At the GCOA Annual General Meeting on April 24th, 2024, we welcomed an additional cottager to the Board and Membership Committee. The committee is now led by Howard Thiessen and Darlene Dean. Over the past year, the GCOA has diligently developed a process for maintaining and updating our cottager contact database. With this system now in place, the new Membership Committee will have no trouble keeping the GCOA membership and contacts list current. This will ensure that all cottagers are well-informed and actively involved!

See below the summary of the Membership Committee’s Roles and Responsibilities.

GCOA Membership Committee

This detailed outline provides a clear understanding of the committee’s operations and procedures, ensuring efficient management of membership affairs within the GCOA.

Introduction / Background:

• The Membership Committee was established alongside the GCOA board to support the organization financially through membership fees.
• Members have rights including attending meetings, voting on motions, receiving newsletters, participating in events, and accessing other benefits.
• Membership fees are annual, due at the beginning of the calendar year, and are tied to cottage addresses.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Maintain a contact list of members and track contact information for other cottagers.
• Organize, track, and collect membership fees.
• Maintain an email distribution list for communication purposes.
• Obtain cottage owner/lessee lists from the Real Estate Services Branch for updates.

Committee Procedures:

1. Contact List:
   • Utilize Microsoft Excel for now, with plans to transition to Membershipworks.
   • Maintain various tabs for tracking membership status, additional emails, email distribution, advance payments, and subdivision lists.
2. Real Estate Services Branch Cottager List:
   • Obtain the list annually, containing lessee names and home addresses.
   • Board is responsible for obtaining email addresses and phone numbers.
3. Membership Email Address:
   • Use designated email address for membership matters, including receiving e-transfers.
   • Notify Treasurer of received e-transfers and file corresponding receipts.
4. Payment Collection & Canvassing:
   • Collect payments via cash, cheque, credit card, or e-transfer.
   • Provide receipts for cash/cheque payments, track payments received.
   • Use credit card scanning device for credit card payments.
   • Supply flyers for marketing and information purposes during canvassing.
5. Membership Incentive Program:
   • Manage the incentive program, ensuring members receive their discount cards upon payment.
   • Track members who have paid but not received their incentive cards and ensure delivery.