PDG Sue Goldsen officially introduced our speaker today, Steve Ahles, who is past president of the Southgate Rotary Club and will be District 6400’s Membership Chair in 2019-20. The committee exists, Steve said, to “help strengthen Rotary”.
Steve spoke about membership flexibility – “the most important aspect of everything we do”, he said. Finding and engaging members makes everything we do easier. Talk to people about the things we do as a club. Always talk Rotary, he said. Do it at family gatherings, parties, meeting, etc. “You never know where you’re going to get your next member”. “You just need to ask”. Keep a list of who potential members are via their contact info, Steve said. And, be sure and follow up with them once you make the initial contact. Don’t overlook obvious people like spouses, former members and past Youth Exchange participants either.
Also, make a list of the most important things (i.e. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions) about your club, Steve said, so you can talk to potential members about what is important to us. List things like our dues structure, our expectations for new members like meeting attendance and program participation, how many members we have, members who stand out, etc. This is information that will enhance the prospect of people joining our club, he said, because they really don’t know what we do. This could even be emailed to them, Steve suggested. “It gives prospects a factual base from which to work from”. An example, Steve said, is available from a fellow Rotarian who originally formulated it that he would be happy to share.
Steve said he originally joined Rotary because he “wanted to make a difference in peoples’ lives.” Remind prospects that in Rotary we Join Leaders, Exchange Ideas, Take Action – it is our motto, he said. Know your strengths. If prospects that have want something you can’t offer, he said, direct them to another club in the area. “This has paybacks”.
When you get a new member, he said, be sure and celebrate it. Make sure that person feels welcome in our club and is appreciated. At his club’s meeting, he said, we periods during the meeting called MOM’s presentations – Meet Our Members – that give new members an opportunity to tell others about themselves. He said that in a past issue of The Rotarian Magazine he saw the idea to post new member pictures on a poster board along with a bit of info on each person.
Be persistent, Steve said. One or two times when you ask a prospect isn’t really enough, Steve said. Your club might not be a priority to them at that time because everyone is busy so keep asking when you think the time is right. “But, don’t let them fall through the cracks”. Think outside the box. Steve said that he asked a friend who was not a Rotarian to attend a District Convention with him and after that he joined! Whatever works for you.
Clubs lose members, it’s inevitable, he said. So, be constantly recruiting. “You’re either growing or dying as a club”, he said. There is no other way to think about it. Steve said that he keeps a “Friends of Rotary” list that he constantly refers to in order to identify prospects who might want to join. Steve said he asks them on occasion to help out with various club projects in an effort to get them to join. “Stay connected”.
Steve said that when we talk about “vibrant clubs”, we need to reflect on what clubs actually do. It important to do a club health check, he said. “Sit down at the start of your new Rotary year and do a club health check with your members at the next Club Assembly. Assess all aspects of what you do from your meeting room to all your projects. ”If you want to be a vibrant club make sure you know how you appear to new members. Think of all members as your customers”. “Make things comfortable and exciting for them. Get their feedback”.
“Offer different types of membership if you can”, Steve said – business memberships, family memberships, senior memberships, etc. They allow others to help clubs out, he said. Steve said that his club belongs to the local Chamber of Commerce. It allows club members to interact with Chamber members.
One of the questions Steve was asked was about retention and the fact that members in North America were leaving at a faster rate than new members coming in! It’s critical, Steve said, that we do what we have to as a club to keep the members we have.
Thanks, Steve, for your time and some great suggestions.
Thank You – President Kathye thanked everyone for a great year this year as she conducts the last meeting of her year as president. She added that she loves Rotary and accomplished most of the things she wanted to this past year. She said that she was most proud of the new Rotary Woodworking Warriors project. You’ve represented our club very well, Kathye! Thanks for taking the lead this year. You will be missed but know you will stay very involved in the years ahead.
