| Is there a secret to increasing membership? We asked Region H Director, Harry Dollarhide for his opinion on this subject.
Why has Region H growth been in the positive the first nine months of 2009? I told Joan it was because the Region Director was tall, dark and handsome. She replied “That dog won’t hunt.” So I guess I would have to say it’s a happy convergent of hard work paying off and good fortune.
The Hard Work.
- All Members of the Region staff are team players who work hard on their program, and still find time to be a TEAM for the Region business. With every one pitching in and several Members wearing two or more hats, we “accomplish more”.
- A culmination of eight years of bringing LDT back to life in the Region. The Region H LDT Trainer, Dale Wingrove, has transformed the program that is essential for the growth of Officers, and Members’ training is now available and widespread in the Region.
- Four years of growing Rider Education to the point that we have almost reached our goal of having enough instructors available to present range courses and seminars throughout the Region. We now have a Rider Education Master Instructor Trainer in the Region and recently completed our first Rider Course Instructor Certification Program, resulting in four new Trike Instructors. Three Districts conduct annual Rider Education Weekends, offering a wide range of Rider Education classes.
- Four of the five District Directors are seasoned veterans. The fifth is off to a great start. They are very solid proactive managers who lead with FUN in mind. They also have mature experienced staff at the Districts.
The Good Fortune
- Having the 2009 Wing Ding in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was good fortune. I believe the Region, and in particular the Oklahoma District, received a boost in recruiting and retention from the positive publicity. Wing Ding in Tulsa also served as a rallying event, bringing the entire Region into a volunteer mode. We honestly had more volunteers than we could use at times. Members across the Region wanted to help and be part of Wing Ding. They were proud to host the event.
- We have an active “graybeard” element that is a great resource at both the Region and District levels. These experienced Members have or are serving on numerous levels of GWRRA. We are fortunate and proud to have this experience to draw on, and they are great mentors at all levels in Region H.
Harry R. Dollarhide
|
