I. Minnesota Women of Today Mission Statement:
A. Mission:
The mission of the Minnesota
Women of Today is to help women improve their own lives and the lives of the people
in the communities around them.
II. History of Women of Today:
A. We began as a Jaycee wives’
organization in 1950 in Minnesota (Mrs. Jaycees).
B. We became an independent
organization, the Women of Today in 1985.
III. Organizational Structure:
A. United States Women of Today
1. The national organization
has 14 plus member states.
B. Minnesota Women of Today
1. We maintain a strong support
system by providing individual chapters with educational information, fundraising
ideas and membership encouragement.
2. Membership:
a. Open to all persons over the
age of 18.
b. Active chapters need ten
members.
3. State dues are $45 and
National dues are $5. Local dues are $0.
4. The State NEWSLET is sent to
all members and subscribers three times a year.
5. State conventions are held
three times a year hosted in various areas of the state.
C. District
1. Chapters throughout the
state are organized into districts to promote communication and mutual support.
2. We are part of district 7.
Chapters in our district are: Brooklyn Park, Fridley, Maple Grove, and White
Bear Lake.
3. District meetings are held
three times a year.
D. Our chapter, the New Hope
Women of Today
1. Board meetings are open to
all members in good standing. They are held on the 2nd Monday of the month.
2. General membership meetings
are open to the public. They are held on the 4th Monday of the month.
IV. Our structure
A. The local board may consist
of:
1. President - plans and runs
meetings.
2. State Delegate - keeps
chapter informed about district and state matters.
3. Programing Vice President -
supervises programming areas, which benefit the local chapter and community.
4. Membership Vice President -
supervises areas, which provide service to the individual member.
5. Secretary - records minutes of
business meetings and handles correspondence.
6. Treasurer - manages chapter
finances.
7. Parliamentarian/Past
President - promotes efficient business meetings through Robert's Rules of
Order.
B. Local Program Managers
(LPMs), under the Programing VPs, oversee areas in which the chapter
participates.
1. Internal areas benefit the
local chapter and its members. The following are the internal area, which the
state organization supports. Our local chapter participates in all of the
areas.
a. Living and Learning (LL) -
developed to encourage a member’s personal growth – mentally, spiritually, civically
and through family.
b. SUCCESS - designed to help
keep those important project records on file. Encouraged chapter history keeping
as well as completing a variety of activities each trimester.
c. Public Relations (PR) -
promotes Women of Today to the community through various media, including Facebook,
Website, Newspapers, magazines, etc.
d. NEWSLETTER - promotes good
communication in the chapter. This area typically produces a newsletter for the
chapter.
2. External
areas benefit the community. The following are the external areas which the
state organization supports. Our local chapter participates in all of the
areas.
a. Community
Connections (CC) – encourages involvement in the local
community. Also encourages support of Friendship Ventures, the
Outstanding Person with Challenges award and a community-focused area of the
SPM’s choosing.
b. Priority Area (currently Can-Do Canines for
2018-2021) – formerly Breaking Free – encourages education and support of
this foundation.
c. Women’s Wellness (WW) – focused on
providing and supporting women’s health education through traditional and
holistic medical practices.
d. Youth of Today (YT) – this area covers a wide
variety of projects that involve youth activities, education and
support. The Outstanding Young Adult scholarship program falls under
this area.
V. General Pointers for Members
A. Member
involvement:
1. Regular
attendance at general meetings is strongly encouraged.
2. Whatever your level of involvement, we are glad to
have you!
3. Do not be afraid to chair a project - maybe try
co-chairing.
B. Miscellaneous
Tips:
1. Reporting
at meetings:
a. Be
prepared - summarize!
b. Write it down for the secretary.
c. Be creative and have fun! (Use a prop, try a
skit!)
2. Bring
up new ideas at a meeting in the form of a motion. Begin with "I move
that....." and go on to state your idea.
3. Use your chapter newsletter. It is a great communication
tool.
