Membership Committee Happenings
by Vivian Younger, CCB Membership Committee Chair
Greetings to All!
The 2018-19 CCB Membership Committee invited all members to actively engage their CCB chapters and affiliates. The following projects are included in the committee's lofty endeavor: Chapter of the Year (COTY focus call, Success to Win focus call, Promoting Positivity within CCB focus call, CCB Membership Breakfast, and First Timer's Seminar.
September's COTY Awards focus call introduced the membership committee's effort to stimulate chapter and affiliate interest in developing meaningful community engagement projects. Strategizing ways to implement project ideas, call participants shared chapter AND affiliate goals, past successes and the positive impacts of those achievements such as winning a CCB Chapter of the Year Award. The call was well-attended, an excellent morale builder to promulgate the start of COTY season.
October's Success to Win focus call garnered ten viable suggestions for winning a CCB Incentive Growth Award. Most recommendations involved existing members reaching out to their communities, such as volunteering time to formally present information about CCB, local chapters and affiliates to local organizations dedicated to disabled, blind, and low vision advocacy. Additionally, advertising chapter/affiliate meetings, activities, and special events in local publications were among the ideas. One creative notion involved inscribing chapter or affiliate meeting times and locations on three by five index cards to distribute at opportune moments. Ultimately, the importance of regularly contacting absentee members as well as involvement in community activities, including tabling at local fairs and conventions, was stressed.
April's Promoting Positivity within CCB focus call culminated the membership committee's chapter and affiliate outreach. Participants explored a myriad of avenues for establishing and sustaining a culture of positivity within CCB. Members discussed accessibility and legislative issues, advocacy, accomplishments, and a novel approach to solving problems that arise among active chapters and affiliates, an approach identified by the acronym PACA:
P define the PROBLEM
A list ALTERNATIVES for solving the problem
C evaluate CONSEQUENCES for each alternative (positives and negatives)
A take ACTION, make the final problem-solving decision
The June 2019 CCB Convention marked the occasion of the CCB Membership Breakfast themed Strive to Survive. Diners were encouraged to share stories of success and triumph during the breakfast hosted by the membership committee. Further, the committee moderated the First Timer's Seminar which invited first-time attendees, along with those who may have missed a few conventions, to learn about the CCB organization, convention activities, membership, and to form meaningful relationships through our supportive CCB network. To conclude the membership committee's year, Chair Vivian Younger was privileged to present the 2019 Chapter of the Year Award.
As Membership Chair, I thank each committee member for the hard work, commitment, and teamwork that contributed to these 2018-19 CCB Membership Committee accomplishments.
