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Club building 101

There’s a right way and a wrong way to build a classic Kiwanis club. Don Canaday has done it both ways.

“I’ve made every mistake you can make building a club,” he admits. “But I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

With 101 successful classic club-building experiences under his belt, he pretty much has the right way down pat.  

The wrong way:

1. Build the club too small. Charter with the minimum 25 and no prospects in pocket.

2. Don’t have a project ready to attract and keep new members and entice prospective members.

3. Start with an empty bank account.

4. Overlook the importance of quality training.

5. Do a poor job mentoring the new club.  

The right way:

1. Build the club big—charter with as many members as possible. Don recommends a minimum of 35. Recent clubs he’s chartered began with 55, 74, 53, and 47 members. “Clubs that charter with higher memberships have a much higher survival rate,” Don says.

2. Launch BUG. Implement Kiwanis International’s Bring Up Grades (BUG) program as the club's first--or one of its first--service projects. The low-cost, low person-power, service-in-a-box program is impactful, easy to start, and it easily connects members to children. (See “Recruiting for new club building.”)

3. Build funds right away—ideally during the club’s charter night celebrations. Don suggests a silent auction, which brings in the bucks and gets everyone involved and out into the community on the club’s behalf. The worst take he’s had from a charter night silent auction: US$1,970. The best: $5,000-plus. Don also suggests asking each club in the division to help build the new club’s bank account by making a contribution on its charter night.

4. Invest in training. Make sure all new-club officers and board members attend special training, and encourage all charter members to attend Kiwanis training events and conferences.

5. Reach out. Encourage the new club to take advantage of resources such as TAG Team members, club counselors, and members of the sponsoring club.

6. Recruit a mentor. Find an experienced Kiwanian to volunteer to be the club counselor for the first two years.