[lady06498]

Hi guys,

I just found these ideas and I wanted to share them with you.

The first is for gainers of the week. There is a special insert that is part of the programs that the chapters get sent. It is called Thought Thinkers. There is no program number for this. So you will have to look for it. It was in the back of our book.

Anyway you write up the sayings and put them in a medicine bottle. I will get little tupperware containers from the dollar store with a top to use instead. I typed up the sayings in excel so I would have the lines to cut them out with.LOL Then you put the sayings into the container. You make enough of them so you can hand them out to all gainers for the week. I made 10 copies and will get 8-10 containers. Then you mark on it take one before you eat ANYTHING. Then they take one out and it makes them think about what they are doing. Hopefully it will help them stay on track for the week to have a loss the next week.

I thought it was a good thing to do to encourage members throughout the week. I am going to try it and see what the reaction is. I don't know if people will like it but I will try.

Also I found an awesome program for installation that I would like to do next year to make it special and to get the whole chapter involved. It is a special insert for tops ceremonies.
It is The Rainbow Of Promise Ceremony followed by the rededication ceremony for all tops members. You have to have 13 members take part. If you have a small group a few people can do a few things.
What you do for the first part is the installation. Every officer is given a color that they stand for to make up the rainbow. The weight recorder is the background color. So I thought I would get some Felt and make the square background Dark Purple that they assigned to the weight recorder. Then for the other colors they have assigned: The leader is blue, Co-leader is Red, Secretary is Yellow, Treasurer is White and the weight recorder is Dark Purple for the background of the chapter.
I thought I would give the officers their part of the rainbow as we proceed. The weight recorder will be given the backdrop then the others will be given one rainbow with their color. At the end of the ceremony we can have them assemble the banner by putting all their pcs together indicating that they will work as a team to run the group.
The words to say are on the program sheet.

Then the rededication ceremony follows this. What you do is have one tall candle and 12 smaller candles. Each member that has a candle goes in order of the number of their candle. The Taller candle represents the whole chapter. The smaller ones represent the members. Give each person a candle and their saying that goes with that number. As they come up they light their candle from the tall one that the person is holding and they form a circle. Then when all 13 candles are lit then they say the rededication pledge together.

I thought this was great. It involves the whole chapter and would make for a great ceremony along with the installation.

What do you guys think of this idea? What a group effort it would be. I am excited and I just got installed.LOL But hopefully the leader will go along with it to do for next year for the new members.

If anyone would like to do this and they can't find the info in their program book let me know and I will copy it and mail it to you.

I know we have a long way to go for the installations again but just a thought to keep in mind for your ceremony you have to do.

Sherri

[Mouch]

Hey Sherri, this sounds like a really cool idea. I think I will try the thoughts in the medicine bottles to see if it will help. I have one member who has a small gain for the year, and she says she is just not motivated. I would love to find something to motivate her. Really nice girl. We give a charm out for 10 weeks perfect attendance, and she has earned 7 over the past 18 months, since the chapter started. She is so faithful.
I also like the installation idea. We will have to grow, though. Last night, there were only Susan and I there!! Very discouraging. I lost a pound, which made me feel good, but Susan had a 1/2 pound gain, and I felt bad for her. I will write her a note this week, as well as the 4 who were not present. Any other ideas for encouraging members?
Mary ann

[shortstack]

good morning sherri- that is the one we use. I think it is nice. We also had the old officers bring in the new. The old officer lights the candle and passes it on to the new officer. we don't assemble the banner. We just have ribbons laid out on the table.
We don't do the end part either. We just say our pledge.

[lady06498]

Wendy,

I like the idea of the old officer giving the part of the banner to the knew officer and presenting them with the candle. That is a great idea.


Maryann,

What we are doing is called ducky dollars. I can't seem to print them up so I will have to use my sisters computer to make them. But you make them up. What I did is put a rubber duck on each side of the page then the amount in the middle. I put 4 on a page then I will cut them out and put them in individual envelopes. You put on them what you want the face value to be. I used 1 - $20.00, 2 - $10.00, 4 - $5.00, 4 - Free dues for the month, 7 no fines for the month. ( I spoke with my coordinator and she okayed these gifts). You put them each in a sealed envelope then you let the members draw an envelope. You keep your envelope as long as you keep losing or have a turtle. If you gain you give your envelope back. You can let them open it up and see what they lost or you can wait until the end. I am going to wait until the end. Because if they know that all the money ones are gone and there is only a no dues for the month left then they might not work as hard as if they thought they were going to get the 20.00. Plus with so many of the no fines it is a great chance that you won't have to put out any money in the end. I made 18 of them for our chapter. We rarely have that many people at one meeting but you never know. This way as we grow I will have enough for everyone. We are going to keep this one going as a never ending contest for the year. You don't know how long it will take for someone to win this challange. I thought it is different and it might motivate them to get something that is a secret. You are always anxious to see what is hidden.LOL

Also we are giving out awards for signing up a new member this year and for doing a program. We are encouraging all to participate. I will tell them that if they can't get up in front of everyone to present the program then they have to at least come up with the idea and tell someone how they want it presented then they are still eligible for the prize. Hopefully this will encourage people to take part more. We will pass around the calendar and we will tell them that they Have to sign up for one week for the year. That is not asking too much I don't think. It is their club also and they are part of it to just like we are. The chapter is to be run by the group not one person. Also maybe they will see how easy it is to present and come up with a program that they might want to do it again.

We are going to do the fundraiser / 50/50 raffle if they all agree. You each put in .25 a week for the whole year. If you lose weight you can put your name in for the drawing. Then at the end of the year on election night you draw 1 winner. That person gets 1/2 the money and the rest goes to the treasury. It is a easy fundraiser and one of the members will benefit with taking home a large amount of money. At least $200.00 and they will all benefit because they will be losing weight in order to have a chance at the drawing.

I hope these ideas help you.

Sherri

[Randa]

Lady 06498, Those are some really great ideas. We have a hard time getting people to partcipate, and I'm going to bring these ideas before the club. Thanks Randa