members share their family and friend experiences · members share their family and friend...

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MembersShareTheirFamilyandFriendExperiencesByNicoleSimmons,Membership&LeadershipDevelopmentManager

AsSoroptimistmembers,youareimportant!Notonlydoyouexecuteourmissionandhelpnumerousdisadvantagedwomenandgirlsthroughouttheworld,butyouarealsothebestspokeswomenwhenitcomestorecruitingnewmembers.Studieshaveshownpeoplewillgetinvolvedwithanorganizationbecausesomeonetheyknowpersonallyaskedthem.

Accordingtothe“2016MembershipMarketingBenchmarkingReport”fromMarketingGeneral,Inc.,wordofmouthisoneofthemosteffectivemarketingmethodsforacquiringnewmembers.Additionally,anonlinesurveyofglobalrespondentsin60countriesconductedbyNielsenfoundword-of-mouthrecommendationsfromfamilyandfriendstobethemostinfluentialmarketingtool—with83percentofrespondentssayingit’sthemosttrustworthymarketing.

CuriousabouthowmembersacrossourfederationaregettingtheirfriendsandfamilyinvolvedinSoroptimist?Weweretoo!Weaskedseveralmembersaboutthebenefitsofvolunteeringtogether.Here’swhattheyhadtosay:

EasternCanadaandCaminoRealRegionsMargaretGilbey,SI/Toronto,ON—ECRSusanGilbey,SI/Westminster,CA—CRRSisters:Thebestwaytoencouragemembershipistosharewhatwepersonallygainfromourmembership.Weboththinkthatthewomenandgirlswehelparesoinspirational,andtheirstoriesaremoving.Ourprogramsarelifechanging—forthosewehelpandourselves.Peopleshouldn’thesitatetoencouragemembership,aswhatwegainfrombeingpartofSoroptimistismuchmorethanwhatwegive.Infactitisthebestgiftyoucangiveyourself!WebothseeourmembershipinSoroptimistasatributetoourlatemother,JeanneSternbergGilbey,whoraisedustobelievethatthegreatblessings

Fall2017–OnlineSupplement

BestforWomenOnlineSupplement–Fall2017

we'vereceivedinlifecomewithgreatresponsibilities,especiallytohelpthoselessfortunate.OurmotherwasneveramemberofSoroptimist,butshewasone...toherverycore.ByourservicetoSoroptimistwehonorherlegacy.

BrazilRegionCarmenSgarbi,SI/SantosFamilyandFriends:IwasinvitedtobeamemberoftheclubbecauseIhadreceivedaclubawardfromthem.IthenrecruitedmyfriendsBelkisMarietaTavolaroRajabally,AdenildePereiradosSantos,ErcillaMariaV.Wiggert,SoniaMariadeBarrosAlberto(whorecruitedMariaStelaAdurens)andmydaughter-in-lawLiliaCarmonaSofieSgarbi.IalsorecruitedmyfriendIreneSantosGomeswhorecruitedtwoofherfriends:MariaYvonnePerazzoandMariaAparecida.Iamnottheonlyonetorecruitafamilymember.Beforeme,MariaJoséAbreuCiminorecruitedhersister-in-lawMarlyCiminoandthenCiniradaMataJosérecruitedhersisterCirenedaMattaMarino.IampleasedinknowingthatthemembersIrecruitedarehappyandIhaveonepieceofadvice:Donothesitatetoinviteafriendorfamilymember.Thiswillgreaterstrengthenthefriendshipbondsbetweenyou.

MidwesternRegionGenevaTaylor,SI/IndianapolisMetroLaurenTaylor,SI/IndianapolisMetro(Geneva’sdaughter)JuliaTellis,SI/Iliana(Geneva’smother)Family—Geneva:Inmycase,itinvolvesmymom,myselfandmydaughter.WeareSoroptimists—threegenerationsnow!MymomisamemberofSI/IlianaintheMidwesternRegion.Whenherfriend,BevBucurofSI/Illiana,IL,heardthatthepriorIndianapolisclubdisbanded,sherecalledthatmymomsaidIlivedinIndianapolis.Withafriend’shelp,wehadtheclubbackupandre-charteredinaboutfivemonths.Mydaughterwasinhighschoolatthetimeandwasalwayswillingtovolunteerforus.Asshewitnessedotherladiesinourclubandtheirstoriesof"growingup"Soroptimist,shewashappytojoin.Weplanonherusinghertechnicalskillstohelpuskeepupourwebsitenowthatoneofourmemberswhohandledthathasrelocatedforherwork.

SierraPacificRegionTanaElizondo,SI/Hanford,CAAmoryElizondo(Tana’sdaughter)LindaCarter(Tana’ssister)Family—Tana:Wehavebeenateam.Whenworkingtogether,wecansupportoneanotherandoursatisfactionismultipliedwhenwehaveaccomplishedataskwitheachother.Wecanlaughandoftencrywhensomethinghastouchedourheartsandinspiresustocontinueonbecausewesharethesamefeelings.Whenyouarefamily,youknowthereisabond.But,whenwehaveeachtakenonleadershiproles,thefeelingschangewhenyouareencouragedorwhenyouofferencouragementtowardtheotherperson.Thereisprideandmuchmorethattakesover.Ihaveclosefriendsthathavebecometheclubpresidentbutit’snotthesamewhenIhavemydaughterassumingthatrole.Relationshipsareallowedtodevelopatanotherlevel.

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BestforWomenOnlineSupplement–Fall2017

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It’seasytoseethatnooneknowshowpersonallybeneficialmembershipinSoroptimistisbetterthanourownSoroptimistmembers.Takesometimeindividuallyorasaclubtothinkaboutwhyyouvalueyourmembership.Then,usethoseideasastalkingpointstosharewithfriendsandfamilyandencouragethemtojoinyourclub!

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