SDG Len Hao
MDC Vice Chairman
Every organization has a committee that focuses on a specific membership goal. Such is the Membership Development Committee (MDC) of RI District 3810 led by Past District Governor Lyne Abanilla. We are a group of Rotarian Past Presidents who were appointed to voluntarily work for membership functions. Entrusted by our District Governor Robert Koa to be in charge of the legislative-like process, MDC monitors ongoing operations in membership suitable for an evaluation to every club membership’s development and progress including retention that needs more concentration and an in depth action.
MDC continues to innovate planned actions and strategies to enhance programs to suit for each year. To be part of the MDC is a tough challenge in attracting and engaging volunteers who are willing to give their time, talent and treasure. We encourage every club to adhere to RI President Shekhar Mehta’s challenge to BRING ONE, EACH ONE. It may not literally mean to double our membership count but extending the invitations to our valued friends and families who we think is best to be part of the Rotary.
Sharing awareness is important as appreciation comes from knowing. We add prestige to our organization if we share our Rotary experiences and what Rotary does to the community. By sharing that we proudly belong to the best humanitarian organization, we can invite quality members to join us and help us in bringing forth the good name of what Rotary is and what it does. Serving humanity and humbly above self like our motto “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” is a realistic challenge on who to invite and why we must retain our longtime serving and valued Rotarians to an optimum level.
Every member is important as the life of our organization of volunteers. Having thrived for 115 years with 1.2 million Rotarians, more than 500 districts and 35,000 clubs worldwide, there is a more pressing challenge to continually grow as we believe that “more members means more hands” to serve and support the Rotary Foundation.
MDC shares our initiatives to grow more so we can do more. Membership addition is not all about invitations and campaigning, but we campaign through our actions. We campaign for the Rotary’s core values and practice. We lead by example and we encourage every member to be a role model. No other words can be uttered best in attracting new and prospective members qualified to join with the image and actions the way we live as a Rotarian.
The MDC’s first handbook shared entitled “The ABCs of Rotary Prior To Oath Taking” is part of our initial offering. We thank each and every club together with clubs from other districts who appreciated and made use of it. We give thanks to the Life Changing Presidents and Club Membership Directors for following the guidelines set by the MDC and supported its rightful operations. We thus transformed and changed for the better future of Rotary membership.
The launching of MDC’s second handbook entitled “Member Retention Strategies” is scheduled on November 7 at the Tierra Verde Ecofarm and Resort in Maragondon, Cavite. It is an in-person training and fellowship for the club presidents and membership directors. It is also open to club members who wish to join. The huge open park with lots of trees to gives us fresh oxygen which is deemed safe with strict protocol to observe. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Cavite East led by Life Changing President Chito Bognot, this is another shared initiative of the Membership Development Committee which everyone is waiting for.