Growing the Altrusa Spirit...Harvesting Ideas!

How is your garden growing? It is mid to late summer and you are probably starting to reap the rewards of that spring planting by harvesting fragrant flowers and tasty produce. What did you do to reap these benefits? Plan your garden?  Prepare your pots and soil? Choose just the right fertilizer, seeds, and plants?  Did you tend your garden faithfully by weeding, fertilizing, and watering? Are you having FUN in your garden, and, did you already start your plans for the next growth season?

I love gardening and would rather play in the “dirt” outside than have to clean out the “dirt” inside! As I write this article, it is early morning. The water is already on in the garden. My garden doesn’t mind that I was still in my night shirt. The morning dishes are still waiting for me to clear them away. But, I love taking care of my garden so that the bees can do their job while the birds sing their morning songs. They, too, get fed regularly!

Altrusa membership growth depends on the same careful tending. Not only do we need to be mindful about growing our numbers, but we need to be nurturing and mentoring our membership. More than ever, your community depends on your willingness to serve. Membership in Altrusa provides a great foundation for you to tend to your community needs, much like tending your garden. 

Find the membership drive activity that fits your area and assess your community needs to find the right service project. Most importantly, have FUN nurturing your membership so that it can keep the weeds out and grow.

I invite each of the 28 clubs in District Twelve to send a minimum of one example of an existing project or a new idea (More would be great!). As I receive your ideas, they will be posted to this link. Send your membership recruitment experiences and ideas to chrisconnerly@yahoo.com . 

Here are a few “borrowed” (Exchange Club Walla Walla) ideas to grow your membership:

• Membership Drive with a Grand Prize to be awarded to the lucky winner. Every time that you bring a new member into the club, your name will be entered into a “pot” for a special drawing at the end of your fiscal year (May 30^th). If you have only one winner, the more people you sponsor into the club, the better your chances are of having your name drawn from the pot. Each club can come up with their own prize idea.  In Exchange Club, we will have two different trip options with the value of $500.00.
• Another twist – Every time you bring a guest, your name will be entered for a monthly prize drawing. Also, you can get your name in that by attending all of your program and business meetings. If you meet twice a month, then you need to attend both times to get your name entered. Bring a guest and you can get your name entered again! Prizes can be what you want them to be. Local business coupons, wine, and BBQ dinners are always great. Since it is HARVEST TIME, how about some local produce or homemade jam. Wow!  What FUN!

You get the picture now. Happy Harvesting!

District Twelve Club Activity Summary Report

Chris Connerly, Second Vice Governor

THANK YOU! Thank you for taking the time to fill out the Club Activity Report and Review for the Long Range/Strategic Plan. Altrusa’s Long Range/Strategic Plan contains goals that are directly related to the work of all Altrusa Clubs: 

• Membership Growth – recruitment, retention, orientation, new clubs
• Service – projects, fundraising, collaborative projects, awards
• Member Benefits – planning, leadership development, personal satisfaction
• Image – internal and external communication

The District Twelve Board of Directors applauds your Club for completing this lengthy report. In doing so, you have taken an in depth look at what your club has accomplished in the above areas and what you can do in the future. 

Just to let you know, you listed numerous ideas to help us grow District Twelve membership. You also suggested great topics and ideas for future conferences. Most importantly, you shared your intimate thoughts on how International and District could be of more help to District Twelve Clubs.

Be assured that your District Twelve Board of Directors is listening to your suggestions and is doing its utmost to serve and lead in the District along with you.  As Zaida Perez-Mendez said...

Remember – We are “Embracing the World” as Leaders in Service!

Some statistics, comments, and suggestions offered by the 16 of the 28 District Twelve clubs who submitted the 2007 District Twelve Club Activity Report are listed below: (These comments were kept in tact to maintain message integrity.)

·         Approximately 29,551 total Community Service Hours

·         Approximately 18,599 total Members Service Hours

·         Approximately 28,336 Other Volunteer Hours

Membership goals of your District’s Clubs: