CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations! It's really an honor to be selected by your friends in 4-H to serve as a 4-H officer.
With honors come certain responsibilities. As you assume your 4-H office, much of the
responsibility for the success of your club will depend on you and the other officers.
You are now a member of a team that includes the other officers and leaders of your club. This
leadership team can make the difference between a "fantastic club" that everyone wants to be
part of and a "hum-drum club" that most people could care less about! Which kind of club do you
want? The choice is yours -- the success of the club depends on your leadership team.
GOOD OFFICERS ARE ...
Enthusiastic, tactful, loyal, honest, friendly -- that's one way to describe good 4-H officers. They
let the members of the club help decide what the club will do and give everyone a fair chance.
Officers of 4-H Clubs are representatives of the local club and of the entire 4-H program of the
state. Can you answer "yes" to these questions?
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Do I know the duties of my office?
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Am I willing to improve myself so I can be a better officer?
Am I friendly? Do I work well with other members of the club and they with me?
Do I willingly accept responsibilities assigned to me?
Do I enjoy doing more than just what is required of me?
Am I willing to give credit to others for work well done?
Am I prompt in arriving at meetings?
Does my appearance inspire confidence and respect?
Am I kind, tactful and courteous?
Do I use "please" and "thank you" when I should?
Am I always fair in my decisions?
Do I appreciate my parents and 4-H volunteer leaders for their time, effort and
devotion to club work?
Will I attend a 4-H officers' workshop if it is offered for our club or county?
Will I participate in a county 4-H council?
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YOUR JOB AS TREASURER
Your position is one of the most important offices in your club. The club has entrusted to you the
responsibility of maintaining club financial records. You are responsible for keeping an accurate
record of all club moneys received and paid out as voted by the club with approval of the leaders.
You will be responsible for the club funds until a successor is elected.
PRIOR TO THE MEETING
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Go over your records before each meeting and double check totals.
Inform the president if you will be absent. The president will appoint an acting treasurer
for the meeting.
DURING THE MEETING
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Report the amount received and the bills paid since last meeting and the balance in the
treasury.
Have Payment Voucher available for anyone who has expenses that need to be
reimbursed.
TIPS TO THE TREASURER
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Stand when reading the income and expense report. Be sure members are quiet before
you begin reading.
Speak slowly and clearly so that the Secretary can record the information to be read at
the next club meeting.
Be ready to give itemized account of funds at any time on request of members or leader
4-H LEADERSHIP TEAM
As a 4-H officer, you are an important part of the 4-H Leadership Team. Let's see how the team
shapes up.
President
The 4-H President's job is to help everyone in the club work together.
The president presides at meetings, assigns responsibilities to club
members, and works closely with the other 4-H officers, volunteer
leaders, and county extension agents.
Vice President
The 4-H Club Vice President takes the place of the president if that
member resigns or is not present. The vice presidents' biggest and most
important job is acting as co-chairmen and helps plan 4-H meetings and
events.
Secretary
The 4-H Club Secretary is one of the most important officers in the club.
The secretary is responsible for keeping a record of a 4-H club's
membership, participation and meetings in the 4-H Secretary's Book. All
correspondence of the club is the responsibility of the secretary.
Reporter
The 4-H Club Reporter has the opportunity and responsibility of telling
others about 4-H work. Writing announcements and reports for the local
newspaper, keeping a scrapbook of club publicity, and serving as
chairman of the publicity committee are important jobs for the reporter.
Treasurer
The 4-H Club Secretary is responsible for maintaining complete
accounting records for the club. He/she is responsible for writing checks,
making deposits, maintaining a complete and accurate check register
and giving itemized account information at any time upon the request of
members for leaders.
Officers
President
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Vice President
________________________________________
Vice President
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Secretary
________________________________________
Reporter
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Treasurer
________________________________________
4-H MEETING OUTLINE
You will work with the other 4-H officers and your 4-H club leaders to plan exciting 4-H meetings.
Everyone with a part in the program should be notified and come well prepared.
MEETING OUTLINE:
BUSINESS ...
