Excellence in Membership

Quota International of Magnolia, Arkansas

In celebration of Valentine's Day 2006, Quota International of Magnolia extended a hearty welcome to prospective members. Their February membership event featured Valentine's decorations and a themed pot-luck meal. The dinner was the conclusion of a very competitive membership drive, as members were challenged to recruit as many new members as possible. Of the 37 people who were invited, 13 attended for an evening of fellowship and fun.

The club planned carefully to ensure that all of their guests felt welcomed and enjoyed the full Quota experience. Upon arrival, they were greeted warmly by their hostesses and offered the opportunity to peruse display tables of events, sale items, teddy bears, and letters requesting assistance and expressing thanks. During dinner, served at small tables that included at least two Quotarians, members shared personal testimonials of what Quota meant to them. Afterward, all attendees received newsletters and contact information and gathered to recite the Quota Collect that had been carefully lettered on large pieces of paper so all guests could speak the words.

By the end of the night, member Betty Eddy had emerged as the winner of the membership drive competition—five of her recruits joined! However, the entire club won as seven additional guests became Quotarians and all 12 gathered at an initiation, where they received their pins, a copy of the Collect, a Magnolia Membership Yearbook, and other Quota items before gathering for a Kodak moment: a true snapshot of membership success.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

Quota International of Mississippi Gulf Coast, Mississippi

Sun rays of persistence, patience, and caring broke through the clouds of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath in the Mississippi Gulf Coast last year. The club there lost nearly half of its membership when people lost their homes, businesses, and jobs. Those who remained struggled to keep the club intact; they had no place to meet, few could afford dues, and fund-raising was out of the question in light of the overwhelming needs of the community.

The sun emerged slowly as members took small steps to rebuild and strengthen the club. A core group of members elected a slate of officers who doubled up on duties, established a regular meeting schedule, and assessed finances, ultimately deciding to put fund-raising on the back burner. Most importantly, they upheld two of Quota's most important values: fellowship and service. Members regularly called those who left, keeping them informed and supporting them any way possible, and together they concentrated on small service projects that they could handle: making quilts for abused children, reading at local schools, delivering donations, awarding scholarships, and holding a scaled-down version of their annual parade. "This kept our name out in the local community, even at a time when most civic organizations were temporarily disbanded," said member Vicki Miller.

After 18 months, the club was ready to focus on recruitment through a Quota Reunion, especially appropriate for a club whose membership had been scattered by the storm. With the help of the international office, invitations were sent to the last known addresses of all past members, while existing members were challenged to invite at least 10 prospective new members. More than 30 people attended to enjoy a slide show of past projects, scrapbooks, and nostalgic conversation. As past members shared fond memories and appreciation for the warmth they'd been shown after Katrina, many eyes filled with tears and prospective members got a true sense of Quota fellowship. The sun shone brighter than ever afterward, as two past Quotarians re-established their membership and seven new members joined.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

To return to the 2007 Excellence Award Winners main page, click here.

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