Capital District Growth Team members for Delmarva Region, Rose Poole, Jeff Tull, and Rosemary Cummings kept a busy pace during November and December visiting the Clubs in Delmarva. After the October meeting with Gov Riley, Gov-E Ganse, Trustee Rudy and the Lt. Governors, they contacted Club Presidents to schedule presentations of the DVD, "Closing the Back Door". At regular Club meetings, the Team showed the DVD and facilitated discussion with Club members about ways to enhance meetings, projects, and service to attract new members and retain current members. In every visit, the Club members were already actively seeking ways to Grow their Clubs. The Dover Club visit was really about the Team learning their strategy to bring in new members - they had recently approved three and had two pending new members and their goal this year was to increase membership to 50. The secret to their success is asking and then orienting the new members. They formally inducted nine new approved members December 19 at their Christmas Party. Wilmington had one member waiting for his induction at the meeting and several recent new members talked about the projects assigned to them. They had a job. Georgetown Club members discussed ways to recruit new members and to communicate better with both their members and the media. Their enthusiasm evidenced as they volunteered to call members for meetings and made plans to meet local school administrators to start SLP activities at the elementary and high school. Just this action could take them from a 25% Service club to 100% Service. Just as the DVD mentions, the most difficult issues facing Rehoboth Beach Kiwanis Club are aging members, attracting retired community members to help with SLPs, and getting employed members to join and participate in meetings. Rehoboth has lunch and dinner meetings to encourage attendance of members and SLP members. Elkton Club has a recruitment plan ready to go with a goal of ten new members this year. Their Club shows a strong tradition of receiving awards and recognizing member achievements. As leaders, in sponsoring nine SLPs, they have several teachers as new members and prospective members. Chincoteague had several new members in attendance and found the information helpful for getting volunteers to work their projects. After the Holidays, Chincoteague plans to work in building a New Club at nearby Captain’s Cove.

Pictured upper left are Growth Team Members Jeff Tull, Shirley Dennis and Rosemary Cummings. Upper right is Growth Team Member Rose Poole (far left) working with the Elkton, MD club.

Some lessons the Team learned. Have a New Member goal each year; appoint a Chair for New Member Orientation; use creativity to meet Dues Problems (bill quarterly or collect happy dollars); encourage all members, not just the officers, to attend Training sessions; make Meetings fun; and have Socials or other activities to make sure new members get to know the other Club members. The Team plans to visit the remaining Clubs during January, before the MidWinter Conference. While we traveled many miles, the results are not in yet, but the enthusiasm, and number of prospective members bodes well for Delmarva. Jack White sent Growth Team members in all Regions the DVD. Based on the Delmarva experience, Club visitations are an effective way to stimulate interest and a new way to take stagnant clubs to a new level in Kiwanis with new members and new projects. We encourage the Growth Team members in all Regions to visit as a Team and report their successes. Pictured left Growth Team Member Tull and Cummings with Georgetown President Dennis. Pictured in upper right is Growth Team Member Poole with Elkton Club.