Try SOMETHING NEW - Modern Woodmen of America

try SOMETHING NEW

Saying thanks 5 ways to show member appreciation

Gracias. Danke. Merci. Obrigado. Kiitos.

There are many ways to say thank you. It's spoken in languages around the world (above in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese and Finnish ? and those are just a few using the Roman alphabet). Gratitude is also spoken through gestures that transcend words.

How will your chapter or club say thank you? There are many ways ? and your premier dollars can help.

Here are a few n?pady (Czech for ideas) to get you nagsimula (Filipino for started).

1. Special event. Show members a good time. Use premier dollars to plan a free social activity as a member appreciation event. Rent out a laser tag or trampoline center or buy out a theater (See Page 5.)

2. T-shirts. Members love T-shirts! Order "Hi, I make an impact" T-shirts (see Page 3) online at . advantageadvertising.us/stores/mwa. Use premier award dollars to offer the T-shirts to members for free.

3. Small gift. Give members an inexpensive gift as a token of your appreciation. Say: ? "Thanks a latte" with a $5 gift card to local coffee shop. ? "Thank you for going the extra mile" by giving a pack of Extra gum. ? "Thanks for being a lifesaver" by giving a roll of Life Savers candy.

4. Door prizes. Randomly reward members for being active with your chapter or club. Give away: ? Local retail gift cards or a Modern Woodmen Visa gift card so members can enjoy a local coffee shop or restaurant in their free time. Or give away tickets to catch a movie. ? Member-appreciation gift baskets that include a Modern Woodmen T-shirt and water bottle with a thank-you card. Check the supply list online for more ideas.

5. Words. Simply saying "thank you" is powerful (and inexpensive). To make your words even more special, give members' a handwritten card or post a live message in your chapter or club's closed Facebook group. If you're lost on words, borrow a few of the global expressions of thanks shared at the top of this article!

connect with STAFF

Operations Supervisor Kristen Roberts (center left) volunteers at the Quad Cities Veteran Outreach Center with Fraternal Department employees Britney Holst (left) and Nora Johnson (center right).

This month is Volunteer Appreciation Month ? a time when organizations recognize and thank the individuals who give their time and energy toward helping the organization achieve its mission.

On behalf of the Fraternal Department, I thank you for helping Modern Woodmen pursue its mission to improve the quality of life for our members. You do this by creating opportunities for members to socialize with one another, learn and experience new things ? and make an impact on their communities.

important strategic goal? We want to engage more members in fraternal activities. You help us move closer to this goal by reaching out to members and hosting a variety of social, educational and volunteer activities.

This issue of Impact offers tips on how to further engage members in every aspect of your activities, including activity planning, attendance and feedback after the event. You can find even more recommendations on Page 31 of the Fraternal Leader Handbook.

In 2017, chapters and youth service clubs provided $43.7 million and over 534,423 volunteer hours through fraternal activities and programs nationwide. You are making an impact every day!

Did you know that, as a volunteer fraternal leader, you play a key part in our efforts to achieve an

Thank you for all that you do to make an impact on the lives of our members and their communities. We couldn't do it without you!

Thank you!

(Signature) Kristen D. Roberts

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SPRING 2018 | IMPACT

IMPACT MAGAZINE

Official fraternal publication of Modern Woodmen of America 1701 1st Avenue PO Box 2005 Rock Island, IL 61204-2005

CHIEF FRATERNAL OFFICER Jill Lain Weaver

EDITOR Jennifer Meyer-Michels Corporate Communications

DESIGNER Denise Chandler Corporate Communications

CONTENT EDITOR Cortney Carter Fraternal Department

FRATERNAL DEPARTMENT STAFF Bill Baker Michelle Duyvejonck Cynthia Flores Melissa Gottwalt Ann Held Britney Holst Nora Johnson Melissa Mayers Tammy Mielke Karen Mizner Martha Nelson Amber Nichols Kristen Roberts

Which of your favorite community events could be fraternal activities?

"We could listen to a concert in the park, watch water skiing on the river or attend a free hotair balloon festival together."

