2013 Fraternal Reference Guide

2013 Lodge Incentive Program Fraternal Reference Guide

Insuring and Enriching Lives

FRATERNAL REFERENCE GUIDE FOR LODGE FAC Being the lodge Fraternal Activities Coordinator (FAC) is an important job. You are to keep and maintain an accurate record of lodge activities; to provide direction in organizing and carrying out lodge fraternal support and community service activities; assist in promoting your lodge through the Vestnik and local media; work with your fellow lodge officers to set goals and be a leader.

This reference guide is to be used by local lodge FAC’s to learn what is expected of this position and to record their lodges fraternal support and community service activities.

These activities should be recorded onto the Fraternal Incentive Report carbonless copy form: pink carbonless copy due July 12, 2013; white carbonless copy due January 10, 2014 and the lodge keeps the yellow copy for the files. Year-End Fraternal Support & Community Service Report due January 10, 2014. The need for the separate forms is explained below.

The SPJST offers a lodge incentive program each year in which our lodges are given insurance sales and fraternal activity goals to meet. As lodge FAC, you are to help your lodge to attain a variety of fraternal activities. As lodge FAC, you are to record your progress towards your fraternal incentive goals on the carbonless form titled, Fraternal Incentive Report. Place the number of events in the appropriate categories. Refer to page 5 and 6 for suggestions. The SPJST Home Office requests that you report your lodge’s progress at mid-year and then again for the whole year by sending these reports to the Home Office before the due date. At the end of the calendar year, if your lodge’s sales AND fraternal goals are met, an incentive award is presented to your lodge at the Annual Awards Banquet. There are additional incentives available for lodges and sales representatives.

See the Home Office Insurance Department for further details.

The SPJST is a non-profit organization [501 (c) (8)] and maintains this status as defined by the Texas Insurance Code for fraternal benefit societies: Article 10.01 Fraternal Benefit Societies. Any corporation, society, order or voluntary association without capital stock, organized and carried on solely for the mutual benefit of its members and their beneficiaries, and not for profit, and having a lodge system and representative form of government, and which shall make provision for the payment of benefits in accordance with Article 10.05 is hereby declared to be a fraternal benefit society.

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The SPJST must report to the American Fraternal Alliance (AFA) on our local lodge’s fraternal support and community service activities. The AFA works on a national and state level to promote the general welfare of the fraternal benefit system. As lodge FAC, you are to record your lodge’s activities on the form titled, Year-End Fraternal Support & Community Service Report. This report is different from the SPJST Fraternal Incentive Program in that the AFA wants a record of the total number of all activities (fraternal support and community service), hours, volunteers, related expenses and disbursements.

As lodge FAC, you may already have an accurate way of keeping track of your lodge’s activities. If you are new to the position, or would now like a standardized form to assist you with this task, we have included a “tracker” – two for FRATERNAL SUPPORT and two for COMMUNITY SERVICE activities. This should make it easier to keep track of and report your lodge’s activities. See attachments INCLUDED: (1) Fraternal Incentive Program Rules and Regulations; p.7 (1) Fraternal Incentive Program Award Chart; p.8 (1) Reports / Events – Due Date & Checklist Chart; p.9 (1) Fraternal Incentive Report (carbonless copy); attached This carbonless form is used in conjunction with your annual sales numbers to determine your lodge incentives. 25 Fraternal Activities and 12 Categories completed are needed to attain maximum reward at year’s end. Note: Under the 501 c (8) code, the first three (3) questions on this form must be followed and answered whether or not the lodge participates in the incentive program. Your lodge must hold a minimum of 12 regular lodge meetings, or a minimum of 4 quarterly meetings, depending on your approved meeting schedule. Your lodge must also complete and return all necessary forms and paperwork to the SPJST Home Office by the requested deadlines. Your lodge must mail articles, pictures, letters, etc. to the Vestnik every month for 12 consecutive months in order to count.

(1) Year-End Fraternal Support & Community Service Report; attached This form is used to record the TOTAL number of lodge activities, hours, volunteers, and expenses that are related to both Fraternal Support and Community Service activities.

The information you report on this form is then forwarded to the (AFA) and is vital to your lodge, and the SPJST, for maintaining its tax-exempt status.

