GFWC/Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs

Membership

 

 

Chairman: Rose Logston

Junior Chairman: Linda Crish

Juniorette Chairman: Rita Hall

 

District Chairmen:

Lake Erie               Cherie MacArthur

Northeast              Dawn Burns

Northwest              Sharon Franklin

Southeast              Stephanie Rouse

Southwest             Melva Allstatter and Darlene Gray

 

 

Tis the Season to get on board our Membership!

 

Membership retaining and recruiting will no longer focus on ACT in OCT but be an every season project. No matter what time of the year, club members can find a “reason” for the “season” to retain and recruit.

 

GFWC is encouraging member clubs to join their “Seasons” membership campaigns then report your successes at the end of each season. See the GFWC Manual or go to <www.gfwc.org> for specific details, great ideas for your campaigns, and many helpful guides. Seasons Campaign results should be reported to GFWC by the following due dates:

FALL - Rake in New Members - September/October/November - reported to GFWC by December 1

WINTER - Flurry of Members - December/January/February - reported to GFWC by March 1

SPRING - Growing Members - March/April/May - reported to GFWC by June 1

SUMMER - Warm-up with Members - June/July/August - reported to GFWC by September 1

 

Goal:  Each club conduct a SWOT Analysis with all members to review the club’s recruitment Strengths,   Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Know where you are and then plan where you want to go.

 

Emphasis for GFWC Ohio: Each club should evaluate their club structure and their membership then strive to make the most of the time members can allocate to volunteering. It has been proven our best advertisement is a happy and fulfilled member so we must give our members tools they need to get all the benefits of Federation membership.

 

When your club gets better participation for a project than a meeting then it is time to ask some questions about how your time is spent in club meetings, are you making the most of your time together and being as productive as possible?  Some strategies for streamlining and perhaps making your meetings more meaningful include:

  • Have an agenda and if possible send it to members before the meeting (have extra copies for those that didn’t get it or didn’t bring it) so they can be prepared plus it helps keep the meeting on track
  • Publish chairmen reports in the club newsletter prior to the meeting for members’ review including possible projects to be discussed
  • Provide previous meeting minutes and current financial reports in the club’s monthly newsletter for review before the meeting – invite members to make proposed corrections to the minutes to the secretary before the meeting and ask any questions about the financial reports to the treasurer before the meeting
  • Try some interactive programs where members can actually get involved in making something such as putting together personal bags for Domestic Violence victims including children or perhaps floral arrangements or wreath making 
  • Try holding the social time either before or after the meeting to allow members the flexibility to make a choice of how best to manage their time*
  • Allocate specific times for the program and the business session and then try to stay on time
  • If you see the need and it is possible offer babysitting services perhaps for a nominal fee (this is a great opportunity to get some young ladies interested in a Juniorette club or if you already have a Juniorette club then it could be a project for them
  • Plan your meetings focusing on a special day or event in that month like Heart Health in February using “YOU are the Heart of Federation” and Women’s History Month, Random Acts of Kindness Week, and celebrating April’s Federation Day with a GFWC Membership Matters program - there is a complete list in the GFWC Manual but one of your GFWC Ohio team members suggested using something like;

                October--Don't be "Afraid" to Volunteer

                         November--Giving Thanks for our Volunteers

 

There are all kinds of ways to celebrate your GFWC membership and share it with others in your community just check out the Membership section of the GFWC Manual.

 

Plan to participate in the Nationwide Pajama Party for GFWC members and supporters. Members and friends will donate a pair of pajamas or sleep wear for Domestic Violence victims in shelters across America.

 

Goal:  Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals for recruitment – Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Specific.

Goal: For 2010 reporting year - each club retain their current members and have a net gain of TEN PERCENT

          For 2011 reporting year - each club retain their 2010 reported members and have a net gain of

TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT

When the community knows who you are and what you do recruitment is much easier so wear your GFWC logo whenever and wherever you are involved with the community.

There are some things you can do to help a new member be a happy member – here are some suggestions:

  • Hold an initiation ceremony so they know, right away, your club values their choice to give their time and talents to your club
  • Conduct a new member orientation so the members have a clear understanding of the club, our organization, what they are expected to do and the kind of time that might be involved – make sure they are aware they are a part of something big –GFWC - and along with their commitment comes opportunities
  • Evaluate their talents and interests – then find something meaningful in the club for them to get involved in so they will feel like a useful member of the team
  • Assign each new member a mentor who can answer questions and guide the new member
  • Establish and maintain good communication with the new member so they feel included from the start
  • Encourage members to sign up for the GFWC News and Notes to get the latest information and have a member designated to share the news at the club meeting

 

Use the above methods on your current members too plus schedule a evaluation meeting at least once a year and provide comfortable ways for members to share their ideas and opinions. We need all the team players to be in the game or on board our “Member”ship!

Recognize and Reward your members – let them know their efforts are appreciated.   You can use certificates, plaques, GFWC logo items from the Marketplace, and the Gold pin for members serving 50 years and the Silver pin for members serving 25 years.

Recruitment should be acknowledged through the Red, White, and Blue Star Recruitment Pins. See the Individual Recruitment Form elsewhere in this Directory and you can send in the names of the members recruited all at once or send them one at a time. This award is cummulative and records are being maintained by the GFWC Ohio Membership Chairman.

Your GFWC and GFWC Ohio Membership team is ready and willing to assist you with any of your membership issues so please don’t hesitate to ask. 

*Some ideas and/or suggestions in these pages were taken from an article written by Gail LeShane, a 2008-2010 GFWC Membership Committee Member and Patrice Booze 2008-2012 GFWC Membership Chairman

Please read the Membership Program section in the GFW C Club Manual/Disc for complete details on programs, projects and resources.

 

Add links to membership forms here

 

 

Information on other GFWC/Ohio Community Service Programs and Committees
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