By Stephen Smoot
It may be a generational thing, but one of the predominant and rarely mentioned quirks of early childhood, at least in Generation X, was the oft-repeated question “do you want to be in my club?” Mainly children in kindergarten and first grade would repeat this line, which really meant “do you want to be distinguished as special among my friends and acquaintances,” though pretty much no child that age would articulate that idea thus.
Service clubs for adults have increasingly had to go around asking that very same question as the practice of joining and pitching in on projects has fallen out of favor among the younger generations. Many of the most well-known clubs organize to bring improvement to the community and/or represent a vital constituency. Through combined efforts, club members can band together to organize and execute projects of real value.
Where would veterans be without the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars working to support them locally and representing them to the State Legislature and Congress?
What would the Shinnston community do without the good works of the Lions Club, I.O.O.F. , Women’s Club, Garden Club, and so many other worthy organizations?
The Ruritan National 2022 Annual Report tells the story of the decline of one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most important service clubs. Membership in all Ruritans combined has not seen growth since 1991. It lost a total of 2,260 members during the pandemic years alone. West Virginia, as of 2022, had the fourth largest number of members at 1,325 in 56 clubs.
Every service and business club has seen the same problems. These reflect similar issues seen in many church denominations.
In times past these organizations often served as places to network, whether for meeting personal friends or making professional connections. That served as a draw to younger members who saw value for time spent – or invested. The raising of active families and working demanding careers siphons time from those who used to form the backbone of such organizations.
Social media takes the blame as a replacement for face-to-face friendships and ways to connect with others as well. Some also theorize that “tribal” associations based on a person’s characteristics, ideals, and even politics have gradually replaced the desire to join groups that have individuals with different backgrounds and points of view.
Retirees sometimes seek out service clubs as ways to stay active and remain engaged, but not in numbers needed in many cases to stem the tide of declining numbers.
Nearly every service club wants to see both more and younger members but the key, as always, is offering value.
The kind of young people that a service club would typically rely on to work on projects has made a real mark on Shinnston in the past year. Lincoln High School’s EPIC grant team won a state award, then put in hands-on efforts to improve the West Fork Trail and establish ways to sustain the work going forward.
Students applied for the grants, led the projects, and publicized their work to the community. The “value” they received from the experience includes much personal benefit to them. Those applying to elite schools can cite such volunteer work on their applications. These projects also provide students with professional-style experience that may not help them shine on an entry level job application, but will certainly stand them in good stead when looking for a professional career.
They also gained an understanding of how the world of getting things done actually works while bringing improvements that all can see with their own eyes in the community.
Recruiting young people to do anything includes asking for a sacrifice of time otherwise spent with friends, family, sports, studies, or socialization. Each individual will have their own idea of what represents value, but the first question and organization must ask is “what value can this person get by joining the cause?”
The kind of young people whose presence will benefit a service club also want authentic experiences with authentic outcomes. Efforts to attract them by playing popular music or trying to entertain in the fashion of “how the kids do today” rarely entices them.
To members, the value will usually seem self-explanatory, but they may be shocked by how little many younger folks in the general public know about the good work they do or how membership benefits recruits.
Opportunities abound, however. Reserve Officer Training Corps programs seem like natural partners for veterans’ service organizations. Service clubs can reach out to high school culinary students to put together menus and complete dining experiences to add to their slate of traditional fundraiser meals, which would almost certainly attract their parents and other family as well. Young people do flock to the performing arts in large numbers. Concerts or other performances can serve as part of fundraising or community events.
This is the kind of volunteer work that brings young people to the clubs while also giving them experiences they can refer back to in their future careers.
It’s not that young people want to serve less than they once did. They have more opportunities pulling at their time and their social waters are muddier than they ever have been. The answer quite likely lies in giving them opportunities to contribute in ways that offer value to them now and/or the future.
And unless the answer is found fast, communities will lose the benefit of these foundational service organizations where, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, so much is owed by so many to so few.