Find us on:

modernwoodmen

@modernwoodmen

ModernWoodmen

ModernWoodmen1883

Frequently asked questions

NOTE TO VENDOR: Blue is to show the shirt color ONLY. This is a two-color print job using white and green ink and none of the blue below should be an ink color.

l o o k i n s i d e The "rough" texture needs to be knocked out of the white ink so the shirt color works as the

blue color in the design.

All the text has been converted to outlines.

Corporate logo needs to be replaced with a two color or one color version.

SPRING 2018

Can I buy T-shirts for the Take Homelessness to Heart campaign? Absolutely! Order T-shirts online at . us/stores/mwa. Use chapter funds or premier dollars to buy T-shirts for members ? or stretch your money further by collecting full or partial payment from members.

What's the main purpose of chapters, Summit chapters and youth service clubs? The purpose is simple: to engage our members in making an impact in their communities. Chapters, Summit chapters and youth service clubs support family life and encourage members to volunteer their time, meet new friends and learn something new ? and of course, have fun! Clubs also aim to build character and introduce children to making an impact in their hometown.

How do I engage members throughout the year? Plan an activity at least once a month ? and offer variety! This will offer something new for members who regularly attend fraternal activities and attract members who have different interests. You can plan up to three events per month. This limit helps ensure that events are well-planned, quality activities and spaced appropriately.

The Fraternal Department strives to offer relevant benefits, activities and volunteer opportunities to serve our members and their communities. Your role is important because the activities you organize are the main way we engage members.

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Share this share great benefit

THIS

4 Meet fraternal leader Diane Gearlds Host a sellout crowd.

Do your members know about Modern Woodmen's Final Wishes benefit? End-of-life decisions can be difficult, but documenting and sharing your plans can be simple. The Final Wishes member benefit gives you free access to a wealth of information. The online tool helps you complete personal planning documents and save them to your computer for future reference. Share them with your loved ones to communicate your end-of-life wishes. To access Final Wishes, go to Member Login at and select Benefits.

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Follow the leaders Examples and ideas from across the country.

Do it different Ways to read members' minds.

Modern Woodmen's 43rd National Convention Member delegates to convene in June.

Summit Celebration Travel to Las Vegas in October.

Plan a project Give smiles with May Day baskets.

Try something new

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5 ways to show member appreciation.

meet fraternal leader Diane Gearlds

"You see a lot of people on a monthly basis. You get to know them, their children and grandchildren ... and everybody they bring with them. We've had a lot of good times."

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City: Tompkinsville, Ky. Occupation: Modern Woodmen representative Family: Husband Johnny, four children and five grandchildren

Why did you become a leader? When I started with Modern Woodmen in 1988, I was excited to learn about fraternalism. I kept asking my manager for a chapter. When I planned my first activity, I was so excited I went a little overboard! I hired a band and had free barbeque, and I met a lot of members who still come to activities.

What do you enjoy about being a leader? My Summit chapter is a smaller group, so I can really cater to members' interests. I've tried to plan excursions instead of just going somewhere to eat. We've been to the Grand Ole Opry and on a riverboat cruise. A group of us even went on the Summit Celebration cruise to Jamaica last year.

What makes an event successful? Engaging members to help and get involved. A lot of people are looking to help, but don't know how to offer. Ask and you shall receive. Don't do it all yourself.

What inspires your planning? At activities, I ask members what they want to do and whether there's anything new they want to try. I get a lot of ideas from them.

How do you spend your free time? My grandchildren love my horses, so I like to watch them interact.

How do you reward yourself? Vacations. People always ask me, "Where's your next trip?"

What's your simple pleasure? Patriotism, probably because of my dad's Army career. I'm a child of the `70s, and we wore embroidery on everything, but he taught me real quick that an American flag doesn't belong on the back of your jeans.

What would people be surprised to learn about you? I was an Army brat born in Germany. I was 2 when I came to the U.S. For my 50th birthday, my mom took me to Germany and showed me where I was born.

