Ruritan Club and District Officers' Handbook

Standing Committees of a Ruritan Club (continued) Public Relations Committee

Areas of Concern Purpose: To establish an effective internal and external pub lic relations program involving the club and the community, to promote fellowship and goodwill, and to be responsible for planning and securing meals for each meeting. The Public Relations Committee has the responsibility of implementing the first object of Ruritan, which is to promote fellowship and goodwill, not only among the members, but throughout the community. More detailed information appears in the Ruritan Public Relations Section. 1. The committee chair should appoint a member to keep a written record of committee meetings and activities. 2. A member of the committee should be designated to serve as club reporter. 3. The Ruritan Public Relations Manual from Ruritan Supply should be obtained. 4. The committee, at its first meeting, should set tentative objec tives for the coming year and present estimated costs of projects to the Budget and Finance Committee before the club’s annual budget is approved. 5. A written report of each project completed should be presented to the club secretary. 6. The records of committee’s activities and recommendations should be turned over to the new chair at the end of the year. 1) Membership drive. Consider advertising to create interest in joining your club. 2) Donate Rudy Ruritan bears to a local fire, rescue, or children’s agency. Make sure you get photographs. 3) Foundation Grants. Let your community know what your club is doing to promote education. 4) Ruritan Founders’ Day and Ruritan Sunday bulletin inserts are available from Ruritan Supply. 5) Patriotic celebrations such as an Independence Day celebration. 6) Donations to a local charitable agency. Be sure to explain to media what the donation will accomplish for either your country or for your community. 7) Holiday project (toy donation, food donation, etc.). Publicize your efforts through the local media. Each of the events below can be used to promote Ruritan awareness in your community. Send press releases and photographs to your local media. Public Relations: A Year of Ruritan Awareness

Ruritans in The News

Suggestions

1. Relationships with local newspaper executives, and radio and television station officials should be estab lished. 2. News media personnel should be invited to attend a regular or special meeting as a guest. 3. The appointed club reporter should observe the follow ing rules of good journalism: a. The lead or first paragraph of the story should answer the following questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, and WHERE? The remaining paragraphs should fill in the other facts - HOW and WHY? (Figures are always impressive.) b. The names of persons and places should be spelled correctly. Publicity can do more harm than good when names are incorrectly spelled. It also takes pressure off the editor. c. The highlights of a speech should be summarized. Never take a copy of a speech and send it to the newspaper verbatim. d. Good photographs provide good publicity. The news media will advise you of their requirements. e. A story should not carry details on who read the minutes, gave the treasurer’s report, or pronounced the invocation. It is not necessary to mention salutes to the flag, etc. These are trivial incidents and occur at every club meeting, regardless of where it may occur. f. The story should be neatly typed and double-spaced. Use club stationery or make certain that your club’s name is prominently featured on the first page. g. Submission requirements for articles and photo graphs should be checked. 4. The chair or another member of the committee should be at the meeting place early to greet all members and guests as they arrive. 5. Visitors should be introduced to other club members and properly seated for the meal. 6. Speakers and entertainment should be welcomed and then introduced to the program chair. 7. Visiting Ruritan officials should be welcomed and directed to the head table. 8. Last, but certainly not least, well-planned events are particularly important in promoting fellowship and goodwill.

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Revised 8/2024