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The USA Council adopted a distinguished service and honor recognition awards program in Denver, CO at the Serra International Convention on June 25, 1998. This awards program has set standards of excellence for USA Council Serra clubs, club presidents, and district governors. This awards program aims to recognize all those Serrans and Serra clubs who actively advance the mission and objectives of the USA Council.

In addition, the awards program will have these benefits:

Clubs and their officers can use the awards as a standard and goal for a good and effective Serra club.

This program will provide an incentive for clubs, club presidents and district governors to excel in their work. All Serrans and Serra clubs meeting the requirements will be recognized.

This program will advance our primary objectives to foster and support vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and to enhance our own ministry and spirituality.

HONOR CLUB

Honor Club Goals and Objectives

To reach Honor Club status, a club must meet the criteria listed in each of the following departments: Service, Membership, and Communication and Leadership Development, as listed below.

Service Requirements:

The club must have performed at least four vocation service activities during the fiscal year; one activity from each of the four areas listed below is required.

Note, this listing is not inclusive of all available or appropriate activities. Projects not listed here may also qualify. Please fully describe your vocation activity when applying for the award.

Prayer Programs

Purpose: To petition God's help in providing priests and religious.

Suggested Programs and Materials:

31 Clubs

All-School Mass for Vocations

Daily Vocation Prayers

Family Prayer Program

Holy Hour for Vocations

Petitions

Prayer Cards

Traveling Chalice

Rosary

Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations

Awareness Programs

Purpose: To bring about religious vocation awareness among candidates, families, peers, parish communities, and other support groups.

Suggested Programs and Materials:

Parish Bulletin Inserts

Called By Name

Explore Week for Boys

Insight for Girls

Life Awareness Weekend Retreat

Story of My Life

Live-In Weekend at the Seminary

Project Andrew

Project Miriam

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

Project Discover

National Vocation Awareness Week

Youth as Lector and Eucharistic Ministers

Altar Server Program

World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Affirmation Programs

Purpose: To show love, respect, and gratitude to those who have chosen the religious lifestyle

Suggested Programs and Materials:

Adopt-a-Priest/Brother/Sister/Seminarian

Altar Server Award Programs

Dinners/Luncheons/Picnics

Appreciation events

Thank-you cards and letters

Photo gallery

Visits by seminarians to parish

Visits to seminary and mother houses

Anniversary/Birthday cards, remembrances and gifts

Support Programs

Purpose: To assist either with personal involvement or by monetary means, seminarian or novice education and other related vocation activities.

Suggested Programs and Materials:

Fundraising Activities

Financial Support

Golf Outings/Sporting Events

Adult Education and Faith Formation Requirements:

The club must have at least one spiritual program for club members, such as a retreat, day of recollection or a series of programs on spiritual growth. Programs prepared by the USA Council Programs Committee, listed in the Program Manual Part II: Program Themes, are recommended.

Membership Requirements:

Increased local club membership with a net gain of 10% over the previous year's membership total for the fiscal year.

Increased local club membership diversity.

The Honor Club Recognition Award will only be awarded to those Serra clubs that are open to both genders.

Communication and Leadership Development Requirements:

Club attendance at regular meetings must average 55%. Attendance at a board meeting or other Serra activity will count as a meeting.

Publish a club newsletter at regular intervals, a minimum of four times per year.

Club president and most club officers must attend the Spring Leadership and Planning Conference (SLPC) and the district or regional convention.

The USA Council, and Serra International dues must be paid on time. (Within 30 days of receipt of per capita dues invoice). Also, pay any district and regional dues assessment to support district- or region-wide activities.

Host the district governor's official visit to a board meeting and a regular club meeting.

Submit required reports to the governor and USA Council office within 30 days of the due date.

At least 35% of the club membership must make a contribution to the Serra International Foundation during the fiscal year.

The Award

The Serra club that qualifies for Honor Club recognition will receive a podium banner with the club name and year awarded imprinted on it. The banner will be awarded at the District/Regional Convention. In addition, the club's name and achievement will be published in serraUSA magazine.

This award is approved and presented by the district governor to those clubs in the district that meet the requirements. Reporting forms for this award may be submitted by the local Serra club board, a district council or the district governor. The reporting forms must be submitted on or before May 1. The district governor will confirm the award and inform the club president.

Note: The district governor is responsible for sending copies of the reporting forms to the regional director, the USA Council Membership Awards Subcommittee chairman, and the Chicago office.

For more information

Contact the USA Council Office in Chicago

USA Council of Serra International

65 East Wacker Place Suite 802

Chicago IL 60601

Toll-free: 888-777-6681

Email: serraus@serraus.org

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DISTINGUISHED CLUB PRESIDENT

Distinguished Club President Goals and Objectives Requirements:

The president's club must fulfill all requirements for the Honor Club Award.

Attendance at the International and Regional/District conventions.

