You do not learn anything about a member if you simply barrage him with notices to pay dues and then transfer him to affiliate status! There may be more to his situation than you realize.
Personal contact is vital for retention, so talk with him in a Brotherly manner to determine what the issue is, and why he is not attending meetings and events nor responding to dues notices. You might learn that the Brother:
- Is recovering from an illness.
- Had a death in the family or is dealing with other family issues.
- Is busy with school-aged children.
- Was laid off or money is tight right now for other reasons.
- Has a demanding work schedule either temporarily or permanently.
- Experienced something at the council that alienated him or believes the council has not done enough to keep his interest.
- Feels he is no longer a Knight because he has not attended a meeting or event for a very long time.
- Now resides outside the local area.
Important: If the member no longer resides in your local area, follow these steps to locate a council near his current address:
- Access Supreme’s website at kofc.org.
- On the menu bar of the Home page, select Get Involved > Find a Council.
- In the Find By drop-down list, select the Country/Zip Code option.
- In the Country field, select the United States of America.
- In the Zip/Postal Code field, input the member’s Zip Code.
- Click the Find button.
- Make note of the councils near the member’s new address.
After you locate nearby councils, provide the information to the member and encourage him to transfer his membership so can he remain active.
With the member’s permission, you can also contact the councils close to him and make them aware of a transfer-in opportunity. Forward his new address, phone number, and email address to the financial secretary and assembly comptroller, if applicable.
As you contemplate transferring the Brother Knight to Affiliate status, consider the following about him:
- Is he close to qualifying for Honorary Member or Honorary Life Member status?
- Is he in his golden years?
- Has he been a member for less than two years?
- Is he only in arrears for the current year?
- Is his contact data suspect?
Important: If you think the member’s contact data might be incorrect, check with the following to confirm his contact data or obtain corrected information:
- State Membership Engagement and Development Committee (engageanddevelop@vakofc.org)
- Council’s field agent
- Member’s sponsor or his parents if he’s a recent college graduate