HOW-TO GUIDE:

Host a sellout crowd at your local theater

From top, members of Diane Gearlds' chapters near Tompkinsville, Ky., filled a theater for a December 2017 performance of "A Christmas Story"; Diane with members on the Summit Celebration cruise in 2017; and Diane during a youth service club trip to the zoo.

Encore! Since Diane Gearlds bought out a theater for a performance of "A Christmas Story" in December, members have been calling to ask when the chapters will do it again.

Behind the curtain Diane invited members from three chapters she leads.

"I started making calls, and it didn't take any time at all," she says.

"With a dinner, most people say thank you when they sign in," Diane says. "With this event, people kept hugging me and asking when we're going to do this again. I've had calls asking the same question."

Here's how Diane planned a successful social activity.

Diane started by phoning members who have helped with previous activities and who have introduced new members to their chapter. In the future, she'd reach out to more members.

"There are so many people in my area," she says. "It's hard to only invite 120."

Script adaptation The 1983 movie ? with young Ralphie wanting a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas ? is one of Diane's favorites. When she received a flyer in the mail, she thought Summit chapter members and their families would also enjoy the stage adaptation.

Diane called the theater, planning to reserve 20-30 tickets. But her plans changed as she talked with the box office representative.

"I asked about the capacity of the theater," Diane says. "When he said 120, I just said I'm going to rent the whole thing!"

The box office offered Diane a special rate for selling out the performance. The cost per person was only $10 and was covered by the chapters.

Opening act As the play's date approached, Diane phoned to remind members. Few had forgotten, but some were confused and tried to buy tickets through the theater instead of the chapter.

Inside the theater, Diane signed members in as they waited in line.

"I had to make sure they got signed in to the right chapter," she said. "Some didn't know which chapter number they belong to."

Take a bow Before the opening scene, Diane stood on stage to thank members.

"It was really neat. Everybody started clapping," she says. "When it was over, everybody kept saying this is the best thing we've done together."

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meet fraternal leader DIANE GEARLDS

follow the LEADERS

SHELDON, IOWA

Club rocks painting project

A painted rock dropped in a hospital's landscaping reminded Vickie Stellinga to, "Smile ? Life is good." She smiled and reflected on how good her life is ? and how to share that positive thinking with others. In July 2017, members of her youth service club paid it forward by painting rocks with positive messages to scatter throughout their community.

HOW TO: Vickie researched examples and paints online. She spent $200 on supplies, including smooth rocks, base coat and sealer. Colored paint markers and Sharpie pens, as well as setting rocks on paper plates while painting, helped minimize cleanup.

WHAT WORKED: Vickie spray-painted the base coat in advance. To build excitement for the activity, she posted a photo of the unpainted rocks in the club's closed Facebook group a week before the event. A few days later, she posted a photo of the painted rocks. Yet another post shared photos of rocks painted by others. Vickie also sent invitations and a reminder through the closed group.

NEXT TIME: Vickie sprayed sealer on the rocks to make the paint last. However, it took a long time to dry and added to the project costs. She'd skip that step next time and also give each kid an equal number of rocks so they wouldn't rush to paint as many as possible.

A youth service club in Iowa painted rocks with positive messages and scattered them in the community for passersby to find. How can your chapter or club make a big impact in a little ways?

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Youth service club members in North Carolina made eclipse-themed care packages and visited a planetarium with members of a local senior center. How can your chapter or club make a holiday or special event even more memorable by sharing it with seniors?

MURPHY, NORTH CAROLINA

Club's activity with seniors eclipses natural phenomenon

The total solar eclipse inspired more than awe in August 2017. It inspired Lynn Hamby's youth service club ? located within the path of totality ? to share the rare natural phenomenon with local seniors. Kids made "eclipse survival kits" and visited an area planetarium with members of a local senior center.

HOW TO: Lynn's first step was to contact the senior center to confirm its members would enjoy the kits and planetarium visit. Next, she purchased Eclipse gum, Milky Way chocolate bars, Moon Pies, Starburst candy and plastic bags for about $50. A local Modern Woodmen representative donated eclipse glasses for the 25 survival kits. Kids packaged the items together and delivered them when they visited the senior center.

