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| ANNUAL
HOLIDAY PARTY |
 12/26/1826 - Erie Canal Opened (seemed to have gotten date wrong) |
| DECEMBER PROGRAM NOTES HOLIDAY PARTY The December meeting is traditionally our Annual Holiday
Party. We invite everyone, whether members or not, to come and join us
for food and fellowship plus a little business. COVNA will provide the
food and beverages, we just ask you to bring lots of Holiday Cheer. Potluck
dishes and homemade desserts are always welcome. I know we have a lot
of good cooks in the neighborhood. |
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2010 MEMBERSHIP It is time to show your support for the Castlewood—Oak
Valley Neighborhood Association. A membership form is on the inside
of the hard copy newsletter. You can print a membership form by clicking
here. According to the by-laws, dues
shall be payable at or before the second meeting of each calendar
year.
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| To
join the COVNA Email List, click below and Find out the latest neighborhood news and
developments. |
2009 MEETING SCHEDULE
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Advertise in the COVNA Newsletter Only $10.00/month. Reaches over 400 homes & Online at COVNA.org Email Hal Ferguson at: hferguson3@yahoo.com |
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OFFICER
SLATE
Mark Tilley, who has filled the vacancy left by Dominic Chavez, is willing to continue to serve as Preisdent. Dan Anderson is willing to serve another term as Secretary and Doug Tabony is willing to continue as Newsletter Editor. Please come to the Christmas Party and vote for this slate, nominate a willing person, or throw your own hat in the ring. Keep in mind that the position of Vice President remains open. Please consider volunteering to fill this position. |
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| CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK The holiday season is a time that thoughts turn to
feeding the needy. During these tough financial times the need is even
greater and those of us who are doing well can make an impact by donating
to charities such as the Capital Area Food Bank now and all year. |
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| CHOOSING
A CHARITY
Taken from http://personalbudgeting.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_choose_a_charity (Editor's note: The article below is for those who are willing to go to great lengths to investigate the charities they donate to. You, like me, receive many phone calls asking for donations to various charities. The only investigation that I do is ask what percentage of my donation goes to the program. If it's below about 75% or the fundraiser can't answer my question I don't give anything to that charity. Some charities receive only 10% or less of what the fundraisers accrue.) To choose a charity you need to decide what type of cause you want
to contribute to, if the charity uses financial resources responsibly
and how you want to make donations. Type of charity: Are you concerned about the environment, disease research, poverty, education or some other issue? Choose a charity that performs a service you feel passionate about. Local charity or international: Do you want to contribute
locally to a church, shelter or school? Or would you prefer to reach
out to impoverished nations abroad by contributing to humanitarian
aid or sponsoring a child? Gifts of cash or time: Are you willing to donate money, volunteer your time, or both? * To volunteer time, contact the charity to find out what their
volunteer needs are and find a way to stay involved on a regular basis. Charitable trusts: A charitable trust reduces your estate tax while providing an asset to charity. Noncash donations: Call the charity to find out
if they take donations of clothing, office equipment, packaged food,
garden produce, or other items. To evaluate a charity's distribution of funds and finances, get the following details either via mail or the charity's web site: Annual report: The charity should have an annual report in print and/or on the charity's web site. * Check the report to determine if the charity's mission statement
is focused and if the charity is succeeding in meeting defined goals. Form 990: Nonprofit organizations taking in more than $25,000 annually must file Form 990 with the IRS. Open to public inspection, Form 990 gives a breakdown of revenue, expenses and service accomplishments. Ask to see Form 990 and analyze it to ensure you are comfortable with the charity's operations. The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York provides an excellent tutorial for analyzing Form 990. Independent auditing: Find out if the charity is audited yearly by a reputable accounting firm and ask for the latest report from an independent certified public accountant. Check charity ratings: * Give.org, which is affiliated with
the Better Business Bureau, offers an online National Charity Reports
Index. |
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