Representatives 

Barney Knighton
Rollin Middlebrooks
The Georgia District welcomes two new VFRs back from intensive training by our National Exchange staff the first week in April.  Former District Presidents Barney Knighton (Albany) and Rollin Middlebrooks (Macon) are now in place with our current VFR Bill Bailey (Hapeville) to help Exchange Clubs, not only in the Georgia District, with club building and membership training.

VFRs are available to you, but YOU HAVE TO REQUEST THEIR HELP. Contact information may be found in the Georgia District Directory on the 
dues
Delegates To Vote On District Dues Increase

Delegates at the Georgia District Convention will be asked to make a modest increase in District Dues.  When discussing the District's finances at the last District Board meeting, Treasurer Bryan Shealy proposed the $0.60 increase citing this would be the first increase in District dues since 2001.  Shealy also proposed a number of cost cutting budget changes to the Board that will take effect with the new year starting July 1. To read the official notice of the Proposed Amendment No. One to Article XI - Revenue, please click below:
To Register For the Georgia District Convention, click below:
officers
Deadline For District Officer
Nominations Around The Corner

Nominations for a District Office must be in the hands Immediate Past District President Barney Knighton, chair of the District Nominating Committee, or District Secretary Betty Lindsey by May 1

The following are the regulations to run for office from the Bylaws:
  • To serve as a District President or President-Elect you must have served a full term as a President of a local club.
  • To serve as any other Officer or District Director, you must have served as an Officer (President, Vice-President or President-Elect, Secretary, or Treasurer) of your local club for at least a full term.
  • You must submit in writing to either the Chair of the Nominating Committee or the District Secretary a letter identifying yourself and the office you intend to run for, and this is to be accompanied by a letter from your local club that identifies you, that you are a member in good standing, you have completed a full year as an Officer of your local club, and you have the support of your local club to run for this office.  This must be delivered no later than 30 days prior to the annual convention.  That makes the deadline May 1 this year.
  • If you are a current District office holder and wish to run for another office, in addition to submitting your notice and the letter from your club, you must submit a letter of resignation to the District Board of Directors for action at its pre-convention meeting. The resignation must be accepted and shall take effect when his/her successor is installed.
Delegates this year will elect a President-Elect, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.  In addition, the position of District Director for the following Divisions will be up for election:
  • Division One - Cartersville/Bartown, Cedartown, Rome, Rossville
  • Division Three - Griffin, Hapeville, Jackson
  • Division Five - Augusta, Columbia County, South Augusta, Waynesboro
  • Division Seven - Cook County, Thomasville, Valdosta
  • Division Nine - Alma, Douglas, Excel Club of Bacon County
Nothing above shall be construed as limiting the right to make further nominations from the floor of the annual convention, except anyone nominated from the floor must be registered and in attendance at the convention as a delegate by 6 PM on Friday.  

training
District Directors:  It is Your Responsibility To 
Train Your Division Club Officers?

In National's guide for local club officers, Leading A Successful Club, they are told, "District leaders coordinate training and educational activities for club officers, and assist them in setting goals and meeting standards. To cover this cost, each Exchange Club pays the district, for each of its members, the amount of dues provided for in the District Bylaws."

This training is supposed to be completed prior to the new officers taking office.  If you need help in structuring this training or conducting it, ask one of our VFRs for help.

newsletter
Looking For Local Club News?
georgiaexchange.org

Did YOU know that when we publish your local club news on our website, search engines pick it up so when the public searches your club name is shows up?

It's on the right side of the District site page. Don't see anything about YOUR club...it's because your are not sending it to the District as it happens.Pictures and news submitted to [email protected] are immediately posted to the website and our District Facebook page.  If we don't know about it, we can tell the world about your club. Soooo...what are you going to do about it local leaders?
allamerican
It's New To District Awards...
The All American Volunteer Award

What is it?  The All-American Volunteer of the Year award acknowledges and recognizes Exchangites who work hard at the club level. Many Exchangites contribute much time and energy at the club level and deserve national recognition. They are the backbone of our organization - they are our All-American Volunteers.

Honor that person from your club to the District competition and they may move on to the National Exchange All American Volunteer Award winner.  See the application in the Georgia Awards Book.
Awards
DISTRICT Awards Deadline Coming Up
Is YOUR Club Ready To Submit???

REMEMBER, the two award programs are not the same and your club should enter BOTH.  Download and study EACH award book so you can enter Both programs.

Click On Above To Download
National Awards Book
Click On Above To Download

In most categories you will be competing against clubs of your own size so your chances of winning are as great as any other club.

Attention Secretaries and Awards Chairs:  Please make sure you attach a CONFIRMATION RECEIPT from National Exchange for each and every award that you want considered for a Georgia District Award.  Without that confirmation receipt, your submission will be ruled ineligible.

If you have questions, contact Georgia Awards Chair Hazel Hendrix: [email protected]
Turn

We Can Turn It Around
Show YOUR Leadership And Recruit 
Just One New Member
Have YOU Sponsored A New Member?
Do You Have The Pin?
"It is our responsibility to grow Exchange.  You accepted this responsibility when you accepted your office in our organization."
National President Elizabeth Grantham addressing the Exchange Mid-Year meeting in Jacksonville

Are YOU Leading By Example?
These District Officers Are...
3 New Members

Lonann Sweat
(Alma)
District Director
1 New Member
Fussell Hughes
(Albany)
District Vice President
1 New Member
Bryan Shealy
(Rome)
District Treasurer
2 New Members
Mike Elliott
(Rome)
District Director
 1 New Member
Rollin Middlebrooks
(Macon)
District Director
1 New Member
Barney Knighton
(Albany)
Immed. Past President

1 New Member
Mittie Vaughn
(Blackshear)
District Vice President
1 New Member
Sidney Blanton
(Valdosta)
Pres-Elect

We Would Love To Add You To The List
convention
Valdosta wlogo
June 1-3, 2017
James H. Rainwater Conference Center
Make Both Convention AND Hotel Registration NOW Online!

DEADLINE Is May 1


(Please note we have special arrangements with the hotel for a rate of $109 per night which will go away after May 1 and you may end up having to pay their regular rate.) 
Treasurers
Local Club Treasurers...Dues Billing Information
The Georgia District bills quarterly based on the copy of the dues billing sent to you by National.  These are the only membership numbers we can use in determining how much you owe in District dues.

Be sure to make you changes via the website to National before the end of the quarterly billing period so their records will reflect your current membership.  Don't use the cards and the mail.  

District Directorsplease make this clear to each of your local clubs.
NSA
WELCOME To The List 

New National Service Award Winners  

Albany
Rome
Cedartown
Columbus
Hapeville
Brantley Co.
Macon
Valdosta
Four County
Waycross
Dublin
Tifton
 

If you need Programs of Service project suggestions to push you over the top, talk to your District Directors.  District Director Contact Info

IF YOUR CLUB HAS COMPLETED PROJECTS AND THEY ARE NOT YET TURNED IN TO NATIONAL...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Twitter
The District Needs A Social Media Wiz





Are you good on Facebook and Twitter?  Can you help the District put the good word out via social media?  Let's Talk!  Click on the link below with your contact information and we will be right back in touch.
currents
Did YOU Read The Latest
Currents?

Currents is the publication for Exchange Leadership, YOU folks, published by our National Exchange Staff.  Just click on the picture of Currents for the April issue.
The Georgia Exchangite | 706-252-4690