Membership - without it, we are nothing.
The role of the membership committee is to develop and implement an action plan for membership development. To be effective, a Rotary club needs members. Your club’s ability to serve the community, support The Rotary Foundation, and develop leaders capable of serving Rotary beyond the club level is directly related to the size and strength of its membership base. A club membership committee ensures a concerted effort to recruit new members and retain current ones. This ongoing process is essential to supporting Rotary International, which needs a dedicated club membership base to succeed. Specifically, the role of the Club Membership Committee is to develop and implement an action plan for membership development that actively attract, retain and engage members.
The Membership Committee of the Red Oak Rotary Club has been meeting regularly since last April to address the growing concern of our declining membership numbers. As a committee, here are some of the steps they have taken to recruit new members:
- Create a small welcome parcel for new businesses, Chamber members and/or managers new to the area. This small gift includes a coffee mug, a pen, a 4-way test magnet, and a can koozie - all branded with our club name. These gifts will be hand-delivered by a member of the committee along with a business card for our club, inviting the recipient to attend an upcoming meeting.
- Support our club developing an Extension that will meet at 5:30 twice a month. This Extension, chaired by Christopher Allison, will begin meeting in October. The idea is to both re-engage current members who are unable to attend the noon meetings, and to attract new members for whom a 5:30 meeting is more appealing.
- Host a Rotary 101 information meeting for new and potential members in November. This social gathering will be an opportunity to educate our community members about Rotary in general and our club specifically.
There are other ideas being kicked around the membership committee. Whether you are a member of the committee or not, you are encouraged to help grow our club. Share your fun experiences from the Club with your friends. Invite them to a meeting, a social, or a service project. Let a member of the committee know if you have someone we need to visit with a Rotary welcome parcel and personal invitation to visit our club.
We are the premier service organization in Red Oak, and - together - we can continue to grow and serve our community!