FUTURE ROTARIAN SAW URGENCY TO GROW MEMBERSHIP

Posted by Debi Bush (Denver Cherry Creek) membership@rotary5450.org 
 
 
Increasing Your Club's Membership
 
Sharing real-life stories about what clubs in District 5450 are doing to strengthen and grow their membership demonstrates the importance, relevance to create flexibility for members to participate in service projects and be Rotarians. Here’s a story from Rotarian Dee Leh, Membership Director for the Littleton Evening Satellite.
 
My husband was the Littleton club president from 2013-2014, and I had the privilege to attend the RI conference in Portugal. I attended several breakout sessions on membership, as declining membership was apparent in our club with our aging member population.
 
I supported the Club and got to know members as I helped with our annual fundraiser. After two years of participating in a marketing role for the event, our incoming president for 2014-2015 asked me if I'd be interested in starting an evening meeting. I accepted the position and we were off and running. We had three (3) Meet and Greets and at the 4th Meet and Greet, we asked peeps to sign up...I recruited heavily to my empty nester gal pals.
 
I developed the agenda and secured the Tap Room for our meeting space. From October to December 2014, I had either the president, past president or president-elect attending, on a rotating basis, to make sure I was on track with Rotary knowledge. I was new to Rotary myself, only having Club experience as a spouse. I can’t say that we had a lot of 12 Noon (12N) members attend in the early days, but we definitely have more 12N members attending now.
 
We held informational meetings with 12N members speaking on their expertise of the club regarding protocols and local charities we were already involved with. Afterwards, we as a club were informed of all current charities. In January 2015 I challenged the group if there was something else we could do as our own, or do we jump in to existing projects. I knew the request for funding was upcoming in April, should we need funds to launch a program. We did both.
 
By January 2015, I felt comfortable enough to conduct meetings solo and the rest is history as they say. To be a bit more cohesive our current president is now forwarding his PowerPoint presentation to our current facilitator for club news.
 
As I am membership director, I go to the 2nd Tuesday of the month 12N meeting, the evening facilitator attends the 4th Tuesday of the month and our community service director will go to the 3rd Tuesday 12N meeting. When we go, we speak of Membership or Community service.
  
In October 2014, nine members were inducted into the Rotary Club of Littleton Evening group. Just one year later they are 14 members strong with one of the members being male. Due to the Evening group (Satellite), the Littleton Rotary Club has increased its female demographic from 10 to 22%. Also, three of the eight directors of the Rotary Club are Evening meeting members.  
 
“We typically have at least 5+ members of the 12 Noon group attend our meeting, either making up a meeting or reporting on club news during the meeting.  With all that said, we typically have 18-20+ members at our meetings.
 
We meet two times a month - 1st and 3rd Tues of each month at 630-8pm at Alamo Draft House, Tap Room.  Our dues are $100.00 a quarter with the $150.00 registration fee. Less monthly meetings, reduced dues commitment and the evening time slot make our meeting very attractive to not only the younger population, but also to working folks. Because we only meet 2 times a month, it allows members to participate in more charity projects during the month.
 
In addition to attending meetings, since inception the evening member’s participation/creation level is as follows:
  • We created Libby Bortz Assisted Living Entertainment Tonight (4th Monday of each month)
- Sing A Long with residents
- Created , play and award gifts in a horse racing game
  • Increased participation rate at Project C.U.R.E. (2nd Monday of each month)
  • Initiated and facilitated a bra drive for ftg.org.
  • Currently taking over the Arty’s Friday Food Bag project, to collect and distribute food for the weekends for students in need at Centennial Academy in Littleton.
Other areas of service:
  • Supported Littleton’s Block party, staffed beer booth
  • 100% member participation at our annual fundraiser.
  • Lyons Town Hall rebuild
Yes all within 1 year!!!  We’re a busy committed bunch. There was definitely a need in the community.  Rotary is the perfect platform for an organized and consistent method to serve our community, state, country and world.
 
I invite you to share your thoughts on this article with me as insights into what makes membership and relevance work in your club may be helpful to all clubs in District 5450.
 
Get your Rotarians emotionally involved and committed to Rotary for that is Engagement! DG Mary Kay says” Work hard and play hard together!”
 
Let’s make membership the flame to attract new Rotarians and engage our current Rotarians and light up our district to continue to be at the forefront of membership initiatives and growth.
 
Exemplary Membership Growth (in alphabetical order)
Centennial
Erie
Grand Lake
Peak to Peak
Kremmling
South Jeffco