Virginia Beach-Combers Club Membership Drive ~ 2010

by Bob Burns

The Virginia Beach-Combers club, established back in the '80's, was set up as a seniors Kiwanis group, referred to as a Golden Age Club. This club built a membership through the 1990's that reached some 70 members, with an average age that at one point reached 80.1 years!

Attrition over the past ten years has brought these "old-timers" down to an active membership of only 39. The attrition might have been expected; no one moved out of town... the few "snow-birds" returned faithfully each spring. As has been the case with our nation's WWII Vets, our club was losing its fair share the natural way.

With the membership approaching only one-half its high point, a new membership committee was appointed and given the charge of bolstering the Beach-Comber membership. This charge was challenging when one considers that this "Golden Age Club" held their weekly meetings every Wednesday mid morning- when the rest of America is working the nine-to-five grind.

While the membership drive is still ongoing through this spring and summer, a strategy is in place with "high hopes". The Beach-Combers are 'taking their show on the road'. Weekly meetings are scheduled to take place at several Seniors Retirement Communities in March and April, bringing in keynote speakers geared to the local senior citizens interest. The second arm of this membership drive will charge their own members, divided into three teams, to bring in to a weekly meeting their golf buddies, church members, and backyard neighbors, where there will be a lot of flesh pressed on palms to welcome would be Kiwanians!

We'll keep you posted!