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Sail and Power Boating  Boating is fun..We'll show you how DISTRICT 28
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Sail and Power Boating Boating is fun..We'll show you how DISTRICT 28
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- As we approach another Fall, I thought of all the things I could or should write about for my article. I kept coming back to one thing, MEMBERSHIP. We are all struggling this year, both to retain and to gain new members. EDUCATION seems to be moving right along. Squadron ACTIVITIES seem to be thriving.
There I am, back again to square one. None of this matters without members. Oh sure, we could teach classes to the general public. We could invite friends to our activities. But if we don't ask them to join, where is the organization really going?
- We are all noticing the aging of the members. With no new membership, eventually there would be nobody to teach or nobody to socialize with. We are using the same old people over and over until they become worn out and quit their membership just so they don't have to say yes again. They want to be replaced! But again without new members we have no replacements to offer them.
- Nominating committees have problems getting people to serve in bridge positions. The same old reasons seem to keep popping up - I'm too busy, or I don't want to be in leadership, or (usually this one isn't spoken) there have been some past officer comments made about how hard the job is, or they have previously been criticized for doing something differently.
- Where is our ENTHUSIASM going?
- Just take a step back and consider how and why you joined the squadron you belong to. There are probably a couple of reasons. Education is a big one. Squadrons do a great job of educating. Insurance reduction is another. These people usually don't participate in much as a member, but contribute their donation annually. The third is for social reasons. They knew someone who asked them to an outing or meeting. They were well received by the friendly members and decided to join.
- Now take a look at what makes you stay a member. EDUCATION is again a big reason. Some just can't get enough. This is great, but what happens when all the classes have been taken? There are new seminars and BOC which have been introduced to solve this problem. Another is to invite this person to become an instructor. Who best to teach a class than someone who just took it? There is great personal satisfaction in giving your knowledge to someone else. The insurance reduction member is still hanging in there. Who doesn't love a discount nowadays more than ever? By far the main reason for staying is the friends you have made in the group. Count how many new friends you have at your squadron level. There are some really close relationships that have been built over the years. Count how many more friends you have at the District level. Next, count them on the National level. During the recent Haboob in Phoenix, Bill and I heard from people in San Diego and North Carolina, making sure we were ok. These were some great members we have met in both the District and National meetings.
- If you really read this with an open heart, you are sure to have caught the bug of enthusiasm again. Now that we have the enthusiasm back - we need to go out and tell others about the reasons we are members.
- We need to help out our nominating committees by showing positive enthusiasm to members in doing our bridge jobs (even after we leave the job). Nobody wants to take a job that someone just said was hard. None of these jobs are really hard. (take it from someone who is in the middle of her 8th year in a bridge position) Some more time-consuming than others, but definitely not hard. Time-consuming jobs can be made easier with assistants. Nobody says you can't have assistants. The too busy excuse doesn't cut it. The most organized and productive person is a busy one. That and a little enthusiasm is all that is needed to do these jobs. We need to mentor new leaders, not attack them. Just think where we would all be today if everything was done the same way it was when it was first invented! Isn't that a scary thought? Sometimes change is a good thing!
- Now that we have gone back, remembered why we are here, pondered where we need to go, let's go out and do it with ENTHUSIAM!
This page last updated September 12, 2011
