21
Revised 8/2016
Membership Committee (continued)
Standing Committees of a Ruritan Club
(continued)
Sample Letter of Invitation
Type a version of the letter of invitation below on club sta-
tionery. Don’t forget to replace the the name, time, date, and
place (in bold below) with your information.
Growth & Development
Assistance is Available
Organizing a new club can be a difficult task.
Don’t let the opportunity to build a new club
slip away from your Ruritan club. The Ruritan
National Office has resources that can help you in
your Growth & Development mission. Growth &
Development Kits are available:
Ruritan National
5451 Lyons Road
P.O. Box 487, Dublin, VA 24084
toll free (877) 787-8727
FAX (540) 674-2304
For additional assistance in forming new clubs or
recruiting members, contact your zone governor,
district governor, and/or the district growth and
development chair.
Dear
Prospective Member
,
The members of the
Sample
Ruritan Club extend
to you a special invitation to our next meeting. Please
come and enjoy our meal, fellowship, and program.
We will meet at (
time
), (
place
), (
date
).
I hope you will accept our invitation to attend and
participate in future programs vital to making our com‑
munity a better place to live. You will receive the reward
of satisfaction from helping and share the friendship of
other responsible community leaders.
We look forward to having you as our guest and
sharing our Ruritan fellowship with you.
Sincerely,
Ima Ruritan
Ima Ruritan
Sample
Ruritan Club President
Sample Ruritan Club
Anytown, USA 99999
Club
Helpful Suggestions
Membership Retention
1. Absent members
should be notified that they were
missed soon after the meeting. A telephone call or short
note will do.
2. Absent members should be contacted and apprised
of
their situation prior to being dropped. There may be jobs,
sickness, or other factors causing them to miss the meetings.
3. Make‑up meetings should be encouraged.
4. Members may be placed on leave of absence
up to one
year or may be made
at‑large member
indefinitely with
annual status review by club.
5. Offer associate memberships
to members who seem to
be unable to make regular meetings.
Silent Salesman
Donate your extra or old copies of the RURITAN magazine
to your library, doctor’s office, or other public places. Attach a
note about your local Ruritan club (your name, giving meeting
dates, meeting place, and your telephone number.)
Setting Your Membership Goals
1. How many members would you like to have at your
monthly meeting?
2. How many members do you need to complete your com-
munity service programs?
3. Would more members make serving your community
easier? Would it make conducting fundraisers easier?
4. What number will you need will determine your goal?
Club Sponsoring a Club
1.
The club president should explain at a club meeting
that the club should assist in organizing a new Ruritan
club.
2. After a discussion, club members should vote to spon-
sor the new club.
3. President appoints a Growth and Development Com-
mittee (a small committee, generally best with two mem-
bers) with the president serving as ex-officio member.
4. Club members assist the Growth and Development
Committee by identifying key contacts in nearby com-
munities.
5. The club’s Growth and Development Committee will
select the community in which to organize a new club.
6. Members will assist the Growth and Development
Committee by contacting community leaders, explaining
Ruritan, and/or inviting acquaintances from the selected
community to visit the club meeting as guests.