Hello North Dakota Jaycees!

I hope this note finds everyone well and enjoying the start of summer.  Thank you to everyone for coming to state convention.  I left convention, enthused, excited and rearing to go!  It was also fun to see old traditions come alive when Rugby stole Drakes first place plaque in the Parade of Chapters!  We have a lot to be proud of as a state and I hope you are all feeling the strength and enthusiasm of the North Dakota Jaycees!

 Aaliyah once said, “It's hard to say what I want my legacy to be when I'm long gone.”   As North Dakota Jaycees I believe we do know what we want our legacy to be, the premier young organization of choice, where we are able to help people advance in their careers, give them the tools for success and  be there for the betterment of our communities.  We can make this happen if we have a plan for success.  When planning for the year I knew it was very important to focus on growing our membership, activation of our members, and also retention of our members, through these key areas we will be lying down our legacy for the future.

Over the first trimester we had great success with growing our membership and building our future legacy.  When talking with the local presidents they are very excited about the growth within your chapters and are very excited to see where we are headed in the months to come.  During the first trimester it was very important for our state to grow in membership and I am proud to say that we are reaching this goal each and every day.   Thank you for taking the challenge of growing our state, growing your chapters and giving the opportunity of the Jaycees to everyone you meet.  It is because of each and every one of you that we are at year to date growth.  Keep pushing strong towards our goal of adding 300 new members to the North Dakota Jaycees in 2010!

This trimester is the time to focus on the Activation of our membership by supplying quality programming and giving opportunity to our membership.  This could be by running new and exciting projects, having your newer members take control of a project they would like to run with the help of an older Jaycee mentor, bringing in speakers and participating in even more community activities.  Through the activation of membership and running quality programming will come the new members to continue on the growth of your chapters, as your members will be excited and want to spread their enthusiasm with those individuals around them. 

The third trimester is the trimester of  Retention.  I encourage each and every chapter to do a member survey, send out postcards to let them know you are thinking of them, and do something special for your membership.  Remember phone calls are always best.  Little hand written notes are great, and making a lasting impression on your membership will help to build strength and unity with in your chapters.  It is also important to be building the legacy of your chapter.  Make sure you are completing your CPG’s so that your long standing and new projects can be ran by new hands in the years to come.  Passing on knowledge is a great way to get people involved, and give people ownership of projects and ideas.  Retention is building your legacy to the future of your chapter. 

During Sunday morning meeting we also approved to add more money into our Membership budget.  Right now as a nation it is very important that we are doing our part to help not only build our state but help to regrow the nation in the process.  Our organization has been on the decline for many years and this is the year to continue on what National Chairman of the Board John Weber focused on last year, rebuilding our organization.  I challenge each and every one of you to give the opportunity of the Jaycees to everyone you meet.  Open up the doors to future successes and learn and grow together.  If we work hard for the next 7 months we will be building our future legacy of the North Dakota Jaycees and nothing and no one will stop us! 

Please know that I am always here for you, no matter time of day!  Together we will ROCK this OUT and the state of North Dakota will not know what hit them.

Sincerely,

Abby Hanson

76^th President

North Dakota Jaycees

701-367-3795

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