The pride of voluntary effort.

The pride of voluntary effort. For many years, AMT See vPro. has had an unofficial byline celebrating itsmembership as "The Pride of the Profession." While the alliedhealth professions are justifiably proud of those of their members whohave earned a professional certification credential through AMT,there's another kind of pride that adheres to those AMT members whohave maintained an active profile at the state and national levels oftheir AMT organization: the pride associated with voluntary effort. Volunteerism has a long and storied history in the United States.The French political thinker and historian Alexis de Tocqueville Noun 1. Alexis de Tocqueville - French political writer noted for his analysis of American institutions (1805-1859)Alexis Charles Henri Maurice de Tocqueville, Tocqueville , in hisfamous work Democracy in America De la d��mocratie en Am��rique (published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville on the United States in the 1830s and its strengths and weaknesses. , noted the inclination of Americans(unique among nations of the world) to join voluntary associations andcharitable organizations. He wrote, in 1835, that: "Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositionsconstantly form associations. They have not only commercial andmanufacturing companies, in which all take part, but associations of athousand other kinds, religious, moral, serious, futile, general orrestricted, enormous or diminutive. The Americans make associations togive entertainments, to found seminaries, to build inns, to constructchurches, to diffuse books, to send missionaries to the antipodes; inthis manner they found hospitals, prisons, and schools. If it isproposed to inculcate some truth or to foster some feeling by theencouragement of a great example, they form a society." When AMT was founded and incorporated in Red Bank, New Jersey, alittle over hundred years after de Tocqueville wrote those words, it wasvery much in the American spirit of forming new associations of citizensbound together by a common bond of interest. Volunteerism was also famously celebrated by then Vice-President(later President) George H. W. Bush, who said in his 1988 RepublicanNational Convention Acceptance Address: "We're a nation of community; of thousands and tens ofthousands of ethnic, religious, social, business, labor union,neighborhood, regional and other organizations, all of them varied,voluntary and unique. This is America: the Knights of Columbus Knights of Columbus,American Roman Catholic society for men, founded (1882) at New Haven, Conn. (where its headquarters are still located), by Father Michael J. McGivney. , theGrange, Hadassah, the Disabled American Veterans The Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, is an organization for disabled veterans that helps them and their families through various means. It currently has over 1.2 million members.The DAV was controversial during the 2006 election cycle. , the Order of Ahepa,the Business and Professional Women of America, the union hall, theBible study group, LULAC LULAC League of United Latin American Citizens , 'Holy Name'--a brilliant diversityspread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad andpeaceful sky." "A thousand points of light." That is the memorablephrase that has stuck to those who volunteer their time and energies towork for a cause beyond just their personal interest but for a broadercommunity interest. And AMT does indeed have its "thousand points of light"also. Our points of light are all the individual members (and also oftentheir spouses!) who carry boxes of supplies and raffle prizes into motelconference rooms at state society meetings as well as the members of theAMT national Board of Directors. Our points of light are officers ofstate societies as well as chairs of our national committees. Our pointsof light include our student members who organize Medical Assistant Weekactivities as well as our allied health instructors who, uncompensated uncompensated (n·kômˑ·p ,guide them during off-hours. And our points of light are any of themany, many other AMT members of all credentialed classes who volunteertheir time to help educate our members, help foster a sense ofnetworking and community, help to proctor exams, and help lead theorganization forward. AMT is sometimes referred to as "member-owned." This istrue in the sense that it is governed by the members themselves, whoelect their delegates and who in turn elect the governing body, theBoard of Directors. But it doesn't mean that AMT is like somemutual co-operative stock company such that AMT sends a dividend checkto its members. And in the highly unlikely event that the corporatelegal entity that is AMT were ever to dissolve, its assets would not bedistributed to its members but be disposed of according to the laws ofthe State of New Jersey governing not-for-profits. So AMT is not, inthat sense, "member-owned." Thus, AMT members are notfinancial owners or shareholders in AMT. And in addition to that, AMTmembers are not employees either. Even if an AMT member receives anhonorarium HONORARIUM. A recompense for services rendered. It is usually applied only to the recompense given to persons whose business is connected with science; as the fee paid to counsel. 2. such as our exam proctors receive, that does not make them anemployee. They are a member-volunteer who is receiving an honorarium.These are significant legal and symbolic distinctions, in my view. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AMT is a not-for-profit tax-exempt organization under section501-c-6 of the Internal Revenue Code The Internal Revenue Code is the body of law that codifies all federal tax laws, including income, estate, gift, excise, alcohol, tobacco, and employment taxes. These laws constitute title 26 of the U.S. Code (26 U.S.C.A. § 1 et seq. . This means we are organized andoperated for the common interests of our profession. Wecannot--legally--be organized and operated for the private benefit ofour individual members. We are prohibited from doing so by what iscalled the Private Inurement in��urealso en��ure ?tr.v. in��ured, in��ur��ing, in��uresTo habituate to something undesirable, especially by prolonged subjection; accustom: Rule. This is stated in section 501-c6:"no part of the net earnings" of an exempt organization"may inure To result; to take effect; to be of use, benefit, or advantage to an individual.For example, when a will makes the provision that all Personal Property is to inure to the benefit of a certain individual, such an individual is given the right to receive all the personal to the benefit of any private shareholder orindividual." In my personal experience, when I think of my acquaintances amongmy family, friends and neighbors, people seem to generally fall into oneof two broad categories: they either volunteer for a whole lot ofdifferent organizations, or they volunteer for none at all. It seemsrare for me to encounter someone who volunteers for only oneorganization and none other. I know one retired couple in my communitywho are volunteers for so many different organizations (food pantries,volunteer tutoring, habitat for humanity Habitat for Humanity,nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing. Headquartered in Americus, Ga., it was founded in 1976 by businessman Millard Fuller and his wife. , homeless shelters, other civicgroups) that I don't know how they have time to do it all, thoughthey themselves are the last to mention their various commitments. Thereare such saints that walk among us. In my own non-AMT life, I have engaged in volunteer activities withchurch and community groups of various kinds (although certainly not atthe level of the retired couple I just mentioned). I've found, asmost of you know, that such activities can involve a lot of work. Andthey are uncompensated of course, which is what makes it volunteer work.But if you're asking yourself "what's in it for me?"then you miss the whole point. Many is the time that my wife or I mayhave spent some of our own money at a supply store for constructionpaper or other items for a church project and are told that the churchhas a budget that will reimburse us for that, but we never submit a billfor it. Why should we take money from an organization that is alreadyrequiring our annual stewardship pledge to help keep their head abovewater? I see a similar phenomenon from time to time in my work as AMTexecutive director. One of the many hats I wear here is the green visorof the chief "bean counter." In that capacity I often findmyself reviewing travel expense reports of AMT member volunteers.Sometimes I am reviewing such a report and look up from it with a smileon my face as I realize that the AMT traveler could be justifiablybilling us for more than he or she is, but they have chosen to onlyreport their principal costs and in a sense are giving back to AMT thesmaller "nickel and dime" items. Please don'tmisunderstand my use of such an anecdote; AMT's travel expensereimbursement policy will compensate all reasonable travel expenses andI fully expect and wish for all our business traveling volunteers tosubmit 100% of their actual reasonable costs to us for reimbursement.Still, it is heartwarming heart��warm��ingor heart-warm��ing ?adj.1. Causing gladness and pleasure.2. Eliciting sympathy and tender feelings: a heartwarming tale.Adj. 1. to see the acts of generosity being extendedto our organization by volunteers who are choosing to refrain fromobtaining their maximum possible reimbursement. In some sense theyunderstand that AMT is itself' a not-for-profit organization with amission of service to all its members and to the patients served by ourmembers. And so I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank allthe AMT members out there who volunteer their time and energies to helpAMT. And also to recognize not only your volunteer work for AMT, butalso all the other charitable and volunteer-driven organizations inwhich you may be active. National Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 18-24, 2010. Duringthat week, give yourself a pat on the back, and join me in saluting allof our nation's volunteers. We are grateful to all of you for allyou do. Christopher Damon, J.D., Executive Director, American MedicalTechnologists