2 INCLUDED CONTINUED:

(2) Fraternal Support Tracker; attached (2) Community Service Tracker; attached These two forms will assist you in the daily and monthly tracking of your lodge activities.

Feel free to make copies of these forms! There is no need to turn these sheets into the Home Office. Record the year-end totals onto the attached form in appropriate spaces.

To assist you with how to record your activities or what qualifies as a fraternal support or community service activity, event, group, hour, expense, disbursement, we have listed these terms below, as they are defined by the AFA. Fraternal Support – An activity of the local lodge members that supports or is sponsored by the Society or one of its local lodges for social, educational, religious, cultural, recreational or fraternal purposes. This would include activities that involve member participation necessary to maintain the local lodge as an organizational unit; activities that are undertaken for the personal development of members that advance one of the purposes of the Society or to build fellowship and fraternalism among its members.

Community Service – Activities of local lodge members on behalf of the Society which assists needy individuals or improves the community at large, such as Join Hands Day; blood drives; Habitat for Humanity donations; food and clothing collections; nursing home visits; Arbor Day tree plantings; recycling drives, etc.

Event/Activity – Functions or gatherings of two or more local lodge members that conducts the business of the local lodge, advances the purposes of the Society, promotes fellowship, or assists in the personal development of local lodge members. If an activity meets the definitions of both fraternal support AND community service, record the event as both fraternal support AND community service. See attached

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Hours (fraternal support) - Rounding off to whole numbers, the time (hours) contributed by local lodge members to lodge functions and activities devoted to the business and affairs of the local lodge. Hours (community service) – Rounding off to whole numbers, the time (hours) contributed to community service projects by volunteers who are local lodge members or others who work on projects that are directly sponsored by local lodge. The community service project must be organized, sponsored, or under the auspices of the Society or one of its local lodges which benefits or assists the needy or the community at large. Estimate all hours based on the time actually spent by members attending, organizing, planning, or working at or on activities. Be sure to include hours spent in preparation and travel time. Do not report any hours of personnel who are paid for their work. If an activity has features of both fraternal support AND community service, and the time devoted to each can be separately identified, record the actual hours separately. If the hours involved CANNOT be separately identified, record the total hours as both fraternal support AND community service. See attached Expenses (fraternal support) - Using whole numbers, the total dollars spent to maintain and operate the lodge, carry out lodge activities or conduct fraternal events. Be sure to include costs that are necessary to maintain and operate the local lodge as organizational unit. This includes, but is not limited to, hall rent, postage, utilities, insurance, office supplies, food and beverage, decorations, reimbursements, etc.

Disbursements (community service) – Using whole numbers, the total dollars spent by the local lodge to assist the needy or to improve the community at large. Be sure to include all monies disbursed by the local lodge for these purposes, including funds disbursed as a result of local lodge fundraising activities. Do not include direct contributions of lodge members in their private capacities and do not include disbursements from the Supreme Lodge or Home Office towards your lodge totals.

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Fraternal Incentive Program Listed next are the16 fraternal support and community service categories for the Fraternal Incentive Program 2013, along with some suggestions for each category. You are not limited by the suggestions under each category. Use this as a guideline for mid-year and year-end reporting and for new ideas for your lodge.

Categories and Suggestions (see attached carbonless form) 1. HELD MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY LODGE MEETINGS: Every lodge is required to hold regular meetings to discuss lodge business with their members. Holding regular meetings qualifies as one fraternal act.

2. RETURNED ALL REQUESTED PAPERWORK ON TIME BY THE DUE DATE: Every lodge is required to send in all requested paperwork that is needed from the lodge.

This includes 990; 990-T’s; lodge roster due annually; mid-year fraternal incentive report; year-end fraternal incentive report; and fraternal support / community services report.

Turning in all of your paperwork qualifies as one fraternal act.

3. HAVE LETTERS/PHOTOS EVERY MONTH IN THE VESTNIK: Every lodge is required to send in any type of information to the Vestnik every month for all 12 months in order to count. You may send in more than one a month. This includes letters of upcoming events and past events, photos and Lodge minute letters from a meeting, etc. qualifies as one fraternal act. For more information about what to send in and for deadlines, please contact Vestnik Editor Melanie Zavodny.

