MERLOT What does it mean?

MERLOT

being an acronym for

Membership, Expansion, Retention, and Leadership, Orientation and Training.

Your District this year has built up a strong team to promote all elements of MERLOT and encourage all members to participate in gaining membership and more importantly having gained new members, KEEPING THEM. Encourage them to learn and develope so that all are able to get a sense of achievement from what they have done no matter how small that maybe.

As individuals we do little. Together we work miracles.

World wide the emphasis is now on the retention of our existing membership and trying to stem the flow of our numbers sliding out the back door so to speak. Granted members dying is one area that is impossible to stop, but the rest can be stemmed with care and thought. What I now ask is that you take a little time out to read this post in its entirety. You will learn something from it.

LIONS CLUB Membership Committee: The Winning Formula.

Duties of the club membership committee.

To Select, Recruit, and Retain members.

Depending on the size of the club, its organisation and the members available, a properly constituted Membership Committee will attend to the following duties:

First Year Committee Member will serve as the Chairman of the Attendance Committee.

Second Year Committee Member will serve as the Vice Chairman of the membership Committee, and Chairman of the Program Committee.

Third Year Committee Member will serve as the Chairman of the Membership Committee and as Membership Director on the Clubs Board of Directors.

The Membership Director shall report to the Board of Directors on the following.

1. Membership Development.
2. Club Attendance.
3. Club Programming.

Club Membership Committee, 1st Year: Chairman of the Attendance Committee.

• Watches for any weakness within the club: member interaction, cliques, costs, meals, disenchantment between members, boredom, new motivation.
• Organises programs to boost meeting attendances.
• Takes an active interest in the continuing development of newly inducted Lions
• Contacts all non attending Lions within 48 hours of a meeting in an effort to give a sense of caring.
• Advises persons invited to join the exact nature of their likely financial and time commitments.
• Speaks with all prospective members and confidentially passes on recommendations to the Board.
• Ensures the club recognises in a pre-arranged manner personal matters such as birthdays, special anniversaries, special achievements, births, family sickness or bereavement.
• Arranges for the appropriate honouring of Charter Members, Monarchs and 100% attendance/service when they become due.
• Supervises and encourages Club participation in regular new member programs and International membership programs. This may be achieved via Zone or Regional liaison.
• Maintain and up to date list of prospective members.
• Provide the President and Bulletin Editor with the names of Lions who have missed meeting so suitable acknowledgement can be made.

Club Membership Committee, 2nd Year: Chairman of the Program Committee & Vice Chairman of Membership Committee.

• Creates program for dinner meetings in consultation with President.
• Arranges for appropriate guest speakers and obtains relevant information on the speaker and subject matter for inclusion in the Bulletin.
• Ensures that all members are actively involved during the course of Dinner Meeting, or that agenda items be rotated amongst members each meeting.
• Provide "Thank You" certificates for the guest speakers together with a folder/envelope with Lions fact sheets and club contact details.
• Organises appropriate seating for visitors and guest speakers.
• Assist with greeting all members and guests.

Club Membership Committee 3rd Year: Chairman of the membership Committee & Membership Director on the Board of Directors.

• Assist the Club President in inducting new members with a dignified and impressive ceremony.
• Ensures all membership paperwork is completed and received and any joining fees are are made prior to induction.
• Arranges name badge, certificate and new members kit for the induction night.
• Promotes the Key Membership Programme.