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Over The Coffeecups
Warren Mitchell - Editor
TODAY'S
PROGRAM
Michael
Fritz will introduce the Key Club
officers from Booker T. Washington School. They are
students from the LAMP Program and will preside over the
meeting. The prayer and the pledge will be done by the
students. Their program will be to bring the Club up to date
on their projects and achievements. It will be a pleasure to
have these young people participate in our meeting.
LAST
WEEKS PROGRAM
Al
McLellan introduced Taylor Smith,
who explained the AARP/IRS Tax Volunteer Program. He was born
near Pike Road and went to Anniston, then Gadsden, and
completed school there. He tried to join up during the Korean
War, but was too young. He got a college degree and went into
the Alabama National Guard, serving 41 years, before
retiring. During those years he worked as a tax accountant.
He is now District Coordinator for this tax prep program,
overseeing 35 volunteers, some who were in attendance.
Jerry Evelan and Frank Wells
are among those volunteers. The program does free tax returns
for people.
Taylor began by saying he felt at home seeing
Hoyt Middleton, whom he taught Sunday school with for many
years. Frank Wells works with him almost daily. Jerry Evelan,
actually got him in the program 8 years ago. If he did well,
we could thank Jerry for putting him in that position.
His wife and he have 3 sons; the oldest are
publisher of weekly newspapers. They, from time to time, send
him little tid bits similar to the Burma Shave bits that Al
McLellan used earlier. He shared a few of them with us.
The first couple to be shown on TV in bed
together was the Flintstones.
Generally men can read smaller print, but
women can read better. Coca-cola was originally green. It is
impossible to kiss your elbow. The state with the highest
percentage of people who walk to work is Alaska. The average
house raising a medium dog to age 11 is $6, 400. His 2 labs
must feel neglected. The average number of people air born
over the U.S. is 61,000. The first novel ever written on a
typewriter was "Tom Sawyer". The Kings in playing cards
stands for; spades, King David; hearts, Charlemagne; diamonds,
Julius Caesar, and clubs, Alexander the Great. It was an
accepted practice 4,000 years ago, the father of the bride
would supply the groom with all the mead he could drink for
the first month. Since mead was a honey beer, and the
calendar was lunar based it was called the honey month, hence
the term honeymoon.
Last year, nationwide, over $1,851,000 tax
payers head their taxes done by AARP. The program was
originally founded in
1968 by AARP. In 1980 the Internal Revenue
Service joined them. It was started for citizens over 60
years old with incomes of $50,000 or less. Now the IRS has
opened the service for everyone who wants their taxes done.
The IRS doesn't assist with taxes anymore; will refer people
to the AARP program. The program became larger when IRS
expanded it by putting in VIT, Volunteer Income Tax Service.
Their program was Tax Counseling for the elderly.
They don't do returns for partnership,
businesses, or returns with depreciation. Returns with
stocks, or dividends they'll do.
The 1,851,000 tax payers were assisted by
over 32,000 volunteers at 9,000 sites. For the past 35 years,
AARP program has served over 34 million for free.
Each tax aid counselor must complete a
written exam, which is supplied by the IRS annually.
Instructors are trained at the state level; they in turn train
counselors assigned to local sites. Some counselors are
former IRS employees, H & R Block trained, and some have
worked with CPA firms (he is one of those). One counselor is
a retired Catholic Priest, others are retired aeronautical
engineer, and a retired Command Sgt. Maj. One is a jet pilot
who flew off carriers during Desert Storm. One counselor owns
his own tax return business, works 3 days a week free for
them.
While working for a CPA firm in Anniston in
the late 50's and early 60's, he did the tax returns for
Governor Riley's parents in Clay County. He also did his
grandfather's who ran a clothing store on the square in
Ashland.
There are several counselors with 15 years
service. Usually 3 or 4 counselors are lost every year, but
pick up 4 or 5 more. Anyone interested in becoming a
counselor see him or Jerry.
Clients served average ages are 74 is 42%;
ages 60-74 is 44%, ages 50-59 is 60%, and under 50 is 8%.
Household income range is 46% under $20,000;
$20,000-$29,000 is 34%; $30,000-$49,000 is 16% and $50,000 is
4%. Repeat clients are 24% for the first time; 38% for 2 or 3
times. The people who come back ask for the same counselors.
Those who return 4 times or more are 38%. 76% of the people
are retired persons; most of them have 1090's. A few have
stocks, interest, dividends, an IRA and social security.
They are in the central region, including
Alabama and 6 other states. Total number served was 203,222
tax payers, of these 63,711 were filed electronically. The
central district includes Chilton, Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes,
Butler, Bullock and Montgomery counties.
The goal of the IRS is to have all returns
done electronically.
LAST
WEEK'S GUESTS
Lee
Connor, a past president, brought his father, Lee.
Lee,
Sr.
is retired from the Navy and the Post Office.
ENTERTAINMENT
Al McLellan told us some trivia from
the 40's by reminding us of the Burma Shave signs. He would
say the rhyme and we would respond by saying "Burma Shave".
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY
President Winstead read a letter he
received a couple of weeks ago from an unsatisfied person.
The person said he lost his job. When Clinton was President,
he was very prosperous. He closed his operation, because of
foreign labor. He was forced out of his job; not a sign of a
government program to help. Thanks to Mr. Bush he lost 2 sons
in the war in Iraq. Next to the loss of his sons, he lost his
home. He is a senior citizen with medical problems and can't
start a new career. He was forced to live in a hole. Bush
calls himself a Christian. Regards, Saddam Hussein.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Al McLellan had 10 years perfect
attendance.
Ken Carrick said we had an opportunity
to read to the children at Dalraida School March 19th. He's
looking for volunteers to cook pancakes at the school on March
18th.
Dick Bennett and his volunteers will
read to the children at St. Jude's today at 9:00.
Barnie Paulson said he received a
letter thanking members for what we had done on Veteran's
Day.
President Winstead had posters for the
Pancake Day Breakfast, March 13th.
Ed Melton said he has $1,240 committed
for ads, but has received a little over $400. He asked that
money be turned in this week or the latest next week. El
also said he had a few peanuts; 30 lbs left.
John Roddan talked about a Happy Buck
program.
Scott Powell said 3x5 cards are
available for Friends Day, April 22nd. Members will write the
name of friends that they would like to attend. Invitations
will be extended.
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