Must have sponsored the charter of a new Serra club during the fiscal year.

Participation in and support of district-wide programs and initiatives, i.e., service on the District Advisory Council or District Extension Team.

The Award

The Distinguished Serra Club President will receive a Father Junipero Serra statue engraved with his or her name and year achieved. The statue will be awarded with appropriate recognition at the District/Regional Convention. In addition, an announcement of the achievement will be published in serraUSA magazine.

This award is approved and presented by the district governor to those Serra club presidents in the district that meet the requirements. Reporting forms for this award may be submitted by the local Serra club board, a district council or the district governor. The reporting forms must be submitted on or before May 1. The district governor will confirm the award and inform the Serra club board.

Note: The district governor is responsible for sending copies of the reporting forms to the regional director, the USA Council Membership Awards Subcommittee chairman, and the Chicago office.

DISTINGUISHED DISTRICT GOVERNOR

Distinguished District Governor Goals and Objectives Requirements:

At least 60% of clubs within the district must obtain the Honor Club award.

Must have sponsored the charter of at least one new Serra club during the fiscal year.

Attendance at the Regional Director-District Governor Planning Session, as governor-elect or governor, and at the district/regional and international conventions.

Must have conducted a training conference for incoming club presidents and a district Spring Leadership Planning Conference.

Make official visits to a regular club meeting and a board meeting of each club in the district during the first half of the year in office.

Establish the District Advisory Council and conduct a minimum of two advisory council meetings per year.

The Award

The Distinguished District Governor will receive a Father Junipero Serra statue engraved with his or her name and year achieved. The statue will be awarded at the District/Regional Convention. In addition, an announcement of the achievement will be published in serraUSA magazine.

This award is approved and presented by the regional director to those district governors in the region who meet the requirements. Reporting forms for this award may be submitted by the local Serra club, a district council or the regional director. The reporting forms must be submitted on or before May 1. The regional director will confirm the award and inform the district governor.

Note: The regional director is responsible for sending copies of the reporting forms to the USA Council Membership Awards Subcommittee chairman, and the Chicago office.

USA Council Awards Program Forms

Distinguished Club President Award
Distinguished District Governor Award
Honor Club Award

USA COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN

USA Council Membership Campaign Goals and Objectives

Since 1996-97, the USA Council Board and the USA Council Membership Committee have and will continue to sponsor a membership campaign for the Serra clubs in the USA. The campaign has been very successful and a significant incentive for clubs to diligently recruit new members. The Membership Campaign goals are as follows:

The Fall Campaign

The Serra Clubs that meet or exceed a net gain of five new members in the first six months of the fiscal year will receive a Membership Award

The Spring Campaign

The Serra Clubs that meet or exceed a net gain of five new members in the first six months of the fiscal year will receive a Membership Award

The Full Year Campaign

The Serra Clubs that meet or exceed a net gain of ten new members during the full fiscal year will receive a Membership Award.

The Membership Campaign Awards

The Serra club that meets or exceeds the membership net gain goals for the first time will receive an attractive Membership Award banner.

The Serra club that meets or exceeds the membership goals the second and successive campaigns will receive a ribbon to attach to the banner.

Therefore, each club to meet the goal of a net gain of FIVE NEW MEMBERS in the Fall or Spring Campaigns is a WINNER as are the Serra clubs that have a net gain of TEN NEW MEMBERS for the fiscal year.

Please Note:

The net gain is based on those membership applications with the required Serra International initiation fees received by the USA office throughout the fiscal year. Use of the completed membership application in the Membership Manual avoids any errors and/or incomplete information that may be recorded by the USA Council office.

The club's treasurer may record new members on the club roster enclosed with each per capita dues invoice. However, this causes a delay in recording these new members in the database and subsequently obtaining the award for the period when the club achieved the membership gain.

Are you proud of your club's newsletter?

Is it informative and engaging?

Then enter it into the ...

USA Council's Outstanding Club Newsletter Competition!

There are no annoying forms to fill out for this competition! No need to go through the district governor or regional director, or even your club president!

All you need to do is send 3 copies EACH of 2 CONSECUTIVE newsletters published since May 1, 2007 to:

USA Council of Serra International

Attn: Communications Coordinator

65 E. Wacker Place Ste. 802

Chicago IL 60601

by April 30, 2008

Include your club's name and a club contact (name, phone number, e-mail, home address).

All newsletters collected at the USA Council office by the deadline will be forwarded to three judges (members of USA Council's Communications Committee) around the nation, who will critique the newsletters based on CONTENT (60 points) and APPEARANCE (40 points).

A winner is chosen from each district entered, and a grand prize winner is selected who will receive a framed, personalized poster of artist George Pollard's sketch of Fr. Junipero Serra.

The awards are usually presented at the USA Council Annual Meeting at the convention. If you are a winner, you will be contacted in advance of the convention.

For more information on the scoring process...

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