Membership challenge #2: say yes

Ask any long-time Eagles volunteer how they started volunteering and they’ll tell you the same story.

It goes like this:

“I joined with no intention of getting involved. Then one day someone asked me to help out in the kitchen/help decorate the banquet room/join the ritual team/sell raffle tickets. It just went from there.”

The three key words here: someone asked me. If you’re an active Eagle aerie or auxiliary, it’s your story too.

We’re a volunteer-run organization and all of us have the same problem. We don’t have enough volunteers.

We get deluged with suggestions for wonderful activities we could try for social or fundraising activities. They’ll improve bar revenues, attract younger members, improve our standing in the community, and increase our charity contributions.

As great as these ideas are, the people suggesting them are preaching to the choir. We have the same question every time: who’ll do it?

In my aerie Toronto 2311 every single aerie officer is also heavily involved in at least one other regular activity. In London 4060 aerie meetings a motion to launch a new activity is considered out of order unless it comes with names of the people who will actually take on responsibility for making it happen. In Sault Ste Marie 3991 (where I’m a dual member) I hear members complain that they get the same officers year after year – members who aren’t themselves willing to serve.

Here’s the response at its most basic: if all you can think of is to serve a spaghetti dinner, put on a spaghetti dinner. If that’s still all you can think of, put on another spaghetti dinner – but have different people prepare it. I’ve never heard anyone say “I don’t want spaghetti because I’ve eaten it before”.

I promise you, once you have enough people experienced at spaghetti dinners someone will suggest roast beef.

Building a volunteer base is easier than you might think. All it takes is a willingness to listen and to take the time with people.

The best piece of advice I’ve heard in 35 years as an Eagle came from Honorary Past Grand Worthy President Robert Wahls at this year’s New York State Convention. He’s a past Grand Aerie Secretary and comes from one of the biggest and most successful aeries anywhere, Carlisle Pennsylvania. New York State asks for him to be their Grand Aerie representative every Convention.

Bob said, in part, “if someone asks you if they can help say yes. If you can’t think of something for them to do, give them your job and you find something else to do.”

It’s that important to involve someone new.

Bob had more to say. “New members always ask if they can help. If you don’t say yes right there and then, they won’t come back to you.

“Most people don’t volunteer on their own, but if you ask someone to do something they’re capable of doing, most people will say yes. Ask.”

In my aerie Walter Kato was asked nearly 40 years ago to install Christmas lights in the banquet room. He’s 80 now and still installs those lights. John Talman calls the numbers for Bar Bingo, as he has for 15 years. I don’t think he’s missed a single Friday. He’s 72. Georgina Williams runs a meat roll every second Saturday afternoon, and has for years at the Eagles and at the Naval Club before that. She’s 86.

We have the same people running our darts, shuffleboard and pool leagues as we have for years. Our President is serving his fourth term.

Imagine how close we might be to serious trouble.

Here are five ways to get to yes.
1. Ask a nonmember to join you to help out next time you have something to do at the Eagles, or are participating in something they’d like. If they come along, you’ve got their undivided attention while you introduce them to other members and tell them how much you enjoy being an Eagle. Have an application form ready.
2. On the night of a new member initiation, forget about socializing with Eagles you’ve known for years. Your mission is to invest time with those new members, especially if they’re sitting alone, and introducing them to others. When they express an interest in an activity take them to the person doing it, and say the new person is interested. Get a commitment for a specific day, a specific task.
3. When you need help, don’t look first to the bar; look for someone sitting alone, new member or long-timer. No matter how long they've been around, you might be the first person to take a genuine interest.
4. Jot down a list ahead of time of simple tasks people could do to start getting involved. Don’t approach people who've done it for years, they’ll find their own way there. Go to people who aren’t involved and find something on your list you can ask them to help with.
5. Keep asking. Grand Madam Trustee Gloria Williams made this point at the Eastern Canada Regional Conference. She knew a capable but uninvolved new member and approached her with one thing or another from time to time. She finally became involved after four years and remains one of her auxiliary’s most active members. It’s worth taking the time and making the effort.

Next membership challenge post: ask people to stay.