March 15, 2013
The importance of chapter relevance
By Helen Hassard
Membership and Chapter Coordinator
You’ve probably already read an article from myself or someone else at LO about the importance of chapter relevance. If you haven’t seen anything
yet on the issue, go to www.horttrades.com/horticulture-review-20 and check out the archives of Landscape Ontario magazine. I know I touched on it briefly in January. Go ahead — I’ll wait.
Okay, we can move on to the juicy details now that you’ve had a chance to go over chapter relevance. It is is basically about having a large impact at the local level to make a greater influence. To paraphrase Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
The volunteer board members have gone over this concept in great detail and came up with three main priorities that make up chapter relevance: networking with industry members and non-members, networking with government, and meaning something to the public.
It was decided that one way to keep these priorities in the forefront of our minds, while working with each chapter, is through a new column in the Landscape Ontario magazine. With the 20th anniversary of GreenTrade Expo taking place in Ottawa last month, we thought it made sense to launch the column with the Ottawa Chapter profile.
I’ll let you read for yourself how we approached and displayed the above-noted three relevant priorities in Ottawa. While you’re reading, keep in mind ideas you may have to help your own chapter. Also, we would be happy to hear of any improvements to the column you would like to recommend or to include in future issues.
This initiative was developed by staff, based on a concept from members, but as with most of our projects, the initiative is organic (pun intended) and it will continue to evolve over time.
Feel free to give me a call at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or by email to helen@landscapeontario.com, or tweet me about it at @LOMembership. I would like to hear your thoughts and feedback on the project.
Membership and Chapter Coordinator
You’ve probably already read an article from myself or someone else at LO about the importance of chapter relevance. If you haven’t seen anythingyet on the issue, go to www.horttrades.com/horticulture-review-20 and check out the archives of Landscape Ontario magazine. I know I touched on it briefly in January. Go ahead — I’ll wait.
Okay, we can move on to the juicy details now that you’ve had a chance to go over chapter relevance. It is is basically about having a large impact at the local level to make a greater influence. To paraphrase Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
The volunteer board members have gone over this concept in great detail and came up with three main priorities that make up chapter relevance: networking with industry members and non-members, networking with government, and meaning something to the public.
It was decided that one way to keep these priorities in the forefront of our minds, while working with each chapter, is through a new column in the Landscape Ontario magazine. With the 20th anniversary of GreenTrade Expo taking place in Ottawa last month, we thought it made sense to launch the column with the Ottawa Chapter profile.
I’ll let you read for yourself how we approached and displayed the above-noted three relevant priorities in Ottawa. While you’re reading, keep in mind ideas you may have to help your own chapter. Also, we would be happy to hear of any improvements to the column you would like to recommend or to include in future issues.
This initiative was developed by staff, based on a concept from members, but as with most of our projects, the initiative is organic (pun intended) and it will continue to evolve over time.
Feel free to give me a call at 1-800-265-5656, ext. 354, or by email to helen@landscapeontario.com, or tweet me about it at @LOMembership. I would like to hear your thoughts and feedback on the project.