2. 2015-2016 Retention Stats Total deaths in Ontario 284Total deaths in Ontario 284 (as of Nov 1st) 148 intent to suspend 1845 list processed compared to 283 last year148 intent to suspend 1845 list processed compared to 283 last year 55,381 total members in Ontario as of Nov 1st55,381 total members in Ontario as of Nov 1st 55,560 total members in Ontario as of July 1st55,560 total members in Ontario as of July 1st Net gain is +112 in Ontario as of Nov 1 st, 2015Net gain is +112 in Ontario as of Nov 1 st, 2015 Net gain is +139 in Ontario as of Nov 1 st, 2014Net gain is +139 in Ontario as of Nov 1 st, 2014 YTD -210 in 2014 YTD -175 in 2015YTD -210 in 2014 YTD -175 in 2015

3. Retention committee  Must have chairman on file with Supreme (365)  Must be an active committee. DD’s required to confirm.  Should be knowledgeable of the benefits the Order provides.  GK’ ask your FA or GA to help train their retention team.  Should not act as “bill collectors”.  Compassion and love for brother is our concern.  Should re-establish communication and relationship.  Committee: DGK (usual chairman), Trustees, GK and sponsors.  The FS is not on this committee.  Should read the Ontario State SO-47 & submit for over 2.  Should document their work when reaching out to members.  Shouldn’t give up with first attempt to contact.  Members joined to serve their community and to socialize with other faithful men. This is why they joined.

4.  Required by any Council that wishes to suspend more than 2 members.  The form is a self reflection nature or a time of self- examination, which is a humbling process.  Placing members on an intent to suspend list should be a sad occasion, not a time of accomplishment.  Q: Why do we have members that want to leave?  Q: What could we do or have done better to keep our members active and inspired? State SO-47

5. After the welcoming degree… Re-embrace all your brothers!  Our brothers that withdraw indicate they lost interest with their Council.  Do we make an honest effort to continue to communicate regularly with our brothers after their welcoming degree?  Remember the parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13). Most of these brothers haven’t learned the lessons of Unity and Fraternity then how do you expect them to know what we know, be as active as we are or have the spirit of Fr McGivney within them?  Don’t give up on them. Continue to cultivate and inspire.

6. Poor communication = Poor relationships  Communication is key to better relationships with your brother knights. It’s been said before then why are some Councils not focusing on improving this vitally important responsibility?  Fear to face the facts: You may have heard the message to improve your communication and relationships with all your brother knights then why the reluctance by some Councils?  Humility and hard work: Poor habits in the past have led to poor relationships that have harden the hearts of many of our brothers that you don’t see regularly or since their first degree. How do we change this?  What needs to be done: Apologize! It’s time we reach out regularly to all our brothers (minimum twice per year).

7.  Poor relationships have weakened our fraternal bonds of unity. Focusing only on fundraising isn’t your only work.  Remember the 1 st degree message that charity doesn’t consist alone in gifts of money.  Purpose: To serve your pastor. To protect the widow and entire Catholic family(insurance). To evangelise and reach out to other Catholic men for the purpose to care for, socialize with each other and support each other in our own faith journeys. What is the Council’s true purpose?  Principles: Charity, Fraternity, Unity and Patriotism.  Fundraising as only the focus: Is raising money to write cheques for charity your Council’s only focus? If so, how are we helping Fr McGivney with the true purpose of why he instituted the Order.  Focus on your purpose!

8. Encourage our councils to stop abandoning our members. Recognize they are more than our fraternal brothers in the Order they are our fraternal brothers in Christ.Encourage our councils to stop abandoning our members. Recognize they are more than our fraternal brothers in the Order they are our fraternal brothers in Christ. How can we make sure we maintain the members we have? Encourage our Councils to communicate regularly with all members. Including monthly bulletins, phone calls semi-annually or quarterly from a committee or executive.Encourage our Councils to communicate regularly with all members. Including monthly bulletins, phone calls semi-annually or quarterly from a committee or executive. Encourage our Councils to invest in social programs to keep their members active and inspired.Encourage our Councils to invest in social programs to keep their members active and inspired.

9. Cleaning up the Roster Do your Councils want to clean up their roster?Do your Councils want to clean up their roster? Examine your rosters and get all those 1 st degree knights to full knighthood.Examine your rosters and get all those 1 st degree knights to full knighthood. These men have been left behind and await the lessons of the 2 nd & 3 rd degrees. How can we expect them to catch the spirit and enthusiasm without learning the lessons of Unity and Fraternity?These men have been left behind and await the lessons of the 2 nd & 3 rd degrees. How can we expect them to catch the spirit and enthusiasm without learning the lessons of Unity and Fraternity? No member can be an executive officer unless they are a 3 rd degree knight.No member can be an executive officer unless they are a 3 rd degree knight. Ask your phone committee to inquire if our records are accurate and if they’ve attained the 2 nd & 3 rd degree and report the information to the FS. Also, those with an asterisk (*) next to their address are not receiving the monthly Columbia.Ask your phone committee to inquire if our records are accurate and if they’ve attained the 2 nd & 3 rd degree and report the information to the FS. Also, those with an asterisk (*) next to their address are not receiving the monthly Columbia.

10. Retention of our members begins at their 1 st degree.Retention of our members begins at their 1 st degree. First impressions count.First impressions count. Make them feel important and welcome!Make them feel important and welcome! Continue to develop relationships everyday.Continue to develop relationships everyday. When does the retention process begin? The Shining Armor Award program is designed to get new members involved immediately. Every GK should be introducing this program to every new candidate at every 1 st degree and challenging them to strive to achieve this prestigious award.The Shining Armor Award program is designed to get new members involved immediately. Every GK should be introducing this program to every new candidate at every 1 st degree and challenging them to strive to achieve this prestigious award. Every Council needs to have a welcoming committee with your Chancellor as the chairman. The committee would visit each new knight at his home and survey his interests and welcome his family. He would introduce his ‘buddy’ who will invite him to every event and degree for the 1 st year and offer to pick him up and drive him to the degrees.Every Council needs to have a welcoming committee with your Chancellor as the chairman. The committee would visit each new knight at his home and survey his interests and welcome his family. He would introduce his ‘buddy’ who will invite him to every event and degree for the 1 st year and offer to pick him up and drive him to the degrees.

11. Withdrawals Letter or e-mail must start from memberLetter or e-mail must start from member Councils cannot provide a generic letter for member to sign.Councils cannot provide a generic letter for member to sign. New procedure as of July 1 st (memo from Supreme)New procedure as of July 1 st (memo from Supreme) Withdrawals now held for 60 days at Supreme to allow State Retention Directors to contact.Withdrawals now held for 60 days at Supreme to allow State Retention Directors to contact. For any members that change their mind and do not want to withdraw, a second letter or e-mail is required to stop the withdrawal to proceed.For any members that change their mind and do not want to withdraw, a second letter or e-mail is required to stop the withdrawal to proceed. I ask FS’s to please write the phone number of the member on their withdrawal letter to Supreme.I ask FS’s to please write the phone number of the member on their withdrawal letter to Supreme.

12. How we move forward and grow… Find a NEED and with purpose, fill it ! Find some HURT and with compassion, heal it ! Find your true PURPOSE and with passion, pursue it !