Newspaper article creates ‘buzz’

The Kiwanis Club of Beaumont, California, had a problem, according to Jack Lacy, lieutenant governor of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District’s Division 47: A recent surge in membership forced the club to find a larger space for its meetings.

“The Beaumont club increased its membership from 13 to 20 almost overnight,” Jack says. “How did they do it? Simple, word of mouth combined with the power of the press.”

Gayle Lee, one of the new members, Jack explains, read an article in the newspaper about 2005-06 club president Walter “Buzz” Dopf, a personal friend of hers. Buzz was pictured in The Record Gazette presenting the club’s outstanding service award to fellow Kiwanian Don McLaughlin, who was marking his 60th year as a Kiwanian.

“Gayle asked Buzz’s wife, Pam, about Kiwanis,” Jack continues, “and Pam told her Kiwanis is a great organization serving children around the world and that she herself was going to join. That prompted Gayle to say she was also going to join and that she had a friend who also would be interested.”

Apparently the newspaper article created quite a buzz, Jack adds, because it spurred seven people into joining.

“The meeting room was overflowing,” Jack says, “prompting the club to look for a larger room.”