The 3-D Welcoming Committee

[P3D <JGoldenRRP@xxxxxxx>]

Paul,
All you said in your Photo 3-D posting is very pertinent....well put , and
constructively critical.  Any ideas...lets keep in touch Rergar-d-d-d-s Jon
Golden  The 3-D Welcoming Committee Chair for Stereo New England 1997!

Many, or even most, "new attendees" will not

find it that easy to blend in to a new group, no matter how "friendly

and nice" the group believes itself to be.  I also suspect many new

attendees will not stick it out unless they are helped to feel at home

within the first 30-60 minutes, so the fact that even an "out-lier" like

Dr. T needed a couple meetings to feel at home suggests Jon is indeed

correct.  If a club or group is serious about expanding its membership,

it should create a welcoming committee whose specific responsibility

is to make new attendees feel immediately comfortable.  To be a success,

the committee must be made up of the group members who are most adept

at social interaction with strangers, and who are committed to the

mission of turning new attendees into active new members.  The rest

of the group must be supportive of the mission as well.  The welcoming

committee should have the goal of meeting each new member "at the door"

so they are not left to wander helplessly about when they arrive.  The

new attendee should be quickly introduced to several other highly

sociable club members.  Also, general information about how meetings

normally progress, as well as specifics of the current meeting, should

be given.  At some point during the meeting, all new attendees should

be announced to the group, if the group is too large for them to meet

each member in attendance.  A sincere round of applause at the end of

the announcement may be helpful.  Asking the new attendees to announce

themselves will help in some cases, but many people are not comfortable

doing so.  It may be necessary for the welcoming committee to ask

each new attendee shortly after their arrival whether they prefer to

do this or not.



I hope this contributes in some way to the survival of our species!


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