In response to the many suggestions and comments concerning gaining
and retaining memberships in various organizations concerning
mechanical music I'd like to add my comments.

I have been Membership Chair for MBSI for several years.  From the
beginning of my tenure I realized retaining and growing membership
was not a "one person" endeavor and that personal contact was very
important.  I personally telephone our new members each month to
welcome them, ask how they came to join MBSI, tell them about our
Chapter and Annual Meetings, etc.

We also have Membership Coordinators within each of our Chapters who
work with Chapter Chairs to personally welcome our new members via
letters or personal welcome telephone calls.  We contact new members
and invite them to our Chapter meetings.  We also contact older
Chapter members who have not been attending meetings to find out why
they have not been active at meetings.  If they no longer are able to
drive and they live near another member, our members are encouraged to
offer them a ride to our meetings.  Our bi-monthly Journal endeavors
to cover a variety technical information and Chapter social activities.

We have outreach programs, such as exhibits and band organ rallies,
in various venues.  All attract interest in mechanical music.  For
older individuals seeing these instruments is a walk down memory lane
and the younger people have never seen anything like it.  How do we get
these individuals to become members?

With regard to retaining our members, our "Past Due" members are
contacted first via e-mail, written notices are subsequently mailed
and finally (after three months past due) I personally send a
self-addressed postage paid questionnaire listing various possible
reasons why they have not renewed.  The #1 response has been that a
spouse/significant other has died or they no longer can drive to the
meetings.

How does one retain those memberships?  Other reasons are financial,
lack of interest.  Since the questionnaire is stamped "Final Notice,"
I do receive a good number of renewal checks.  I also receive numerous
positive comments on the questionnaire about the quality of our
publications and also how much they have enjoyed being a part of our
organization.

I'm always open to suggestions for growing and retaining MBSI
membership.

Ardis Prescott - Membership Chair
Musical Box Society International