Contents

Annual Meeting: May 5
from your President's iPad
Proposed Change to Bylaws
Board Nominees
Strategic Plan
Community Outreach
FCA Biennial Convention
Your Funeral Consumer Rights in Idaho
THANKS to our DONORS

Spring 2012

ANNUAL MEETING

DATE: Saturday, May 5th
TIME: 1 to 3 pm
PLACE: The Library! Cole and Ustick Branch

PRESENTATION: "Inscribed in Stone: The Life of a Community Recreated from Cemetery Headstones"

Dr. Joanne Klein is Associate Professor of History at Boise State University. Growing up in Kirkland, WA, she earned her M.A. at Brandeis University in Boston and her doctorate at Rice University in Houston. Following Dr. Klein’s presentation we will have a short business meeting.

We hope to see you at the annual meeting where we will be nominating new board members and proposing a change in the bylaws. Also remember even a small donation is surely appreciated. It will assist us in paying for speakers, new member recruitment in the Magic Valley area and paying for postcards, AND don’t forget if you intend to have your obituary printed in the paper you might suggest people make a memorial donation to FCAI.

Sent from your President's iPad...

Loyal Perry

The Board has kept busy since the last annual meeting. Through onsite meetings and exchanging information with Keven Rosenau, Rosenau Funeral Home and Crematory in Twin Falls has agreed to join us as a cooperating mortuary providing discount services to our members in the Magic Valley. His service area is Twin Falls Co., Burley, Rupert, Jerome, Gooding and the Wood River Valley. FCAI member prices for minimal services are the same as with Accent Funeral Home in Meridian. Member price is $730 for Direct Cremation and $755 for Immediate Burial. Remember Immediate Burial does not include cemetery fees. Be sure to share this information with friends and family members in the Magic Valley.

Recently, my wife and I decided to review the Putting My House In Order (PMHIO) forms we submitted to Accent Funeral Home 10 years ago and were amazed at how out of date some of the information was. We have completed new forms with current information and submitted them. We recommend others consider doing the same. (See the publications page for links to download the blank form.)

Proposed changes to bylaws

We have had family members complete the application form and pay the enrollment fee for family members who because of their terminal illness are unable to. When this happens it goes against the FCAI bylaws. Therefore we are proposing the following change to our bylaws, to delete the section struck out below:

"Any person over the age of 18, without regard to race, creed, or national origin, who is in sympathy with the purpose of the affiliate, who is applying without an intermediary, personal agent or attorney in fact and who pays the prescribed enrollment fee shall become eligible for full membership benefits upon receipt by the cooperating mortuary of the completed personal directive."

The members will have an opportunity to vote on this proposed change at the Annual Meeting.

Board Member Status and Nominees

Current Board Members are:

We have two board members Ritta Nielsen and Stephen Weiser whose terms will expire. Nominees to the Board include:

STRATEGIC PLAN

The Board of Directors for FCAI has currently undertaken the task of creating a Strategic Plan for our organization. The goal of the plan is to provide direction for the organization over the next three to five years. We are revising our mission and visions statements which will be the foundation for any future activities. Once these statements are finalized we will evaluate other areas of our organization like, growth, expansion, marketing, information technology/website, finance, information/documentation and others to ensure they are designed to accomplish our mission. Through this effort, the board of directors, have committed to making sure our organization is strong and we are delivering to our members quality education and services for years to come.

Community Outreach

During 2011–2012, the Board made arrangements with the following, to share with those in attendance what FCAI stands for and presented "Ten Tips for Saving Funeral Dollars."

FCA Biennial Convention

The Funeral Consumers Alliance Biennial Convention will be held June 7, 8, and 9 in Tucson, Arizona. The Holiday Inn Tucson Airport North is offering FCA attendees single or double rooms at $69 a night (not including taxes). When making reservations call the Holiday Inn directly at 520-746-1161. Be sure to tell them you're with the Funeral Consumers Alliance conference to get the special pricing.

Your Funeral Consumer Rights in Idaho

The Funeral Ethics Organization has published a new pamphlet that summarizes your rights in making funeral arrangements, choices for disposition of remains, veteran and social security benefits, and the pro and cons of prepaying for a funeral. Your Funeral Consumer Rights in Idaho is available as a downloadable PDF, at no charge. Visit our publications page for many other useful documents.

THANK YOU!

We want to extend our thanks and appreciation to those individuals and groups who made a donation to FCAI since the last annual meeting: R. Harris, B. Emery, The Myers, and Boise Valley Friends.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Idaho is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, an affiliate of the national Funeral Consumers Alliance. Donations to the FCAI are not tax-deductible.