Note: The above three categories are considered mandatory and qualify as three separate fraternal activities.

4. SPJST YOUTH ACTIVITY SPONSORED BY LODGE: Fund a youth swimming party; host a party for youth members; fund a youth outing or social; host a youth sports event or tournament; host a graduation dinner; sponsor a camping or fishing trip; fund a youth skating party.

5. FRATERNAL / RITUAL ACTIVITIES: Annual initiation and welcoming of new members; presentation of 50 or 75 year membership pins or Every Day Hero pins; outgoing lodge officer plaque presentations; swearing-in new officers, etc. (may be done in conjunction with your regular lodge meeting) 6. SOCIAL EVENTS / MEMBERSHIP DRIVES: Picnics; holiday parties; special dinners for mothers’ or fathers’ day; senior citizen’s social or luncheon; hold membership drives or prospective member socials; host a men’s/women’s night out; casino night.

7. CHARITABLE FUNDRAISERS / COMMUNITY EVENTS / DONATIONS: Host a fundraiser for, or make a donation to, a local community project; hold a fundraiser for, or make a donation to, a charity such as the Ronald McDonald House; hold a fundraiser for lodge needs or improvements; hold a fundraiser for a lodge member or family in need.

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8. CZECH HERITAGE / CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: Sponsor a Czech heritage event or subsidize a Czech dance group; participate in community events or festivals such as Westfest, Czech Feszt, Kolache, polka, or sausage fests; sponsor a Czech display at a local public library or community hall; hold Czech language classes (minimum of 5 students); host a Czech heritage day or festival; any function or event that promotes the Czech-Slovak heritage.

9. GROUP VOLUNTEER WORK (2 or more persons): Sponsor a local blood or food drive; volunteer for a local telethon or fundraiser; make visits to assisted-living centers; pack holiday food baskets for the needy; participate in a Toys for Tots or Santa Pal program.

NOTE: This is the most wide-open category so use your imagination!

10. LODGE SPONSORED SPORTS / TEAMS: Sponsor local baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, bowling teams, etc; participate as a lodge in SPJST state games/tourneys; hold contests, games, or tournaments at your district fall meetings; sponsor a lodge team in district or state-level tournament.

11. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS / SPEAKERS: Host a speaker at your lodge meeting including a Supreme Lodge Officer or Home Office representative; showcase speakers promoting family togetherness, cultural awareness, genealogical research, etc; financial planners/advisors; host seminars or classes on crafting, building, gardening, cooking, etc.

12. JOIN HANDS DAY*: It is a day when young people and adults connect as equal partners in planning an activity that fixes or improves a local problem and affirms the values of caring and working together.

The SPJST supports this initiative and wants to help our lodges get involved on this special day!

13. PATRIOTIC / CIVIC EVENT OR COLLECTION DRIVES: Scholarship award ceremonies; Valentine’s for Vets or other Veterans’ programs/socials; Memorial Day or Veterans’ Day program; publicly-held Flag Day Ceremony; conduct an ongoing collection drive to benefit a charity such as MADD, Dollars for Diabetes, SPJST Scholarship Fund, etc.

14. COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES (Sunshine/Greeting/Resolution, etc): Send welcome cards to new members; phone new members and invite them to your next function; send get-well to the ill; sympathy cards/flowers to funerals; welcome members to events.

15. GROUP VISIT / HOSTING A GROUP: If another Lodge is hosting, or is a part of, a community event, we encourage you to attend and introduce yourselves as SPJST members from Lodge ?; attend District and/or State events; have your Lodge host a District or State event.

16. GROUP ARTS INVOLVEMENT (2 or more persons): Have a group attend a play, movie or musical performance; visit a museum or local arts display or exhibit; put on or produce a play or comedy skit. *Additional incentives apply

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Fraternal Incentive Program Rules and Regulations 1. It is suggested that a portion of your lodge’s incentive award money be spent on a “thank you” event, or other activity, for all lodge members. Lodges are encouraged to provide members with a family day or similar activity.