Launch Lenawee Update – Mary Murray gave members a nice update on this Rotary-sponsored program saying that she was grateful for the support of our club for the program and thanked those members who served as mentors and especially Dave Maxwell from the Adrian Morning Club for all he has done to help make this program a success. The first round of participants were graduated last October. On May 22nd, the next wave of prospective entrepreneurs (10) entered the program and began attending classes. She said that there are 4 specific components to Launch Lenawee: Education (Fast Track Program), Networking, Mentorship and Micro Loans. Mary thanked Theresa Soto who has started serving as a host for the program. Along with mentors Nate Smith and Yours Truly and Nelson Douglass who was very helpful working with one of the participants on a financing issue. Mary encouraged anyone who wanted to to stop by any Wednesday evening (5:15pm-8pm) to get an idea what prospective business owners participating in the program are learning!
Fence at the Women’s’ and Children’s’ Ministry Center - Tecumseh – Nate told members that this program is joint with the Morning Club and the Tecumseh Rotary club and consist of erecting a vinyl fence at the Neighbors of Hope Women’s & Children’s Ministry Center in Tecumseh adjacent to Herrick Hospital (formerly the old Herrick Manor Nursing Home). Power equipment is being donated. Posts, Nate said, will have to be set first and then the other pieces can be added. Nate will also be contacting the Blissfield and Clinton clubs to assist as well. More info coming. Kathy Williams, A NOH board members said that Tecumseh Plywood is assisting and we could start as early as June 23rd. The official Open House, she said, is tentatively scheduled for the last week in July and that people can begin to arrive in August prior to the start of another school year. The center will house up to 56 people.
Mud Hens Game – The Adrian Morning Rotary Club has again extended an invitation to join them on Friday, August 9 to go to a Mud Hen’s game. Tickets are $33@ and include the ticket to the game and a meal. Should you be interested in going, please contact Yours Truly. If you want to car pool, let me know that as well.
Upcoming Programs:
June 27 – Changeover Dinner at Gage’s – NO REGULAR MEETING THAT AFTERNOON
July 4 – NO MEETING
July 11 – PE Nelson – Committee Goals
July 18 – Dr. Julie Yaroch – New ProMedica Hospital & Y
July 25 – Mary Martin – Hope Center
August 1 -
August 8 -
August 15 – DG John Chambers – Official Visit
DATES TO REMEMBER
June 25 – Coffee Talk – Cindy announced this event that will take place at SHU at the McLaughlin Center Room 206 from 7:30am – 9am. It is an opportunity to help celebrate their 100th anniversary and learn about the educational opportunities available at SHU. Please contact Mary Roberts at 517-264-7189 / mroberts@sienaheights.edu to RSVP..
June 25 – Meet the Governor Night in Harrow
June 27 – Annual Changeover Dinner – At the Gage mansion at Loch Erin. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! If you do not pay your meals in advance, please pay Rhonda in advance. A sign-up sheet was passed around as those attending were asked to bring an appetizer or dessert.
Guests: PDG Sue Goldsen, Aaron Hacker – guest of Mark Murray; Matt Swartzlander.
2018-19 RI President Barry Rassin wants Rotary members to Be the Inspiration
Rassin, a member of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, unveiled the 2018-19 presidential theme, Be the Inspiration, to incoming district governors at Rotary’s International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA. “I want you to inspire in your clubs, your Rotarians, that desire for something greater. The drive to do more, to be more, to create something that will live beyond each of us.”
PDG Sue Goldsen officially introduced our speaker today, Steve Ahles, who is past president of the Southgate Rotary Club and will be District 6400’s Membership Chair in 2019-20. The committee exists, Steve said, to “help strengthen Rotary”.
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Launch Lenawee Update – Mary Murray gave members a nice update on this Rotary-sponsored program saying that she was grateful for the support of our club for the program and thanked those members who served as mentors and especially Dave Maxwell from the Adrian Morning Club for all he has done to help make this program a success. The first round of participants were graduated last October. On May 22nd, the next wave of prospective entrepreneurs (10) entered the program and began attending classes. She said that there are 4 specific components to Launch Lenawee: Education (Fast Track Program), Networking, Mentorship and Micro Loans. Mary thanked Theresa Soto who has started serving as a host for the program. Along with mentors Nate Smith and Yours Truly and Nelson Douglass who was very helpful working with one of the participants on a financing issue. Mary encouraged anyone who wanted to to stop by any Wednesday evening (5:15pm-8pm) to get an idea what prospective business owners participating in the program are learning!.png)
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