We join the Jaycees so that we can grow as individuals, expand ourselves personally, and to help humanity.  Part of growing ourselves is taking advantage of all the opportunities that we’re presented with in life.  Your membership to our great organization allows you many opportunities to do things that you can only dreamed of. You can drive positive change in your community and around the world. You can help build a park for neighborhood kids, you help fight diseases around the world, and you can meet world leaders and discuss your thoughts on global issues. Since joining the Jaycees in 2004 I’ve had the opportunity to meet people all around the world who are members of this great organization, I’ve had the opportunity see people make these positive changes in their community. I’ve had the opportunity to save hundreds of lives. You can develop your leadership skills further beyond what any collegiate course could offer. I think about how I’ve been given this opportunity to help lead and plot the course of one the largest Jaycee organizations in the world in 2013. The Jaycees give you the tools, the training, and the knowledge to dream and achieve. But you must not limit yourself you can accomplish anything you want. Let me ask you two questions, what do you want to accomplish? & how can we do it together?

Richard Lewis, 2013 Illinois Jaycees Vice President

The Jaycees as you all know by now is more than just a community service organization. Since the founding in 1915 it has held true to its primary purpose of building young leaders to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. In 2013 I will be servicing you as your State Membership Development vice President; the Member Development area encompasses four key components and all them vital. First Recruit since our organization is based on membership requirements it’s important that we replace those that no longer meet our requirements to be members. One of the best ways to end the year positive is to plan on replacing the members who will not meet your chapter’s requirements for membership right away. The second component is Orientation, once a new member joins our organization it is essential that we teach them about what they just joined and how they can make their mark on your chapter and their community. Did you know your Region and state staff can provide assistance with planning and or conducting your training? The third component and my personal favorite is Activation. It’s no secret why people stay in our organization and it certainly no secret why they leave. But we can prevent a large portion of them from doing by getting them involved. On numerous times I’ve seen members for the first time get involved with our organizations at social’s, or local food drives. The fourth component is Retention; did you know the hardest thing do for most of our chapter isn’t just to retain a member it’s to show them the value of continuing their membership in our organization? Each person joined the organization for a different reason then the last. Understanding what they are looking to get out of our organization will help you understand how to retain them. A survey of your membership each year is great start. They don’t have to be lengthy just ask the most important questions. The most important part is the actions they see come out of the survey. Another way is get down and dirty with your members. When I was a local director I was assigned to a group members our chapter considered be at risk for lost during the year. These were members who we were pretty sure we would need to replace throughout the year. I regularly called every one of these members, course I left a lot of messages but I would call anyway, I would send them emails updating them on what happened at the last meeting including anything funny, I would send them birthday card during their birthday’s months and so forth. The whole point is to make them feel as if they were getting a value out of their membership. At the end of the year we were able to retain about 85% of those members. But without any effort or dedication we would have lost 100% of them. In 2013 keep on growing as young leaders, leaving your mark on your communities, and sharing the Jaycees every opportunity you can. But make sure your teaching your members too and getting them all involved in their chapters and together we can all Make Our Mark !!!

Richard Lewis

2013 Illinois Jaycees Membership Development Vice President

Richard.Lewis@iljaycees.org