President's Message

September 2008

By Patty Christiansen, President

The Importance of Membership

After one year of presidential articles about waves and shores and swimmers and beaches, you have probably surmised that I love the ocean.

Especially during the summer months, I try to spend one day per week on the sand. It’s my particular kind of mental therapy. And, without fail, as I sit on the shore, I see the boats: sail boats, yachts, freighters, rubber boats with motors, Coast Guard boats, ships.

In the world of PTA, the “ship” that deserves our attention the most is MEMBER “SHIP.”

Just how important is membership to the PTA? Our very existence as an organization is based on our members. The purpose of our organization is to serve our members and their children. As we advocate for children in Sacramento and elsewhere, the more members we have, the greater our voice. We need members to be a viable organization and to accomplish the many goals and missions of the PTA.

Membership is everybody’s business. The responsibility of recruiting new members does not fall upon the membership chairman alone; it is the responsibility of each officer and chairman.

As an officer of the PTA, how many members will you help to join? Have you asked your past PTA presidents to join your PTA? Did you remember to ask your past Honorary Service Award recipients to join?

In a survey done by the National PTA, the number one reason given for not joining PTA was simple: “I was not asked.” It is our responsibility to ASK everyone around us.

This year, Fourth District PTA will lend you a BIGGER helping hand with membership. In conjunction with California State PTA, we will provide you copy-ready letters, fliers and resources. We will help you track membership within your unit and council PTAs. We will send you email reminders to help you stay on schedule.

Our goal is to reverse the trend of declining membership in Orange County that we have seen in the past five years.

We are here to help you succeed!