PRESIDENT'S CORNER
I Went to Atlanta to Find My “E”!
Just to let you know that Sue Atkin (our membership chair) and I drove to Atlanta a few weekends ago for our first time Experience at the EWGA Leader Enrichment Gathering. On our way down, we stopped and played a complimentary round of golf at the Black Creek Golf Club in Chattanooga, thanks to my hole in one last year and the EWGA's Trone Certificate they award everyone for their hole in ones! What a great experience there; a beautiful private course, very friendly clubhouse and Sue had her first ever chip-in and two birdies!!! What can I say...birdie juice was flowing! (If you haven't Engaged in birdie juice by now, you aren't Enjoying our EWGA Middle Tennesse Leagues Enough!)
Continuing on to Atlanta, we stayed at the Embassy Suites Airport, where they have a Manager's Reception and so we mingled with the most Enthusiastic group from the Central Indiana Chapter. We all went to a great restaurant where for the first time I had BBQ Turkey Ribs!! Yum.
The meeting the next morning was all about membership. Kathy O'Neal, Senior VP President, ClubCorp was the speaker. Bringing to my attention that the retention rate on average is about 70%, I was really glad as a chapter we decided to have a membership drive. Also, keeping in mind to always have guests come to events and invite them to join. We all agreed that after two visits they need to decide whether they are going to join and take advantage of the EWGA benefits.
Our Chapter is 86 members strong and I feel positive that we can Enhance our membership by 10% by the end of 2012. We discussed our “Chapter on Par” Award Program (our Playbook in a former life) and as the President, I have looked into the future and feel like we can achieve the “Chapter of Distinction” with all the work that our Board Members and Chairpersons contribute.
The EWGA is in the process of changing the Board structure to be more Efficient. At this time, 10 chapters are in a pilot program working on all the changes. More will be coming out on this; as a chapter we can decide to go this way in 2013, but we definitely have to do it by 2014 elections. I believe it will work and be easier on all the volunteer board members.
I was Educated on the EWGA Foundation. If you are like me, I really didn't know much about it other than they wanted more money. Please go to the site and read more about it and you'll be amazed about all they support; Drive for Dreams, LPGA/USGA Girls Golf, Women On Par Scholarship Program, etc. (EWGA Foundation)
We went to dinner with the Exuberant group from Indiana. One of the ladies was a member of the ClubCorp and Entertained us at a private dinner club in Atlanta, The Buckhead Club. We had a great time sharing & sharing & sharing! Our chapter is invited up to their Brickyard Play-date and we invited them to come and play at Tennessee's #1 Public Course, Hermitage Golf Course.
I guess now putting faces with names from EWGA Nationals and when I speak with someone, I will know exactly who they are and they know who I am....no one forgets “Dottie Dube”! Learning more about the EWGA and where it came from and realizing it is a business! A business that strives on women getting together not only to play golf, but to meet other women and grow from that.