Rotary Voices Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title:
A Membership Success Story: How This Georgia Club Keeps Growing

Date:
April 9, 2026

Podcast & Host:
Rotary Voices, by Rotary magazine
Hosts: Tom Gump (Chair, Rotary International Membership Growth Committee), Jose Gonzalez (Regional Membership Officer, Zones 33 & 34)
Featured Guest: Trumi Lee Patrick (President, Rotary Club of Roswell, Georgia)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the remarkable and sustained membership growth of the Rotary Club of Roswell, Georgia—a club still thriving and expanding as it celebrates its 75th anniversary. The discussion centers on Roswell’s culture, strategies for recruitment and retention, impactful service, and practical tips that both large and small clubs can adapt to ensure ongoing growth and engagement.

Main question explored:
How does a long-standing club like Roswell Rotary keep growing its membership and maintaining engagement, even after 75 years?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roswell’s Membership Focus & Growth

• Ambitious Goals & Results

  • Trumi Lee Patrick announced a club goal to induct 50 new members in a year; by the recording date, 24 had already joined. (00:03)
  • Historical context: While Roswell’s population has grown dramatically since the 1980s, the club also maintains tradition and local service roots. (02:33–03:50)

• Diversity Reflected

  • The club strives for demographic representation, fostering connections among members who differ in age, background, religion, and politics, united by “service above self.” (04:56)

2. Recruitment Strategies

• Membership as Shared Responsibility

  • Every member is challenged to “replace themselves” by inviting at least one new member. (06:39)
  • Introduction of pledge cards and incentives, including a raffle and a personal donation by the president covering a Paul Harris level for the winning sponsor. (06:39–08:20)
  • Focus on programs/events that attract guests: high-profile speakers (e.g., Georgia political leaders, sports figures), community panels, widely publicized events, and energetic meeting atmospheres (“music playing when you walk in… smell the energy in here”). (08:20–10:17)

• Utilizing Networks

  • Surveys asking members for speaker and guest suggestions tapped hidden networks and increased club-wide engagement. (10:17)

3. Retention & Engagement

• Creating an Inviting Atmosphere

  • Regular features: music at meetings, engaging programs, and genuine socializing. (11:33)
  • Two signature member-spotlighting programs:
    • Rotary Spotlight: Weekly, a member shares a unique, personal two-minute intro (“let me know something I didn’t know about you”—12:26).
    • Rotary Y: Members record a short video about their Rotary inspiration, played to motivate others and rekindle engagement. (12:26–13:37)

• Retention Rates

  • Focus on reducing attrition: historically 15–20%, but dropped to 1.5% during the year due to these strategies. (06:39–07:38)

4. Onboarding Process

• Structured Experience for New Members
  • Induction day includes orientation with two past presidents, history, and Q&A. (14:30)
  • Red Badge/Blue Badge system: New “Red Badge” members complete club engagement tasks before receiving full “Blue Badge” status (e.g., serving as greeter, participating in service, bringing in a guest). (14:30–15:45)
  • New member social events held twice a year; mentors are assigned, and membership committee proactively checks in with less engaged members. (15:45–16:45)
  • Service-focused onboarding—for example, assembling backpacks for homeless veterans at the social. (16:15)

5. Club Culture and Experience

• Embracing Tradition While Innovating

  • Ongoing surveys (about programs and projects) ensure member-driven direction and adaptability (“I’d recommend this to any club”—19:44, 20:50).
  • Diverse, welcoming atmosphere—examples include the “Women of Roswell Rotary” group and frequent family-inclusive events. (23:10)

• Service and Social Balance

  • Monthly happy hours, multiple service projects, and fun are prioritized alongside mission and tradition. (21:58–22:56)
  • Emotional highlights, such as the Honor Air flights for veterans and matched donations for veteran support, reinforce service’s human impact. (17:51–19:38)

6. Replication and Takeaways for Other Clubs

• Key Tactics Clubs Can Adapt:
  • Conduct annual (or more frequent) member surveys. (27:49)
  • Create engaging onboarding with orientation, “buddy” or mentor system.
  • Foster club-wide responsibility for membership.
  • Promote variety in programming—social and service—so there’s “something for everybody.”
  • Maintain a positive, inclusive club culture and focus on fun.
  • Celebrate and integrate the past while welcoming new ideas and demographics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Diversity and Unity:
  “Some of my best friends in Roswell Rotary are men and women that we don’t share the same political belief, we don’t share the same religious belief, we didn’t grow up the same, we’re not the same age, and we have socioeconomic differences. But that is all put aside. It somehow vanishes inside that vacuum that is Roswell Rotary.”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick (04:56)

• On Shared Responsibility:
  “I challenged all 198 members to replace yourself, to bring in someone into this club. Just one.”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick (06:39)

• On Engaging Meetings:
  “We have music playing when you walk in the room. Someone said, I can smell the energy in here. I mean, it’s just, it’s real.”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick (10:01)

• On Member Spotlights:
  “Let me know something that I didn’t know about you. You played baseball in college—I didn’t know that. It’s really something interesting.”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick (12:26)

• On Emotional Impact:
  “…It’s just that kind of engagement that is organic, that comes from that true service above self belief that was so powerful and moving that I mean there were folks in tears.”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick on the club match for a veterans’ charity (19:16)

• On Legacy and Belonging:
  “I joined to hang out with my dad and I’m so glad I did. He passed away in January and for 10 years I got to sit next to him in a chair and enjoy fried chicken at Roswell Rotary and help do service projects, make fun of people. We had a great time together…”
  —Trumi Lee Patrick (22:00)

Top Club Growth Takeaways (27:49)

Jose Gonzalez summarizes the Roswell approach into three highlighted strategies:

1. Surveys: “If we’re not asking our members, especially our newest members, those that just joined their clubs, what it is their interests are, we’re not going be able to meet their needs and in turn will end up losing them as a member.”
   (27:49)

2. Engaging Member Experience: “Determine what the value proposition is for each member…if we don’t, they may not stick around as long as we would hope.”
   (28:13)

3. Adaptability: “Even a club that’s been around for a long time can make small changes in their general operations… to be much more inclusive and welcoming.”
   (28:30)

Tom Gump adds (28:53) that true retention and growth are only possible with a “holistic approach”—balancing recruitment, onboarding, engagement, retention, new club initiatives, and club culture.

Timestamps – Key Segments

• 00:03: Club’s big membership goal, 24 new members so far.
• 02:33: Roswell’s changing demographics and community engagement history.
• 04:56: On diversity and club unity.
• 06:39: Recruitment philosophy and pledges, incentivizing referrals.
• 10:01: Creating engaging meetings and leveraging member networks.
• 12:26: The Rotary Spotlight and Rotary Y programs.
• 14:30: Structured onboarding for new members.
• 17:51: Veteran engagement and the Honor Air program.
• 19:44: Using member surveys to set direction.
• 21:58: Club culture and member experience, balancing tradition and innovation.
• 23:10: Women of Roswell Rotary event and inclusive programming.
• 27:49: Top three takeaways for other clubs.

Conclusion

Roswell Rotary’s secret:
Effectively blending tradition and community heritage with practical innovation, club-wide responsibility, diverse and inclusive culture, engaging programming, and a strong focus on both service and fellowship. As both hosts summarize, these are strategies that any Rotary club—regardless of age or size—can implement to inspire consistent membership growth and retention.

For more about Rotary International and joining or supporting a club, visit rotary.org.