2. Any particular event can fulfill only one fraternal incentive category. In other words, if you hold a holiday party for your youth members, it can be considered a social activity or a youth activity, but not both. Or, if you award 50 year pins at your annual Christmas party, that would be fraternal/ritual event or a social activity, but not both.

3. You cannot combine two events at the same time and count them as separate events, but you can hold a fraternal/ritualistic (or any other event) in conjunction with your meeting and have it count as two separate events.

4. All fraternal support or community service activities, including group volunteer work, specific internal projects, and civic, patriotic, or ecological projects must be done on behalf of the lodge or Society in order to qualify and be counted towards your fraternal goals.

5. You must verify all listed lodge meetings, events, and activities of the lodge, by having a local lodge officer’s signature on the reporting forms. If requested, verifications may include copies of the lodge minutes, donation acknowledgment letters, notices, and articles in the local news media or in the Vestnik.

6. The local lodge FAC or appropriate lodge officer is responsible for tracking and reporting the lodge’s activities to its lodge members, and to the State Fraternal Activities Coordinator (SFAC). The lodge president and lodge FAC shall verify and sign all reports. See your lodge secretary or treasurer for a total of lodge expenses and disbursements.

7. It is suggested that each lodge set fraternal goals and report on the progress towards these goal to its membership monthly or quarterly. The lodge FAC should also keep the membership informed of the acquisition of new members.

8. It is stated by the American Fraternal Alliance that a group is made up of 2 or more people, in order for an event to be counted.

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Fraternal Incentive Program “Friendship 2013”

Level Achieved

Super Achiever Diamond Ruby Emerald Century Sapphire Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Honorable Mention First Step

Number of New Members Needed

Number of Fraternal Activities Needed

Number of Categories Competed

200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 20 15 12 6

25 23 21 20 17 15 13 10 9 7 5 4

12 11 10 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 5 4

Money Awarded

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

8,000 + 7,000 + 6,000 + 5,000 + 4,000 + 3,000 + 2,000 + 1,000 + 800 + 600 + 480 + 240 +

The “+” refers to additional award incentives that are available.

For more information, contact the Home Office Insurance Department at 1-800-727-7578.

Changes (applies from now on): 1. For newly chartered lodges, lodge incentive award will be prorated from the date of the Lodge’s Organizational Meeting. The lodge must also meet the Fraternal Acts of the respective incentive level.

2. During its first five years of existence, any new lodge that receives an award greater than $2,000, the excess amount will be deposited into the Lodge Management Fund. The lodge can access the funds at any time with two lodge officers’ signatures and approval of the Supreme Lodge President and Vice President.

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FORMS / DEADLINE CHECKLIST FOR 2013 MONTH

DATE

FORM Every Day Hero Forms Due

DUE Year round

Contact Vestnik

Lodge Annual Events for Vestnik and Calendar

Year round

March and April

Lifetime Achiever Award given at District Spring Meetings are Due

2 weeks before district spring meeting

New Officers – Address & Phone Listing

01/01/13

January

1

January

12

January

11

February

2

February

9

February

15

March

2

State Straight Domino Tournament @ Lodge 47, Seaton

02/25/13

March

31

End of 100 Pennies Scholarship Drive

03/31/13

April

6

May

15

May

18

State Horseshoe Tournament @ Lions Park in Temple

05/13/13

July

12

Fraternal Incentive Report (Mid–Year is pink carbonless copy)

07/12/13

October

1

December

13

State Progressive 42 Domino Tournament @ Lodge 6, Cottonwood Fraternal Incentive Report (Year–End is white carbonless copy) and Year–End Fraternal Support & Community Services Report State Tarok Tournament @ Lodge 92, Fort Worth Fraternal Bowling Tournament Hosted by Fraternal Organizations in New Braunfels Outgoing Officer Award given at Lodge Meetings are Due

State 42 Domino Tournament @ Lodge 48, Beyersville “990 and 990-T’s” to IRS & Copy to Home Office

100 Pennies Scholarship Drive Begins Fraternalist of the Year Forms Due

SENT

01/07/13

01/11/13

01/28/13 01/28/13 02/15/13

04/01/13 05/15/13

03/31/14 12/13/13

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