SDG Len Hao
MDC Vice Chair
Dreams planned and worked for are the ones we can achieve as the realization of a planned goal is always through its action. On top of individual’s busy schedule and the limitations brought about by the pandemic uncertainties, the Membership Development Committee (MDC) led by our Chairman Past District Governor Lyne Abanilla has successfully achieved what we planned for.
The idea of being innovative in the presentation of our second handbook entitled “Membership Retention Strategies” is welcomed by awesome appreciation. Instead of the usual long text articles to read, we come up with the idea of making it like a magazine that is very interesting to read. From simple cartoon stick people with a speech balloon, we use the faces of the whole MDC Team and converted it via an application called viola. We asked some questions and gave a guided answer. It’s our way to share information with entertainment and as my gratitude to all members of our team to make it as our souvenir for the year we served best. The energy and effort of the MDC Team show how we value our organization to maintain its prestige and how we value the position entrusted to us by our District Governor. With the kind of support Governor Robert Koa gives, we work with our names on the table and always looking forward on the next offering we can give.
Retention has always been a global problem to any organization and a humanitarian organization such as Rotary International is never spared. We are all volunteers in the first place with the kind of a volunteer status that is very different from others. It is a challenge to make a member stay and this comes from its root we call “our club.” The strength of membership retention should definitely come from the club. Taking care of every member’s confidence to what a club does, to how members are cared for and to how they meet their expectations will make them stay.
With the use of our second handbook prescribed and with the help of the Club Health Check, it is possible to achieve a high retention rate. MDC holds its strong faith that our handbook can help in the retention of Rotarians from the 111 and 4 satellite clubs we have. Our district membership remains strong with a very few membership termination as of this date. It is no longer the financial difficulties as the top reason but with the untimely demise of Rotarians we lost from the COVID 19 disease. We appreciate all club efforts in making their members engaged, inspired and enjoy their membership that makes them ‘not just stay but active’ in every endeavor.
The MDC has its focus on these factors and so we thought of launching our second handbook via an in-person Training with Fun Fellowship. It was successfully attended by over a hundred Rotarians held last November 7 at the Tierra Verde Ecofarm in Maragondon Cavite. The program started with the registration with Zumba dancing as a warm up exercise while waiting for others and followed by a guided tour around the ecofarm. The truckload of unli buko sponsored by the host club was a delight with the cheese bread topped with salted egg as our snack refreshed us from the tour. The launching took place at the open convention hall with our MDC Retention Head Past President Rolando “Rolly” Tiongco as the presenter. The brief presentation worked as planned with our speaker’s expertise and was followed by the distribution of handbooks to all Life Changing Presidents and Membership Directors present.
As promised, the brief training course was enjoined by fun games and lots of surprises. The excitement was too high as it involves physical activities like running to and fro sites for the “bring me” items, the dance and a runaway walk with their Rotary’s favorite motto. 82 prizes were given away from the Rotary Club of Cavite East, the RCC of Dasmariñas Cavite, LCP Cynthia “Chai” Mercado of RC Rosario and from Smart Communications. The fun fellowship day ended with the grand salo salo from almost all Rotarians who attended, with the packed lunch, native lechon, teriyaki fish and pork blood stew with puto.
On behalf of the MDC Team, I would like to thank each and every one who attended and appreciated the MDC efforts. The day ended happily with the very admiring support from the Rotary Club of Cavite East headed by LCP Luis “Chito” Bognot as our host club partner.
Special thanks to the MDC Team, to Governor Robert and spouse Arlene, ExeCom members and other district officers present, Club Membership Directors and other Rotarians and to the Life Changing Presidents of District 3810.