WHAT WORKED: The seniors enjoyed the clever, cosmic-themed snacks ? and the time spent with youths.

YOUR TURN: You don't have to wait for the moon and stars to align to plan an activity with seniors. Lynn says the youth club takes every opportunity to plan projects with the senior center. Other projects have included decorating cupcakes for Valentine's Day and baking pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving.

Key: Borrow or put your own twist on these service projects, social activities and educational events.

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

Chapter enjoys kayak lesson on the lake

Stacia Vawter had a hunch. Her kids had always wanted to learn to kayak and she thought her chapter members might also be interested. Her inklings were right. Members ranging in age from 5 to 60 laughed and learned together last September during a kayak lesson on an area lake.

HOW TO: Before researching local outfitters, Stacia asked members about their interest during chapter events. She partnered with a local group of certified recreational and adaptive instructors she learned about online. The outfitters instructed members on safety and stroking techniques before guiding them around the lake and into feeder streams. The chapter used premier dollars to cover the $10 per person fee so members could participate at no cost.

WHAT WORKED: Stacia created an online form for members to reserve a time slot (the outfitters could only accommodate 12 kayakers per hour) and included the link on postcards. She also used a phone service to reach out to families and reminded members to sign up during activities prior to the kayaking lesson.

NEXT TIME: Stacia wants to organize an adaptive kayaking outing. However, she wanted to experience a standard lesson before planning a similar activity offering instruction and equipment for people with physical disabilities.

Chapter members in Nebraska learned to kayak. What outdoor adventures can your chapter or club members enjoy together?

Several chapters in Ohio added to a local fundraiser by partnering on a Matching Fund project and collecting items for a silent auction. How can your chapter or club get involved in local fundraisers to make a bigger impact?

FREMONT, OHIO

Chapters step up with square dance partner

Members of several Ohio chapters did a little do-si-do and traded partners last April. A family helped by a Matching Fund project a year earlier suggested helping a seriously injured woman with her medical and rehabilitation costs. The chapters responded by partnering on a Matching Fund project with organizers of a square dance fundraiser, including collecting items for a silent auction.

HOW TO: One of the activities coordinators, Amy Walters, reached out to the organizer to ensure the fundraiser was a good fit. The chapters sent postcards and personally contacted members, asking them to attend the fundraiser and donate items for the silent auction. Organizers also promoted the event in area businesses, local newspapers and on social media.

WHAT WORKED: The fundraiser was already in the planning stages when the chapters became involved. Members added to the impact it made for the injured woman, raising more money through the silent auction and matching funds ? and by attending to support the event.

YOUR TURN: Parter with local fundraisers on Matching Fund projects. The matching donation makes a bigger impact, but the biggest impact is achieved when members get involved in planning and participating the event.

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follow the LEADERS

do it DIFFERENT

3 lessons for planning fun learning events

All right class, it's time to learn ... about learning. Don't yawn! (Or roll your eyes.) These quick lessons will help you and your chapter, Summit chapter or youth service club have more fun at educational events.

Lesson 1: Expand your options. An educational event is simply an activity where members gather to learn. There are many ways to learn and limitless topics for members to learn about.

Lesson 2: Be creative and have fun! Members might just be waiting for the right opportunity and an invitation to learn more about a topic or activity that's long been of interest. Or, maybe you can spark a new interest. Here are a few ideas to start your imagination. Classes

? Teach a hobby. More and more people are taking up sewing, crocheting and knitting, among other hobbies.

? Learn to cook. From freezer meals to fancy dinners, ask your local grocery store or favorite restaurant what classes they can offer.

? Play it safe. Ask about classes on fire safety, self-defense, CPR or first-aid. ? Taste local flavor. Is your area known for making maple syrup, candy or craft beer? Ask your favorites about classes.

Presenters ? Talk about town. Inquire about speakers on topics affecting your community. To support the Take Homelessness to Heart campaign, ask a representative from a local shelter to present. ? Share a skill. Ask members about hobbies and skills they could teach to other members. Use funds to buy a thankyou gift or refreshments. Or pay an expert to instruct the group.

