Tips for member retention
By Arnold R. Grahl Rotary International News -- 26 August 2010
Traveling together to club projects and creating a variety show as a fundraiser were just a couple of the ideas Rotarians offered during a packed workshop on member retention at the 2010 RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Mike McGovern, 2009-10 Membership Development and Retention Committee chair and past RI vice president, said the workshop he moderated, "Closing the Back Door," generated fantastic audience participation and produced many valuable ideas for retaining members.
"It moved so quickly, and so many people were able to share their comments, that it was like a prototype of how Rotary functions ought to be," McGovern said. "It was one of those workshops where more seats were filled at the end than at the beginning."
Three panelists – Ron Beaubien, a past RI director and past RI membership committee chair, and Hendreen "Dean" Rohrs and Pete Snider, 2009-10 regional Rotary International membership coordinators -- each briefly shared some opening remarks about member retention. Participants were then asked to turn to a neighbor and discuss strategies that had worked in their clubs. Finally, audience members were invited to step up to one of three microphones and share with the entire group.
"We asked them to be brief and to just give their name and club name, no titles," McGovern noted. "It worked out well and emphasized that clubs are where it's at. It tied into Rotary making clubs bigger, better, and bolder."
Workshop attendees scrambled to write down all the ideas for increasing member retention.
A sampling includes:
Make Rotary fun.
Travel together to club meetings and projects – or take a club trip together.
Form a hiking fellowship to get active outside of weekly meetings.
Go out to Sunday brunch with a group of members.
Find out what gets a member excited about Rotary.
Do a hands-on project instead of the regular meeting once a month.
Identify a signature project -- one the club is known for throughout the community.
Create a mentor committee, and offer three-year mentoring to new members.
Develop a buddy system, pairing up a new member with an existing member.
Designate someone to round up members who haven't participated in a while and drive them to the club's meetings or events.
Plan outings to involve new Rotarians and their families.
Invite families to club meetings.
Promote the practice of younger members introducing other younger members.
Organize a New Generations club to target younger professionals.
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Luis Giay
World President 1996/1997
Luis Giay, Rotary Foundation Trustees Chairman in 2007
wrote as someone once said:
"What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others
and the world remains and is immortal."
In the late 1990s the Rotary Club of Boulder sent Naomi Sprigg to Brazil
as an exchange student
and on the 17th of August Western Australia Health Minister Kim Hames
has announced Naomi Sprigg dos Santos
as the first recipient of his International Outreach Fellowship.
Ms Sprigg dos Santos is a community nurse in Leonora
and has developed a project aimed at identifying and treating the post-natal depression.
Dr Hames says it is hoped her project will help people in Brazil,
as well as leading to new strategies to treat post-natal depression
being brought back to Australia.
thanks President Frank Andinach Rotary Club of Boulder
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NEW MEMBER
Rotary Club of Harvey
New Member Rick Simpson and his wife Gail
with President Des Rose [left] and PDG David Nabbs
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THE NATIONAL FINAL of these exceptional per-formances
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What's In A ShelterBox?
Only new equipment is used and is carefully selected for durability,
A range of equipment is kept in stock.
Each box costs an average of £490 including all materials,
for more information visit the Shelterbox Australia link in the Rotary Links
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Rotary Club of Swan Valley
Bunbury Central
August 18 to 30, 2010
2010 ROTARY AUCTION UPDATE
Auction off and running!
The 2010 Rotary Auction website is open for business!
With dozens of items up for grabs, there’s some great bargains.
There’s plenty to bid on, but time is running out –
Black Tie event a stunning affair
With all 240 seats sold out well in advance,
More importantly Auctioneer Cecily Robertson ensured those in attendance
Help needed
Can you lend a hand with the Auction?
Admin: Assisting with payment collection after the auction closes.
About the Bunbury Rotary Auction
The Australind Pre-Mix Rotary Auction has raised nearly $430,000
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Fellow Rotarians,
The Attadale Club has elected to support the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Western Australia (MSWA) as its major project this year through the sponsorship of a 12 hour
Those who don’t know much about MS can find out from the above website
Firstly and most importantly, you can identify someone in your club
Secondly, if you cannot form a team you can help by going on line
Finally, you can share details of this event (via the link above)
The RCA looks forward to your support.
Regards
Rod Rate
PRESIDENT 2010-2011.................ROTARY CLUB of ATTADALE
10/12 Doepel St
North Fremantle
WA 6159
rrate@tpg.com.au
0894304848.....................0411097333
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Rotary Club of Swan Valley
President: Phil Gravett m 0427 472 421 fierykay@wn.com.au
Secretary: Don Faulks h 9771 1446 don@wn.com.au
Re: Books to Papua and New Guinea
Clubs in our former district 9460 sent six shipping containers full of books
Our project is in partnership with local Adventists and will run for three months.
To provide surplus books that are in good condition.
To sound out local primary school principals about surplus books;
To provide a Club contact to coordinate member’s efforts;
Delivery of books to the “sorting and packing” venue will be appreciated
My contact details for reply and ongoing liaison are:
Alan Lush
bernal8@bigpond.com (preferred)
h 9771 1733
A shipping container will take 1000 cartons of books
Thank you for considering this project.
Alan Lush
Books to PNG Project
18 August 2010 "
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Hello everyone
The Rotary Club of Corrigin is putting together a recipe book of our favourite recipes
Each recipe will be 'named' with the person's name
If you would like to be included, please email your recipes to me -
Warm regards and happy cooking
Jackie Bowles
55 Walton St
Corrigin WA 6375
Ph: 9063 2121
Mob: 0427 944456
jac.bowles@gmail.com
Guest Speaker at a recent meeting
Pictured here with President Di Gilleland
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Rotary Club of Belmont
Rotary Club of Harvey
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student to Germany for 2011)
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CLUB SNIPPETS
Rotary Club of Narrogin
Secretary RC Narrogin 9884 5240
and was presented with our banner to take back with him to his Club.
Its all systems go for joint Batavia and Geraldton Rotary Clubs
Rotary Club of Bentley Curtin
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Zambia items of clothing are sent across every three months.
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ROTARY CLUB BIRTHDAYS
August 30th
September 12th
Rotary Club of Joondalup
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BI-DISTRICTS CALENDAR
October 24th-29th..............International Fellowship of Cricketing RotariansFestival@ Lillac Hill
October 31st..............Sunday..............Rotary Club of Mosman Park John Hughes "Big Walk"
October 30th ..... Saturday ........Kent Street Interactors Sausage Sizzle
December 12th......Sunday....Rotary Club of Harvey Carols by Candlelight
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Disclaimer
All items appearing in Rotary out West are considered to be in the public domain.
Should you own copyright to any of these items or require recognition,
or have your copyright item removed please contact
Phil at philco@iinet.net.au
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Quote of the week
stolen from the Rotary Club of Bunbury newsletter
--
As I was not familiar with the area,
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around.
Apparently I'm still lost....
stolen from the Rotary Club of Boulder newsletter