On behalf of the District 5650 Membership Chair, Jill Slupe, the following email is being posted.
 
Click here to open an excel report of membership for all of the Districts in Zone 28 through December 2017. You can view various membership reports for your club using Rotary Club Central at rotary.org.
 
Send questions or comments to membership@rotarydistrict5650.org.
From: Haris Sofradzija <Haris.Sofradzija@rotary.org>
Subject: RMO Membership Update
Date: February 12, 2018 at 5:56:40 PM CST
To: Haris Sofradzija <Haris.Sofradzija@rotary.org>
 
TO: Zones 28/29 District Governors, District Governors-elect, District Governors-nominee, and District Membership Chairs
CC: Zones 28/29 Director, Director-elect, Rotary Coordinators, Assistant Rotary Coordinators, and Rotary Public Image Coordinators
 
Dear District Leaders,
 
Greetings from a snowy Evanston! As we get ready for PETS, I want to share examples of how clubs are implementing satellite clubs, a new enhancement to the Membership Leads platform, and a note about January membership numbers and retention. Please feel free to forward this message to anyone who you think should be aware of this information, including club membership chairs, assistant governors, and other key membership leaders in your district. 
 
How do satellite clubs work?
A satellite is a club within a Rotary club. Starting with 8 members or more, it’s a smart way to help guide provisional club towards chartering as a successful Rotary club. The satellite club meets at a different time and location than the original club, can offer different dues and membership types, and has an entirely different focus than its sponsor club. Satellites can be a great way to try out a new club style or reach a new demographic of prospective members.
 
For example, forming a satellite club with current and former Rotaractors could be a great way to mentor people who are already in the Rotary family. By creating a new club that combines the features young adults love about Rotaract with the benefits of a Rotary club, you can help expand Rotary’s reach in your community.
 
Below are a few examples of how clubs have implemented satellite clubs in their communities:
  • Riverview Resurgo was created to exist and promote a more inclusive New Brunswick and empower future leaders and post photos that show recent events in the community like RYLA Leadership Campo and a curling tournament fundraiser: http://rotaryresurgo.ca/
  • Rotary Satellite Club of South Sacramento Evening provides a detailed description of why their satellite club is an attractive option for members, what they do, the cost to get involved and when and where they meet: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/9125/Page/satellite-club 
  • Rotary Satellite Club of Naperville New Generations offers young, diverse,  professionals  ways to serve their community that meets their time and financial needs: https://www.facebook.com/RotaryNewGEN
  • Rotary Satellite Club of Seoul Young Leaders found an exciting way to attract younger professionals by creating a “convertible membership program” for busy individuals at the age of 36-55 to pay only half of the annual fee and to come only twice a month. Every month there is a formal lunch meeting, one community service event and one informal fellowship night on the town to engage new friends: https://blog.rotary.org/2017/03/24/meet-my-vibrant-club/
Interested in learning more about satellites? Check out the Satellite Club Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
 
Enhancement to the District Membership Leads Page
A district’s Manage Membership Leads page now has a fifth column to the right of the page that shows the club a lead has been assigned to. District leaders have the ability to sort by club name alphabetically or filter leads one club at a time. I’ll continue to share enhancements made to the Membership Leads program as they become available. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions. 
 
District Progress to Goal and Comparison to 1 July Reports
As I mentioned in last month’s email, the end of the calendar year is a time when we normally see a decrease in membership as clubs update their records in advance of the 1 January invoice. We experience this every year, only to begin another cycle of dramatic growth over the next several months with a significant drop leading up to the 1 July club invoice.  As you review the attached December District Progress to Goal and Comparison to 1 July reports, please keep this cycle in mind and let it guide your membership conversations and efforts through the rest of the Rotary year.
 
Membership Resource Guide
The Membership Resource Guide is a resource created specifically to help you quickly find membership resources and publications based on your need. In the attached January edition of the guide, you will find a short description of each resource, a link to the free downloadable pdf on rotary.org and a link to where you can purchase the resource on shop.rotary.org (if available). If you have any questions about the materials listed, please let me know.
 
News from Zones 28/29
In 2010, Anna Ueda left Japan to become a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar at the University of Minnesota, USA. Along with her studies in public policy, Anna took part in a variety of Rotary activities such as community service projects and received valuable advice and encouragement from many Rotarians. The year was full of excitement, surprises, and learning for Anna and became a turning point in her life. Anna recently returned to Minnesota to reconnect with the friends she made in the Rotary clubs of Minneapolis City of Lakes and Edina (both in District 5950). You can read about that visit and the Rotarians that made such an impact on her life in Anna’s recent Rotary Voices blogpost: https://blog.rotary.org/2018/01/18/my-return-to-minneapolis-after-7-years/
 
District Grant Scholarships (for secondary school, undergraduate, or graduate students studying any subject either locally or abroad), Global Grant Scholarships (for graduate students studying abroad in one of the six areas of focus), and Rotary Peace Fellowships (for master’s degrees and professional development certificates in peace and conflict resolution) allow Rotarians to invest in our future leaders and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace. Details on these programs can be found at https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships and https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships. How do the clubs in your districts energize their members and engage their communities through Rotary’s scholarship programs?
 
Kind regards,
 
Haris
...................................
Haris Sofradzija
Regional Membership Officer l Membership Development
Tel +1.847.866.3105