Help please: Getting quilt members to mix w/newbies
01-08-2020, 09:14 AM
#21
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: maine/washington
Posts: 1,572
I belong to a large guild. One way to make sure newbies are welcomed is that every new member is paired with an old member as a mentor to meet and learn about each other. Our directory is published every 2 years and all members have their picture in it. It is especially useful to me as I spend the summer on the other coast so forget to pair names and faces.
01-08-2020, 11:40 AM
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 15,989
I also think it's half the new members efforts to get to be known. I've seen many come and sit in the back and never say anything other then Hi. They don't bring a show and tell which is the first thing I do when visiting a new guild. We have one new member that in less then six months raised her hand to help at a fundraiser, volunteer to do a demo, help hold quilt at show and tell, and help with set up before the meeting and is now our membership chair. LOL She is known by all the members now. It's like she's been there for a long time.
01-08-2020, 05:29 PM
#23
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: 25 yrs in TN; now back home in MI
Posts: 1,871
Thank you so much for your ideas. I will share them with our group leader. Right now we're having issues with people wanting to wear their name tags. I and a few others use visual cues to learn names. In our group we have 4 Carols, 3 Kathys, 3 Debbys (all spelled differently), and two groups of two women who look very similar. So I modified a game I found on the internet to have each member self-identify and have the group guess her/his identity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Decal-omania
Each member is given a tent card to secretly create a catchy phrase or name best describing her/his quilting process or style. Then each places her/his card in a box.
After all the cards are in the box, the moderator hands a marker to a random member. Then the moderator picks a card from the box, shows it to the group, reads it aloud, and asks: "Who do you think this is?" E.g. Ms. Ripsalot, who do you think she is?
Members would guess. The winner gets a piece of fabric candy (a 5" square tied in the middle) or something of that ilk.
The moderator would emphasize the card owner's name [Sharon Berry is the "Ms. Ripsalot"], the member with the marker writes the owner's name (Sharon Berry) on the back of the card and sets the card in front of the Sharon with the "Ms. Ripsalot" side to the group and Sharon Berry facing Sharon.
The member then gives the marker to the next person on the right. The moderator picks out another card and the game continues.
Collect the cards at the end of the meeting for the next month you want to play.Bring extra tent cards for those who didn't participate previously.
At the beginning of the next game play (using the same tent cards) a randomly selected member would hold up a card and (for example) ask to the group, "Who's the lint magnet?"or “Who's Ms Ripsalot?" The correct guesser gets a fabric candy. The card (the second time played) is put the name side out. (Alternating placement position each month played.)
==============================================
Now some might ask why I didn't place the name out first. Names can be hard to remember. An image can be easier to associate with a person. It makes for a fun introduction at the following meeting and is easier than trying to associate a name.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Decal-omania
Each member is given a tent card to secretly create a catchy phrase or name best describing her/his quilting process or style. Then each places her/his card in a box.
After all the cards are in the box, the moderator hands a marker to a random member. Then the moderator picks a card from the box, shows it to the group, reads it aloud, and asks: "Who do you think this is?" E.g. Ms. Ripsalot, who do you think she is?
Members would guess. The winner gets a piece of fabric candy (a 5" square tied in the middle) or something of that ilk.
The moderator would emphasize the card owner's name [Sharon Berry is the "Ms. Ripsalot"], the member with the marker writes the owner's name (Sharon Berry) on the back of the card and sets the card in front of the Sharon with the "Ms. Ripsalot" side to the group and Sharon Berry facing Sharon.
The member then gives the marker to the next person on the right. The moderator picks out another card and the game continues.
Collect the cards at the end of the meeting for the next month you want to play.Bring extra tent cards for those who didn't participate previously.
At the beginning of the next game play (using the same tent cards) a randomly selected member would hold up a card and (for example) ask to the group, "Who's the lint magnet?"or “Who's Ms Ripsalot?" The correct guesser gets a fabric candy. The card (the second time played) is put the name side out. (Alternating placement position each month played.)
==============================================
Now some might ask why I didn't place the name out first. Names can be hard to remember. An image can be easier to associate with a person. It makes for a fun introduction at the following meeting and is easier than trying to associate a name.
