Are YOU In? You Bet! By: Jennifer Brinkley

Many of you have served our chapter in one way or another; whether by chairing or volunteering on a committee or section or by serving on the board. So, you will know exactly what I mean when I say, “we’ve built it, but they aren’t coming.” You’ve sat around tables and asked, “What are the hottest issues plaguing our members right now? What can we offer to make their lives easier? And, if we are already offering those solutions, how do we get them to come and take advantage of it?” You know what I am talking about, don’t you?

Don’t get me wrong. Out of all the chapters in the ALA, the Atlanta Chapter has one of the largest participation ratios. We have numerous members who come to hear the top-notch speakers, use the listserve, attend section meetings or use any number of the services the Chapter provides. Our Chapter participation is good.

But, good has never been good enough for the Atlanta Chapter. We always strive for the best. Whether by our website, speaker series, section meetings or e-newsletter, we always want the very best offered to our members. And, we want the members to use it.

So, how do we get even more participation? Most would say, that’s impossible. Not us, though! No, we strive for the impossible and try to have fun while doing it. That’s why this year we’ve decided to make a game of it. We are going to play a year long game of poker.

Here’s how it works – every time you participate in anything AALA related, you will receive a certain number of cards. For example, show up for a meeting or renew your AALA membership, get a card, contribute to an AALA sponsored charity, get two cards, refer a new member or business partner, get three cards, chair a committee/section, get four cards and so on. At the end of the year, you get to select your seven best cards for a game of 7 Card Stud at the 2007 Holiday Party.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Even better, the winner of the poker game gets a $2000 scholarship to the ALA Educational Conference in Seattle, Washington in 2008!! Sounds even more fun now, doesn’t it!!

So, are YOU going to win the poker hand? I can’t wait to hear what great cards you are collecting during the year. Oh, and remember that wonderful playing card case you received at this year’s Holiday Party? Won’t that be handy for storing those treasured cards?

Want to know how many cards something is worth or how exactly the game is played, click here to see the rules.

Editor: Marianne M. Lawhead (mlawhead@sheastokes.com) (This publication is the property of the Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. Reproduction or reprint without prior permission is strictly prohibited. Click here to request reprint permission.)

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