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The Big Retreat at Port Ludlow
Three major topics were discussed in breakout sessions: Membership, Fellowship, and the 5-Year Plan. All those attending were divided into three groups, with each group rotating to allow partipation in all three breakouts. Following is a summary of the results for the:
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Don Deasy
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5-Year Plan Breakout Session
Moderated by Don Deasy
1. Number of Members: Generally speaking there seems to be agreement with the proposed gradual growth (a few participants would prefer status quo, but that was very much the small minority report).
A. Net gains of 5 per year would get us to the 145-150 level within the next five years. Universally the growth objective was accompanied by these qualifiers:
1) Retaining what we have now in the way of culture (fun, energetic, lively, and creative).
2) Members are involved and active in the club.
3) Assuring that there is no reduction in the quality of the members we bring in.
B. Consideration needs be given to increased diversity of our membership beyond just “tokenism”
C. BBRC should support other expansion of Rotary within the region, perhaps by offering/providing help to other existing clubs. Some expressed interest in sponsoring a new club.
D. Consideration of how to accommodate the “wind-down” status of long term active members now entering retirement and attendant income and life style changes (travel, snowbirds etc.)
2. RI Annual Giving: Believe there was an acceptance of the $150 target for PH and the one time $150-$200 for completion of PolioPlus. Concern that increased demand or push for growing Annual RI contributions might have adverse impact on other areas more important to the Club.
A. Giving is easier when members understand and are able to develop an emotional attachment to the cause. Much of RI giving is broad-based and distant.
B. We should have a five year plan to make International projects available to more members, to include strategies to be the recipient of matching grants.
C. Use “Club Goal” and the attendant “average per member” approach so that there is flexibility to accommodate the varied financial capacities of our members.
3. BBRC Endowment: It is clear that clearer objectives, goals, and purpose for this are needed. Then, against that backdrop, strategies to build the Endowment need to be developed. Most felt that the $150,000 objective was too low if the endowment is to have much impact. A question as to whether or not the Endowment should be part of the individual annual giving requests or simply funded through bequests and the 10% from the Club’s other fundraising activities was sufficient. A “5-Year Plan” is definitely needed.
4. Giving Requests Generally: In the course of discussing the RI annual giving and the BBRC Endowment, the following thoughts regarding giving generally were heard and deemed noteworthy:
A. Remember that giving done through BBRC is usually an add-on to a members charitable giving.
B. Find a way to minimize the number, frequency, and duration of giving solicitations (let’s not wear out our welcome in pursuit of giving commitments).
C. Let’s make it real easy for folks by incorporating giving pledges into our billing system. Sign up once for those annual commitments and then have the option to pay up front or have them incorporated in quarterly billing system.
D. Have one campaign a year to gain commitments for all annual giving and concentrate the drum beating to that period.
E. On the quarterly billings. break out meal cost as a separate line item from Club dues. That would accommodate changes by host facility on an easily explained basis, separate from Club dues.
F. Seek an acceptable balance between dues levels and extra charge activities
G. Facilitate and actively seek Corporate Matching Dollar awards on any qualifying giving.
H. Consider introduction of “BBRC Society” or some such recognition program which would be the local giving version of the Paul Harris Fellowships. A way to encourage and recognize giving at the BBRC level.
5. Fund Raising: Generally speaking Members seem to think that the current Golf Tourney and Raffle approach to fundraising is very sound and wouldn’t change it until it faltered. Some thoughts expressed to grow and or improve the results were:
A. Seek additional, high profile venues (Safeco, Emerald Downs, new football stadium, etc.). These provide more opportunities for growing membership to participate and also are worthwhile from a public relations standpoint for both our club and Rotary, generally). They are also needed to help those who don’t have letter-writing audiences to sell tickets to.
B. Growing the revenues realized can come in several other ways as well:
1) Expanded membership.
2) Softly moving up the minimum targets and average realized per club member.
3) Continuing to increase the Golf Tourney contribution by tapping some upsides available there (corporate and outside help), while not taking away from the wonderful flavor of the event.
Generally speaking, the biggest room for improvement in most of our activity is to keep it simple and make it easy for the members to participate.
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