Membership is our strength, and that’s not just a cliché.
Membership is an important source of revenue for everything that Casino funds don’t cover—such as website fees, office expenses, AGM expenses, printing and postage, and volunteer appreciation (we buy coffee for the crews for each trail maintenance work party).
Keeping track of our members is also essential to our standing as a registered charitable organization. As stated in the by-laws: “The membership secretary will keep a record of paid-up members. This record must include names, addresses, telephone numbers and any other information required by the Board or the Alberta government. The record is open to any member upon two days’ notice in writing.”
The Duties of the Membership Secretary
In the time since Sandra Carruthers picked up this position, the membership registration and payment process was moved to the website. Today, members are able to sign up and renew themselves and pay with their credit card. As a result, Sandra handles only the occasional mailed-in membership forms. Most of the tedious work with record-keeping has been eliminated.
The main duties include:
- Mail out membership cards to new and renewed members. The mail package may also include a guidebook, crest, decal, and pin, and a tax receipt for a donation.
- Each month, prepare a report of the membership numbers, the revenue received, and the names of new and resigned members. At the same time, send to the treasurer a listing of revenue received and any cheques or cash collected.
The membership secretary requires
- Access to a computer (either Windows or Mac) in order to log in to the membership database on the website and log in to PayPal. Spreadsheet software (MS Excel or similar) would be an asset.
- Ability to attend most monthly board meetings
Come for a Visit
Why not visit the next board meeting on October 12? It’s the best way to find out what we’re all about.
If you have any questions about the duties of the Membership Secretary, Sandra will be happy to talk to you.
Next time, we’ll look at Trail Maintenance Coordinator.
