By Jack Wilson
As president of your Foundation it is my pleasure and responsibility to keep you informed as to the activities of Your Foundation. In order to accomplish this I will have a summery of each Board meeting published in the Kiwanian following our meetings.
The following are the first minutes to be published in keeping with this pledge.
I ask that you discuss the content of these minutes as we, your Board, will be spending your donations on various projects and We need your input to know that we are doing what you intend be done with these funds.
At times there will be discussions of proposals that may or may not be adopted. This is the case for the Children's Specialized Hospital Project. This is something being explored and to be discussed in detail at your clubs. I hope to have a full presentation at the Mid Winter as to this project and its proposed future.
A summary of notes taken at the Foundation meeting:
President Jack Wilson called the meeting to order at 6:50 P.M. Attending the meeting were Steve Gallo, John Green, Sue Philpot, Ed Hutchinson, Pat George, Yvette Janvier, Gwen Walding, Jean Hagen, Tom Tolly, Mary Wilson.
John Green gave his presentation on the work that is being done to help eliminate Iodine deficiency in Tuva, Siberia. The 10 minute presentation was very informative to those who had not seen it before. (This is available to clubs as a program for your meetings.)
Steve Gallo presented his last report as treasurer and will turn the books over to John Green, incoming treasurer. He voiced some concerns over checks that were issued but never cleared recommending we void the checks and reissue them. There is an old foundation account still out there that should be closed and the money put in a new account. Sue asked about checks that were sent but do not seem to be accounted for. Both she and Steve will check on this. We have not had an audit in 3 yrs. IRS doesn't require an audit but Kiwanis by-laws do. Jack will talk to Steve Nagel about audit.
Tom Tolly gave a report on the Kiwanis Youth Leadership Training Conference listing the clubs that sent students to the conference. A suggestion was made that we develop a slide program explaining KYLTC for the clubs to be shown at the Midwinter conference. It was also suggested that we develop banner patches to present to sponsoring clubs. We need more cooperation from Lt. Gov. and club Presidents to promote the conference. We also need to find ways to cut down on the cost for a child attending this program.
Jack and Yvette met with Philip Solarno the Executive Director of Children's Specialized Hospital to discuss a possible partnership with the NJ District Foundation for a commitment to raise funds for the new Specialized Hospital to be built in New Brunswick. It will help uninsured and underinsured children from all over the state of New Jersey.
The commitment being considered is $500,000 with half going for bricks and mortar and the remainder for an endowment program.
Discussion and comments provided several good ideas to get this project out to all NJ Kiwanis clubs and beyond to corporations and other organizations. A good PR program is needed. Comments on the accounting procedure and the mechanism to disburse the funds if the project is adopted by the membership were discussed.
This offers a unique situation; the Hospital has a foundation and a game of chance license for raffles and fundraising projects. In a partnership with the Hospital we would be able to use that license and only be required to get the municipality permit. That would save time and effort on our part. The hospital can help sell tickets with all funds being deposited into separate accounts opened specifically for this project. The 50/50 proceeds would be divided (50%) to the winner and 50% (less cost of operations) divided evenly to building fund and to the child care endowment. KI may be another source of grant money to help us if this project is adopted.
Jack Wilson will have a draft of a working document for our next board meeting and e-mail it to all the Board members prior to so we may go over it. It is hoped that a proposal can be made to the membership at the Mid Winter Conference and be an item on the House of Delegates agenda at the Wildwood Convention.
Jack received correspondence from Lee Iacocca Diabetes Testing Campaign. We will support Governor Bob's diabetes project rather than getting involved in this project.
Correspondence from a Kiosks fundraising project was discussed and found to be unacceptable to the members.
Jean Hagen presented a report on KI’s new Key Leader program, which would replace HOBY and take in high school students or a student just graduated from eighth grade. The student does not have to be a Key Club member but would be open to all possible leader type kids. Jean is the District chair for the project. She will ask each club to budget for one child and she will go out to each Lt. Gov and ask them to help with her project.
We received a grant request from COSAC for their convention in May. A motion to sponsor the conference ($5000) in May 2005 in Atlantic City passed.
A motion to reprint the Autism brochure ($127) was carried.
There is still about $1,800.00 left in the autism account. The money will be held over for the next meeting for disbursement.
A motion requiring one signature on checks for less than $1000 and two signatures for checks greater than $1000 was passed. A motion to change the checking account mailing address to John Green's address was approved.
Meeting adjourned at 8:50 P.M.
