Shrine Membership Development Seminar

I just returned from spending the day at the Membership Development Seminar, which was conducted at the Al Aska Shrine Temple. The seminar focused on recruitment, retention, restoration, and planning for growing organizational membership and was presented to all Alaska Masonic Family member organizations. The presentations were made by Jeffrey L. Sowder (Midian Shriners, PGM Grand Lodge of Kansas, and Imperial Outer Guard of Shriners International) and Sam Montgomery (Past Potentate Abou Ben Adhem Shriners, Springfield, MO), who are members of Shriners International Membership Development Team. As stated on their web site, “The Membership Development Team is dedicated to providing Temple Officers and Nobles the resources they need to attract new members as well as retain current members. Shriners must relate to the individual member and provide for his needs: the benefits he expected when joining, the satisfaction he receives from involvement and the rights he has as a member. To do so is the key to membership development.”

Al Aska Shrine Chief Raban, Dave Worel, negotiated with Imperial Shrine Headquarters to send the two members of their Membership Development Team to Alaska instead of sending two Al Aska Divan members to Tampa, FL. Seminar participants included representatives of various Masonic Family groups from throughout the jurisdiction of Alaska and the elected Al Aska Shrine Divan officers. The seminar was a great benefit to all who attended and a debt of gratitude is owed to Nobel Dave for making it happen.