Frequently Asked Questions

		FAQs
		Exchange FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) Here are the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Exchange. The list will be updated on a regular basis. National Convention Q: My club secretary sent in the credential card, so I must be registered for the national convention, right? A: Your club secretary sent the necessary form to indicate that you are a voting delegate for your club. However, this form does not register you to attend the national convention. To register for the national convention, you need to complete a convention registration form (available on page 7 in this issue) to supply your personal information and register yourself for the convention and its individual events and tours. Q: My spouse is a member, so can I just list him/her on my registration form for the national convention? A: No, if your spouse is a member of an Exchange Club, he/she will need to complete a separate registration form to register for the national convention. Q: Can I just wait until I arrive in St. Louis to register for the national convention? A: It is best that you pre-register by the date listed on the form. This will save time for you when you arrive, because we can have all of your items ready and waiting for you. Also, by waiting, you run the risk of events and tours selling out, leaving you unable to attend some functions. Exchange Supplies Q: Are special order and custom products available? A: The Supply Department at the National Exchange Club can order special products not offered in the online or print catalog. We can provide you with almost any product for your special service project or fundraiser, as well as your personal or business use. We work closely with national manufacturers to provide you with top quality merchandise at reasonable prices. Send an e-mail to supply@nationalexchangeclub.org for detailed information. Q: How do I send engraving, inscription, imprinting or personalization information to you? A: You can either enter the engraving, inscription, imprinting or personalization information in the “Customer Message” area of your online order form or send an e-mail to supply@ nationalexchangeclub.org. Q: Do you charge for engraving plaques? A: We will engrave plaques for $0.30 per letter. All engraving information must be made in writing. Enter the engraving information in the “Customer Message” area of your online order or send an e-mail to supply@nationalexchangeclub.org. Engraving is not guaranteed and refunds will not be given for errors if engraving orders and information are not received in writing. Please allow two to three weeks for engraving. All engraved and other personalized items are non-returnable and non-refundable. Magazine Q: How do we submit club news for possible publication in Exchange Today? A: It’s easy! You can send submissions by e-mail to magazine@ nationalexchangeclub.org or by mail to Exchange Today, 3050 Central Avenue, Toledo, OH 43606. We rely heavily on the material submitted by clubs and districts for much of the news we publish. However, due to the large volume of material we receive, we unfortunately cannot publish every story in the magazine. Read on for additional submission guidelines. Is it news? Just ask yourself, “Would Exchangites outside my club be interested in this?” If the answer is no, then it is not likely to be appropriate for the magazine. Routine club activities, such as club elections, officer installations, and regular meeting programs do not normally qualify for Exchange Today because of their frequency and/or purely local interest. However, these may be newsworthy events locally and should be submitted to local media and your district bulletin. Be sure to send club newsletters on a regular basis to the magazine office. These help keep us informed of your club activities. However, keep in mind that club bulletins are not always a good source for magazine news items because they usually don’t contain as much detailed information as a news release. The News We Use 1. News releases detailing your recent club service projects in the areas of child abuse prevention, youth, Americanism, and community service. 2. Brief and timely news items on successful club membership drives, major club anniversaries, successful fundraisers, and humorous or unique occurrences. Due to the high volume of items we receive, it is not possible to give detailed coverage to all. 3. Feature stories on how your club or CAP center met a particular challenge or achieved unusual success. Examples include stories about community service, building membership, building clubs, solving a retention problem, unique or outstanding meeting programs, improving club committees, and unusual or highly profitable fundraisers. Feature stories differ from news stories in that they provide greater detail, explain the “how to” aspects of a project, the problems encountered and how they were solved, and allow for elements of personal writing style. 4. Stories and photos of noteworthy members. This includes Exchangites who receive community recognition outside Exchange, have a unique occupation or avocation, or who have accomplished something extraordinary. 5. General interest articles written on a wide range of topics, such as business trends or ethics, child abuse prevention, citizenship, crime prevention, family, health, motivation, overcoming personal crises or hardship, personal improvement, public speaking, and volunteerism. 6. Photographs of your club’s projects and activities. High-resolution digital images (300 dpi or higher) or color photographs, properly exposed, are preferred. All images must be sharp and have good contrast. Send prints or digital files only. If you would like your photographs returned, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Magazine Issues, Deadlines Exchange Today is published six times per year at 60-day intervals: January 15 for the January/February issue; March 15 for the March/April issue; May 15 for the May/June issue; July 15 for the July/August issue; September 15 for the September/ October issue; and November 15 for the November/December issue. Copy deadlines are approximately six weeks prior to the date of issue. Foundation Q: What is the foundation and what does it do? A: The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that was established to support Exchange’s program of service and our national project, the prevention of child abuse. The Foundation coordinates a network of more than 100 child abuse prevention centers across the United States. Q: How can I donate to the NECF? A: You can donate via check, cash, or credit card. You can also make your donation online at www.preventchildabuse.com or call 1-800-XCHANGE. Gifts are accepted 365 days a year. Q: Is my gift deductible for tax purposes? A: Because the Foundation is a 501(c)(3), your gift is tax-deductible per IRS standards. Club administration and duties Q: How can I report my new members or dropped members? A: You can go to our website and fill out the Exchange member certification or dropped member certification form, which is automatically submitted to the membership department. Or you can fill out and mail in the new member certification card (gold card) or dropped member certification card (pink card). The post office delivers the cards in batches, so there may be a delay of weeks. If you need to report the new or dropped member in a certain time period, such as quarter end, it is best to fill out the online form or fax a copy of the card to 419-535-1989. You can also e-mail the information directly to tfarley@nationalexchangeclub.org. Q: Can I get my roster online? A: No, but rosters are available free to all members. Just contact us by phone (1-800-XCHANGE), fax (419-535-1989) or email (info@nationalexchangeclub.org). Website Q: Where can I find club forms on the website? A: Club administrative forms are located in the member area of the website, www.nationalexchangeclub.org/memberarea. Select “Forms & Awards” from the left navigation bar and choose “Club Forms.”