Posted: August 20, 2010

By Bill Cresenzo

bill.cresenzo@insidebiz.com

The Norfolk chapter of the Jaycees, the service league that for decades was the stalwart of civic organizations for young professionals around the country, is at risk of losing its charter if it doesn't recruit new members.

The Norfolk chapter, celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, is down to 20 members, a dramatic decrease from the more than 100 members it had several years ago, chapter president Jennifer Rebby said.

"We don't want something with that much history to no longer be with us.That's why we are really working hard on our numbers."

If the group's membership dips below 20, the national organizatiion gives it three months to get new members, said Lin Martin, president of the Virginia Jaycees. If it doesn't the national group can pull its charter.

"A lot of areas are having problems recruting," Martin said.

The Nofolk chapter is holding a recruitment drive at the law firm of Decker, Cardon, Thomas, Weintraub and Neskis on Sept. 24. (Contact Rebby at jennifer@norfolkjaycees.com for more information.)

The Jaycees isn't the only Hampton Roads civic and business group grappling with how to recruit and retain new members. The economy, the Internet and an increasingly busy lifestyle are three of the factors that the groups face when trying to bulk up their membership.

"We are holding our own," said Debbie Stitzer-Brame, president of the Kiwanis Club of Norfolk, which, like the Jaycees, stresses community service and leadership development.

"People are strapped for time and years ago, businesses would encourage their employees to become part of civic groups. They are no longer doing that."

The poor economy has made recruitment more difficult, she said. Dues are a major element of any civic group, and some people cannot afford them. The dues for Kiwanis are $140 a quarter, which includes lunch at their weekly meetings.

Dues at $75 a year aren't so much an issue with the Jaycees. Rebby called them a bargain.

Then there is the Internet, which has been both a blessing and a curse to groups like the Jaycees.

On one hand, the groups can use social media to recruit new members. On the other hand, people are living their lives online now more than ever, sometimes at the expense of real-life activities.

The Internet has also given people more options about the type of group activities they can enjoy offline.

For decades the Jaycees has been a premier civic group for young professionals - Al Gore and Ronald Reagan were Jaycees.

Over the past few years, Jaycee chapters in Hampton Roads have disappeared, including chapters in Newport News and Suffolk. Three chapters now remain - Norfolk, Virginia Beach and the Peninsula.

There has been some talk about combining the three Hampton Roads Jaycee chapters, which Rebby said each have fewer than 30 members.

"But I think that the personalities of the different chapters are such that we like to have our individual chapters, but partner up on projects," she said. "Some chapters are more business oriented, some are more laid back and we have different pet projects."

While the Jaycees may have lost members, the ones they have are dedicated, Rebby said.

"We have doctors, lawyers, accountants, military people, engineers, you name it," she said.

The Jaycees have another hurdle when it comes to membership - age. Once Jaycee members hit 41, they "age out" and have to leave the group.

That's not the case with other civic groups, but like the Jaycees, they work to recruit young people, who, Stitzer-Brame said, want hands-on volunteer activities, not just weekly lunch meetings.

"I think the key to us," Stitzer-Brame said, "is that we have been keeping our younger members engaged."nib