Club_Officers_Handbook_2016

Ruritan Community Service Committees Ruritan clubs work to improve their communities through

five Community Service Committees. Ruritan National provides “Community Service Guides” for each of the individual com- mittees to help the committees in their work. Each guide is prefaced with the purpose of the committee along with the following information and procedures: 1. The committee should meet as soon as possible after appointment to study the current and future needs of the com- munity as they relate to the purpose of this committee. At this time, the new committee should review the plans, work, and reports of last year’s committee. 2. The committee will propose projects for the current year to the Objectives Committee. 3. The estimated cost of meeting these objectives will then be presented to the Finance Committee. 4. The chairs of each committee, as members of the Objec- tives Committee, will meet prior to the January club meeting to review all proposed committee projects. The Objectives Committee will then select and schedule projects to be rec- ommended to the club. 5. At the January meeting, the club will consider the propos- als of the Objectives Committee and approve projects for the current year. 6. The chair will list approved projects and activities in the community service guide. 7. As the work of the committee progresses, a written record will be kept by the chair who will make periodic progress reports to the vice president. 8. At the completion of each project, the committee should meet to evaluate its work and summarize projects on page 4 of the community service guide. 9. In September, the information on page 4 of the guides will be made available to the vice president, president, and secre- tary for use in writing the community service reports. 10. After October 1, the committees should continue to function and place special emphasis on uncompleted and continuing projects. These projects will be reported the fol- lowing year. 11. At the end of the year, the records of the committee should be turned over to the incoming vice president. 12. Projects can be short or long range and do not necessar- ily have to be completed in one year. The changing needs of your community should be deter- mined by your club through observation and periodic surveys. These needs will determine which projects are adopted by your committee and club members. The following pages offer a brief description of each of the five community service committees. Suggested community service projects are listed, as well as a section called “Look at Your Community.” By asking (and answering) the questions in this section, committee members can brainstorm ideas for com- munity service projects.

Club

Business and Professions Commitee

Citizenship & Patriotism Committee

Environment Committee

Social Development Committee

Public

Services

Committee

Objectives Committee The chairs of the five Community Service Committees shall make up the Objectives Committee. The chair of the Objectives committee will be the club’s vice president. The chair of each Community Service Committee should bring projects proposed by the five Community Service Com- mittees to the Objectives Committee. This committee shall coordinate the projects and activities of the various Community Service Committees and make recom- mendations to the club’s board of directors. At the January club meeting, the Objectives Committee will present tentative proposals to the club’s membership for approv- al. The Objectives Committee should also check the progress of approved community service projects during the year and encourage these projects to be carried on to the following year for completion, if necessary.

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Revised 8/2016