President

October 2009 Jake's Presidents Corner

The Second R in the 3R's of Membership

Now that you have players on your board, it’s time to keep the game moving. After recruitment the next space is the second R of membership…RETAIN! Increasing membership helps the organization stay strong and avoids risky JENGA moves. By balancing fun and work you can ensure your tower will not collapse. So how do you do this?

Start small by keeping the game fun and inviting. You are encouraged to have snacks, games, and energizers in every meeting.  Another game winning tip might be to do some kind of door-prize drawing to thank members for their efforts and give some cool stuff away. Some other ideas to keep the fun going are planning fun field trips for the chapter. Create a mystery trip by inviting advisers and parents to plan a fun and exciting activity after school. Then members can be sent “CLUES,” during the week to guess the secret location.

Then as you begin work on STAR events, committees, and the many details involved in a successful chapter, you are encouraged to use the rules of the game (Parliamentary Procedure) to keep things in control and running smoothly. It is vital that your secretary and president be on top of the game hearing all motions and issues in play. Also don’t be afraid to set a time limit per speaker. If any questions arise consult Robert’s Rules of Order.

By working hard to keep the game going and players involved you will be furthering the state goals of growing and retaining membership. Remember - every game player counts!