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Tours ? Explore attractions. Tour a historical building, sports stadium or candy shop. ? See the experts. Tour a florist or nursery to learn about floral arrangements or plant care.

Lesson 3: Spend wisely. Chapters, Summit chapters and youth service clubs have up to $200 for educational events each year. One event is required to achieve premier status; a second event is optional. These tips will help you get the most bang for your buck.

? Split fees with members. ? Host events at free venues. ? Scout for deals. ? Gauge interest before planning an event

? especially if a deposit is required.

Find more ideas in the Training Section at . Class dismissed!

4 ways to read members' minds

If you've ever wished you knew what activities members will enjoy, you don't need a genie in a bottle ? or mind-reading abilities. Just ask members for their input and involve them in the decision-making process.

Here are four super (not supernatural) ways to learn what members want.

For chapters and Summit chapters: 1. Maintain a chapter board. 2. Create a poll on your chapter's closed Facebook group. 3. Set out a suggestion box at your next activity. 4. Ask members to complete a postevent survey with questions about what they liked and what could improve for the future.

For youth service clubs: 1. Create a poll for parents on your club's closed Facebook group. 2. Ask kids to tell you what interests them. With younger kids, you might have to ask more follow-up questions to get their opinions and ideas. 3. Create an interests survey for parents and children to complete together. Hand it out at the end of one activity and ask them to bring it the next month. 4. Offer a few activity choices. Have kids vote on the activity they want for the club.

The second day of Modern Woodmen's National Convention is Fraternal Day.

Modern Woodmen's 43rd National Convention

As a Modern Woodmen member, you're more than a client. You have a say on important issues.

The quadrennial National Convention is a time to get feedback from members. Delegates can talk to Modern Woodmen employees and board members about proposed changes to our bylaws. They can also share their desires concerning the business and administration of the organization.

Modern Woodmen is preparing for its 43rd National Convention. One hundred ninety delegates will convene in Orlando to review the past four years and talk about the future. Delegates will be chosen by fellow Modern Woodmen members during upcoming elections.

July 1, 2017 ? Official member count As outlined in Modern Woodmen's bylaws, an official count was made of all members age 16 and over. This basis of representation determines the number of delegates to be elected to each county, district, state and

national convention. Each state is entitled to at least one delegate at the National Convention, unless that state has been assigned to a contiguous state for representation.

February 2018 ? Local chapter elections At the first meeting of each local chapter in February, members elected delegates and alternates to represent them at either county or district conventions. Counties with only one chapter elect delegates directly to the state convention at this time.

April 2018 ? County or district elections Delegates to the county and district conventions elect delegates and alternates to attend state conventions.

May 2018 ? State elections State convention delegates elect delegates and alternates to attend the National Convention.

June 18-20, 2018 ? National Convention The National Convention takes place in Orlando.

Take Homelessness to Heart

Check out how leaders are making an impact.

Mina Mostoufi, California We passed out over 250 hot dogs to a homeless community in our downtown area.

Marian Crow, Virginia We delivered blessings bags full of toiletries and nonperishable food items to an organization that distributed them to several homeless sites.

Sue Nowak, Wisconsin Three chapters collected 100 pairs of socks for men and women in temporary shelters.

April Hennion, Kentucky Kids wore the care bags while we packed them. It was a fun way to change up the assembly line for the kiddos!

Rick Bibbee, Maryland We made destiny alteration packs (themed off our creed) with 26 items, including tarps, blankets, a pocket can opener, tin cup, beans, tuna and snacks.

Gail Workman, Ohio We donated food, sheets and pillows to a warming center.

Brenda Andrus, Louisiana Kids made sandwiches for "on the go bags" for area homeless people.

Leah Bowden, Maine We collected donated coats, boots and cold weather gear during frigid weather. With monetary donations, we were also able to donate over 200 rolls of toilet paper, several large boxes of feminine products and almost 200 diapers in the larger sizes requested ? and bags of toothpaste, shampoo and laundry detergent.

Engage online! Join the closed group "Modern Woodmen Fraternal Leaders" on Facebook.

9 Exchange ideas, ask questions,

get tips, and more!

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