‹2007-8 District Governor Jackie Morgan "congratulates" Jackson, a dog in training with The Assistant Dogs of the West. On February 28, 2008, Assistance dogs of the West received proceeds from the Good News Basket donations to assist this valuable organization.

STATEMENT OF POLICY – GOOD NEWS BASKET

ROTARY CLUB OF SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
CLUB #1322

WHAT IS THE GOOD NEWS BASKET?

The Good News basket is a weekly program event by which the fellowship and good fortunes of Rotarians are shared with all other members of the club.

 At each Club meeting, time is set aside to pass the ‘basket’ at which time, club members stand and tell about some good news in their life during the past week or make an announcement about club or community activities.

The members of the Club donate the amount of money they deem appropriate in exchange for the opportunity to make these Good news announcements.  

It is also customary for members to contribute to the basket at the time of their birthday or anniversary, usually in a dollar amount equivalent to the birthday or anniversary year.

The Good News Basket assists those non-profits in the community of Santa Fe and surrounding counties in Northern New Mexico, and must be associated with a current Rotary Club member. 

Political announcements and joke telling are not allowed.

THE GOOD NEWS BASKET COMMITTEE

In April/May, the GNB Committee Chair for the upcoming year chooses 8-10 people from the club membership to be on the Good News Basket Committee.

How are the beneficiaries of the good news basket chosen?

1. Once a year, in May, the Good News Basket Chairperson announces to the club membership a call for proposals from non-profits. These proposals are one page letters from the non-profit stating their mission and/or a special project for which they require funding. Each proposal is to be sponsored by at least one club member. This establishes a club relationship with the non-profit to be benefiting from the GNB.

1. The proposals are received, copied and distributed for review to the GNB committee members. Along with the proposals, a priority rating sheet is distributed to assist in the review of the proposal. Proposals are rated on a 1-3 scale of priority by each member of the committee.

1. A meeting of the GNB committee is called in early June. At this meeting the rating sheets are tallied and discussion follows with a voting procedure until 8 organizations are chosen for funding along with 2 alternate organizations.

1. If a member of the GNB is on the board of an organization  or has sponsored a proposal for an organization that is being reviewed, that member of the committee recuses him or herself from the final decision on that specific organization.

• The list of organizations chosen to receive the GNB grants is then submitted to the Club Board of Directors for final approval.

NOTIFICATION OF GOOD NEWS BASKET GRANTS

After board approval the GNB Chair will notify by letter all organizations who submitted a proposal regarding results of the review.

Those organizations who will be awarded a GNB grant receive the grant in the order chosen by the committee, generally alphabetical.

Each organization is invited by the GNB Chair to send a representative to a Club meeting during the time the GNB is designated to that organization. The Rotarian who sponsored the organization is responsible for that non-profit representative’s lunch.

When the $1,000 has been collected, the organization is again contacted by the GNB Chair to come to the meeting as the guest of the sponsor, and receive the check.

FUNDING OF THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SPONSORED BY THE GOOD NEWS BASKET 

Each of the non-profit organizations receive a minimum amount of money from the GNB – a $1,000 grant.

The GNB for the month of December is donated to the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Empty Stocking Fund.

ACCOUNTING OF THE GOOD NEWS BASKET MONIES

An accounting of the monies collected in the GNB is to be reported weekly to the GNB Chair. This enables the Chair to notify the awarding organization when the monies are available and invite a representative to come and receive the check.

2007-2008 Good News Basket Recipients

July                 The Rotary Club of Santa Fe Foundation

August               Immunization Coalition

September           Santa Fe Public Schools Adelante Program

October                Assistance Dogs of the West

November           Breakthrough Santa Fe

December           Empty Stocking Fund

January                La Familia Medical Center

February              Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe

March                  New Mexico School for the Deaf

April                     New Mexico Suicide Intervention Project

May                      Project Access

June                     Coming Home Connection

July 2006- June 2007 Good News Basket Recipients:

Southwest C.A.R.E. Center
Court Appointed Special Advocates, First Judicial Court
The Food Depot
La Familia Medical Center
Santa Fe Desert Chorale Children's Chorus
Reading Counts, The Children's Museum
Cancer Institute of New Mexico Foundation
Santa Fe Partners in Education
Many Mothers

Dale Bullock Scholarship Fund - alternate organization to receive
funding if one drops out or if there is additional money at the end of
the year. The alternate organization last year was Open Hands who received the GNB funding at the end of the year.

• THURSDAYS
• NOON

Club #1322

Chartered 1924

Mailing address:

PO Box 2465, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2465