National Director of Member Services

By Marci Brisbourne
2004-2005 Director of Member Services
   

With the arrival of spring come thoughts of tulips; green grass; fresh starts; new beginnings.  It is also the time for clubs to reflect on the recent past and mark the cumulative successes of their members with award recognition at the Club and Regional levels.  And within a few short months, submissions for the National Awards Program will come flying my way!  In the meantime, I would ask each and every club to forward a photo and accompanying article that highlights one of your many success stories of the year for inclusion in the events of what is shaping up to be an outstanding National Convention in Saskatoon.

So, as you sit down to the task of completing an award submission, here are a few points to ponder from my perspective and in response to the feedback that I have gratefully received in recent conversations with members from clubs across Canada.

Yes, the compilation and documentation of information into an awards submission can be a seemingly arduous task, however, to ignore the opportunity that exists to reward our members for their service in the name of Progress is a disservice to them.

And, while the sentiment exists that “it is a competition that can’t be won,” the awards program is not really a competition but a forum to recognize the many achievements of our members and clubs.  Remember, the National program offers many “automatic” award opportunities, such as: Attendance, Outstanding New Club, Distinguished Club, Membership, Outstanding Club, Pride in Progress, Outstanding Governor, Outstanding President, Diamond Mercury, Mercury, Mentor and 100% Attendance.

Award recognition contributes to the positive individual member and overall club morale, raises the profile of Progress in our communities and provides the opportunity to share successes with other clubs across Canada—success breeds success!

If your club needs assistance with award submissions, please ask—copies of successful submissions exist for reference and your Zone Governors and National Vice-Presidents along with myself will gladly lend a helping hand.

And finally, as for the completion of the submission remember that only club-sanctioned community service activities qualify and to include sufficient level of detail to quantify and clearly communicate the level of contribution especially in the areas of number of members involved in the project, number of hours and gross/net dollars raised.  The format of the award submissions has been streamlined so that clubs need only submit a component-based report.  All clubs that submit a report consisting of all ten components, by the stated deadline, automatically be eligible for all Club Awards.  For Individual Awards, each requires a separate submission unless otherwise indicated in the award description.

Further instructions, timelines and information for the National Awards Program will be posted on MCS shortly, but for now...

...celebrate your successes in your great region.  We will celebrate all of our successes together at convention in September—as summer turns to fall and yet another season of Progress is upon us!

And remember:

"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then is not an act, but a habit."

—Aristotle