I am a member of a service club, have been for a couple of years. I will not mention the club by name but it is a club such as the Rotary, the Optimist’s etc. You give some of your time, and the results give back to the community. Well, this particular chapter of this club has become quite dysfunctional. Twenty members listed, eight do all the work. There are several members I have never met, even after three years membership. It has also become somewhat inbred as three members (same family) seem to control everything. After the few members that attend meetings and vote on issues, something else gets done. Repeated requests for an independant auditing of the books have been rebuffed. The lack of transparency kind of galls me. I am not a conspiracy nut, but what the heck, business is business, and this is not how business is done. The best excuse I have heard is "they (the books) "are not handy.
I want out. I joined this particular organization because I have an interest in thier work. I can transfer to another chapter, but out of this community. Or I can join another organization in the community, for a different but equally noble cause. I will not stay in this chapter of this organization. So do I give my time to the town next door for a cause close to my heart, or do I give my time to a cause close to my home? I thought abought ratting out the local chapter to the state level, because I know they have not been filing there non profit status papers correctly, forcing an audit, but that is not my style and it is off the table.
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Contact the parent (national or international) organization and let them handle it, or
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Bring in new members with interests like yours.
I was kind of afraid of that advice, but then I should not have asked if I was not ready for it. We need some help from the big boys to get us back on track. It is a case of everything “has always been done that way” even though it violates every rule of sound business practice. it looks crooked, even if it isn’t. And if it is crooked, let the chips fall where they may. Where I work even the look of impropriety is avoided with great zeal. I don’t expect my donated efforts to meet any less standard. The public that spends thier money to our fund raising events deserves the same level of confidence. Thanks for your input.
I’m going based off Kiwanis, so adjust to your own organization.
The order of people to ask/contact are: Lt. Governor, District Treasurer (for the books), Governor, Int’l Trustee, Int’l Treasurer, Int’l Secretary, Int’l Prez. If you’re a part of a community-based organization that is purely local, try persuading them with threats of the IRS as a last resort.
Since you said it’s like the Rotary, Optimists, Illuminati, Pentaverate, etc, you should go to the next level above the club. You should have met your Lt. Governor by now. They administer the clubs in a set geographic area. After that, look to the District treasurer, who is the Club Treasurer’s resource for the entire WI-UM area. Satisfaction should soon follow.
I belonged to a local service club for five years…I found the same thing; 46 members, 8-10 people regular labour turn out at events…decisions made between 4-5 people on a constant basis, with courtesy consult at the next meeting although everyone knew which way the decision was going to go.
Hubby belonged to another organization; he found the same thing.
It’s sometimes political; sometimes just a comfort level with the same members working together for years.