All organizations need to grow. That’s easy to say but not necessarily easy to do. Sertoma is no exception.

Growth or the lack thereof was the main focus of the Central Colorado and Front Range Dual-District Leadership Conference July 10 at Ralph Schomp BMW in Highlands Ranch. Denny Fennell, the Front Range governor, set the tone by noting that club memberships are growing older and need to reach out to younger prospects.

Mike Camelio, who facilitated a brain-storming session on growth, asked everyone attending the leadership conference if they were happy with their club’s growth. Just one club, Dry Creek, raised their hands. Camelio urged the attendees to look at new paths to growth because current methods aren’t working. (Just three of the 15 clubs in the two Denver-area districts have shown growth in the last year and dual-district membership is down 5 percent.)

Steve Dawson, Central Colorado governor, collected ideas from the audience on how to grow clubs. Among the ideas posted:

·        Sertoma’s outreach focus should be on volunteer activities, like Meals on Wheels, fundraising events such as golf tournaments or wine dinners, and Freedom Week. Meetings are not a draw for busy people. One attendee suggested that meetings do have value for business networking, but not for food or programs.

·        Encourage a Serteen Club because this reaches young people who may become members.

·        Reach out to younger service organizations, such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce or 20/30 Clubs because “graduates” of these groups could become Sertomans.

·        Emphasize the benefits of being a Sertoman.

·        Get the word out through publicity and advertising, but also look at social media like Facebook. Get your club a website.

·        Establish a task force to develop a business plan for Sertoma in the Denver area. Both Fennell and Dawson said there needs to be a dual-district task force. “If we have a plan for growth, we’ll grow,” Dawson said. “If we don’t have a plan, we won’t.”

·        Follow-up with visitors to club meetings, thanking them for coming and asking them back. Make members and visitors feel appreciated. Don’t penalize members for lack of attendance; find out why.

·        Have handouts printed with information about Sertoma and your club. Give them to visitors and prospects.

·        Make sure no one is excluded from membership for any reason and look into alternative forms of membership.

·        Follow-up with parents of the children in the Freedom Week program and make sure they are invited to join.

·        Develop a mentoring program.

·        Create a “friend of Sertoma” program.

The leadership conference also heard presentations on the Sertoma Annual Fund by Chuck Kemmerling (Littleton) and on the new Hear to Work project from Dr. Barbara Jenkins (DTC). The latter is expected to be the lead charitable cause for the dual-district wine dinner, which is tentatively scheduled Feb. 4, 2011. Jenkins said there is a strong need to provide hearing devices for people between the ages of 21 and 65 who cannot find jobs because of their disability. Recipients would repay the device cost after finding employment.

Breakout sessions were held to discuss Freedom Week plans, Speech and Hearing efforts, awards, and the joint fundraiser.