Rotary schedules after-hours event to build membership

FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville’s Northside Rotary club took a casual approach to recruiting new members Thursday with “Northside After Hours” at Mermaids restaurant, where the group meets weekly during lunch.
northsiderotary.org/

Past president and membership committee member Jody Dilday said the club had an after-hours function several years back and have hosted other gatherings outside of work, such as a picnic at Gulley Park during the park’s summer concert series, “but this is the first time that we have held ‘Northside After Hours’ with an emphasis and focus on membership recruitment.’

Northside’s current roster includes about 10 women and 70 men, mostly in their early 40s.

“We’ve held membership drives in the past and have had some success with that — but we want to grow more,” said Dilday. Members were encouraged to bring prospective members to the event, which was planned to be more fun and more laid back than the typical noon Rotary meeting. The invite read: No program. No pressure.

“Northside After Hours” also gave the current membership a chance to socialize outside meetings. Dilday said members often get into the habit of sitting with the same people every week, then have to rush back to work when their meetings are over.

“I’m a big believer that our Rotary relationships really form
outside of Rotary — either working together on a service project or fundraising event, or when you just have a chance for fellowship,” she said.
 
By day, Dilday is the executive director of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas.