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MISSION 1.5 Moment: Lions Club Drøbak

August 26, 2024

The mission:
MISSION 1.5 is the drive to reach 1.5 million members worldwide, so we can better meet the growing needs of our communities and serve more people than ever before.

Challenge accepted by:
Lions Club Drøbak

Location:
Drøbak, Norway

Summary:
Since January of 2023, this group of enthusiastic Lions has more than doubled its membership, and isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

Lions holding signs on a parade

About the club:
Twenty new members in the last two years? That’s what we call growth!

Meet Lions Club Drøbak, one of the most energetic, fun-loving and fastest growing clubs in Norway. The secret to their success? Something they call Drøbak-modellen for medlemsrekruttering or “the Drøbak model for member recruitment.”

To his fellow Lions Club Drøbak members, Ole Petter Skullerud is known as “the brain” behind the Drøbak model’s systematic approach to growth, which is a model that:

  • Prioritizes the organization of a membership committee or GAT team
  • Emphasizes making the best use of each member’s past experience and community affiliations
  • Recognizes the importance of doing the kind of follow-up work that keeps new members coming back

Skullerud is a Lion with real passion and a knack for welcoming and retaining valuable new club members. A passion and proclivity that has inspired the rest of Lions Club Drøbak to really embrace his model, and the importance of membership growth efforts overall.

“The growth of membership helps us be stronger and more present in what we do,” said Skullerud. “All organizations need new inspirations. And new members bring that. They are more open-minded for new opportunities and how we can develop our work.”

The success Lions Club Drøbak has enjoyed using their structured Drøbak model is an awesome example that there’s no one way to succeed with MISSION 1.5.

Learn more about the mission at lionsclubs.org/mission1.5.

Lions Club Drøbak’s Five Tips for Club Growth

  1. Make a plan. Start by defining your membership growth goals. Then consider the best approach for achieving them based on the strengths and skills of your members.
  2. Pump up the positive energy. Never miss an opportunity to talk up how Lions can contribute and serve both locally and globally.
  3. Turn service projects into opportunities. There’s no better time to meet potential Lions than when you’re out doing work in your own community.
  4. Form a membership committee and let them make first contact. Not every Lion may be comfortable reaching out to prospective members.
  5. Induct new members ASAP. The faster new members are integrated into your club, the sooner they’ll begin to feel and serve like full-fledged Lions.