From Mark Latta, District 19 Program Quality Director:
Now that we have moved into 2018, many avid hunters are probably thinking that it is too late to hunt bucks. The good news is that we are now in prime “buck season!” That’s right, we’re now avidly hunting bucks across Iowa. Of course, I mean “Bookstore Bucks!”
Many of you earned Bookstore Books over the past couple of years, and now it is time to claim those Bookstore Bucks before the season officially ends on June 30. After that, those valuable bucks become mere slips of paper and are no longer redeemable.
One question I often receive is “How do I redeem my Bookstore Bucks?” Fortunately, there is a process. It is:
- Hunt for all those Bookstore Bucks being used as bookmarks in educational manuals, stuffed in jacket pockets, and the bottom of drawers where they may have been lying dormant for these many months.
- Gather them into a big pile and see how much you have earned.
- Go to the Toastmasters International website store (https://www.toastmasters.org/shop) and figure out what awesome items would fit best in your closet, briefcase, or Toastmasters room (ahem, Jeanne Heil).
- Send me ([email protected]) an e-mail with the number of bookstore bucks being redeemed, the item numbers of the swag you are claiming, a description of the items, and the quantity being ordered. Ideally, this email would be prior to March 17 for delivery at the District 19 Conference on April 27 – 28 in Des Moines (https://district19.me/spring-2018-conference/)
- You attend the District Conference. You hand me the bucks and I hand you a mad pile of swag and shake your hand for being so awesome.
A couple of additional FAQ:
Q: This sounds pretty cool, but what if I want to get more loot than I have bucks for?
A: You can order more than you have bucks for, but you would need to provide additional payment for anything exceeding your bucks. For example, if you want $100 of goodies but you only have $75 of bucks, then you would need to write a check to District 19 Toastmasters (or credit card swipe or provide cash) for the remaining $25.
Q: What if I don’t have any bucks, but I want something from the bookstore?
A: Let me know what you want from the bookstore and pay for it at the conference. The same deadline applies – March 17 – for conference delivery.
Q: I’m a busy person and won’t have a chance to let you, Mark Latta, know what I want by March 17. Can I redeem my bucks sometime before June 30?
A: Yes! The logistics just become a little more complex as we figure out when you can get you the bounty you earned. This may involve mailing it to you, delivery at an upcoming District Executive Committee (DEC) or contest, or something else. The March 17 date just makes it more likely it will be available at the District Conference.
Q: I am delivering my baby on the day of the District Conference (a valid excuse), so I can’t attend. Can I still order?
A: Yes! We can make sure someone you designate gets all of your loot and brings it back for you. Make sure you send your designee with the check if you don’t have enough bucks to cover your order. P.S. Remember that Toastmasters stuff is always a great belated baby shower gift!
Q: I am chronically indecisive and probably won’t know what I want until July 1. Can I still redeem my bucks?
A: Nope – bucks expire on June 30. Bucks turned in after June 30 will not be honored.
Q: I accidentally washed all of my bookstore bucks and now they are just a pulpy pile. What now?
A: The District knows what bucks have been handed out. Just let us know that you are redeeming your bucks in the e-mail and we’ll cross your bucks of our outstanding bucks list when we put in the order.
In conclusion, Daffy may say it is rabbit season and Bugs may claim it is duck season; but really it is “buck season.” Make sure you take advantage of the season, since bookstore buck season is officially over on June 30.
You can’t buck the system, but you can “buck” your District by using all of your Bookstore Bucks before they expire. Don’t let those bucks go to waste. Cash them in while you still can!
-Mark Latta, DTM,PDG
Program Quality Director 2017-2018