Call to Order
Call for Minutes
"The meeting of the __________ 4-H Club will please come to order."
"The secretary will now read the minutes of the last meeting."
Secretary reads minutes.
Approval of Minutes
Opening Ceremony
"Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes?" (Pause) "If not,
they stand approved as read."
"We will now have the pledges." Vice President or another 4-H member leads
pledge to the American Flag, 4-H Pledge.
*Introduction of Visitors – if
applicable
"Our Vice President, __________, (or Reporter, __________) will now
introduce our visitors." Officer introduces visitors.
Roll Call
"Will the secretary please take the roll?" Secretary either calls roll or simply
checks roll.
Old Business
"Is there any old business that needs to be discussed?" (Recognize
members who have business to discuss and guide club in discussing and making a
decision.)
New Business
"Is there any further old business?"
"Is there any new business to be discussed?" (Allow time for discussion and
voting if necessary.)
Announcements
"Is there any further new business?"
"Are there any announcements?" (Leaders, agents or members may have
announcements.)
ADJOURNMENT ...
Close Meeting
Our next meeting will be [DATE] at [PLACE].
"Is there a motion that we adjourn?" (Handle motion.) "The meeting is
adjourned."
Approving and Paying Bills
Part of your treasurer's report is asking for and
receiving the club or group members' approval to
pay the outstanding bills. After the members
approve paying the bills, write a check for the
approved amount for each bill.
The usual way to pay bills is with a check. Holding
cash back from deposits and then using the cash
to pay bills is not a good practice, because it
doesn't leave a record or provide proof of
payment. A proper receipt protects your reputation
as treasurer.
Payment Vouchers
A payment voucher is a form that records your 4H
group's approval to pay a bill. Prepare a payment
voucher before paying any bill.
After a bill is approved, prepare a check to pay it.
After you write a check to pay a bill, attach the
invoice (bill) or receipt to the payment voucher and
finish filling out the payment voucher (see fig. 8).
Never erase a mistake. If you make a mistake,
write "VOID" on the spoiled check and start a new
one. Keep the voided check; don't destroy it.
Write today's date on the check.
Start writing the name of the person or business to
whom the check is payable as close to the "Pay to
the order of" as possible.
Leave as little space as possible between the figures
and words when filling in the amount lines. This
helps prevents someone else from changing a $1
check, for example, into a $100 or $1000 check.
Begin writing the amount at the extreme left of the amount line. Be sure the written amount
agrees with the numeric amount. Avoid writing checks for less than $1, but if you have to, start
the "Pay to the order of" line by writing the word "Only" and then the amount.
Give the check, payment voucher and receipts the Leader for a signature. If you have multiple
checks put all of the paperwork in a manila envelope until you can meet with the Leader. Make
sure the check information has been entered into the check register BEFORE giving it to the
Leader for a signature (check register instructions are listed below).
If a check written on the group's account is lost, notify the customer service department of the
bank at once.
Maintaining the Check Register
To keep your 4H group's check register up to date, follow these steps.
1. Write the check number and the date it was written in the appropriate columns.
2. In the "description of transaction" column, write to whom the check was made payable.
3. Enter the check amount in the "payment/debit" column and in the balance column. Then
subtract the check amount from the remaining balance on the line above and enter the new
balance immediately below.
4. You can use the "T" column at the end of each month when you reconcile the account against
the bank statement. Use this space to check off the checks that have cleared the bank (this
information comes from the bank statement or the checks that have been returned to you).
5. The "Fee, if any" column is the place to list any fees the bank has charged your group for
cashing or purchasing checks or for preparing an account statement. Any fees will appear on the
account statement. Enter the fee amount and subtract it from the account balance.
6. Record the amount of any deposits in the "deposit/credit" column. Then add the deposit
amount to the account balance on the line above and record the new account balance straight
across.
Bank Account Information
If your 4-H club opens a savings account, you will be asked to furnish the savings
institution with an internal revenue service identification number. Your identification
number is ____________________________.
When a 4-H club disbands, the balance in the treasury should go to the county 4-H
foundation. The club should indicate if the money should be used for county, state,
national, or international 4-H programs