Think outside the meeting box 

To build the kind of fellowship that makes your club and its service stronger, here are a few ideas. 

By Tony Knoderer

The strongest Kiwanis clubs grow because people want to join — and then keep coming back. The fellowship of the club experience is a big part of that success.  

 Does your club go beyond its normal meeting format to build camaraderie? If not, here are a few ideas for fun activities:  

• Rent space at a local sports venue for pregame snacks, drinks and appetizers. Then share a seating block to cheer on the home team.  
• Try a team-building activity such as a ropes course or escape room.  
• Schedule activities around the seasons: a hayride or bonfire in the fall, hot cocoa and cookies in the winter, a nature walk in the spring, an ice cream social or outdoor concert in the summer.   
• Host an annual thank-you event in a casual setting. Whether it’s brunch at a local restaurant or an outdoor picnic or barbecue, members will appreciate a time and place to relax and converse. 

 However you build fellowship, make sure potential members are welcome too — so they can see that Kiwanis can be about fun as well as service!