Quote:
Originally Posted by susan314
After all, its always in a group's best interests to draw in some younger members too - keeps continuity and stability in the group going. (That's the problem our local alumnae chapter is going through right now - we have an extremely dedicated group of members who have been active in the alumnae club for 30 years or more. The problem is that they are ready to retire/pull back a little, and there's no one waiting in the wings to take over leadership of the group.  ) |
Thanks Susan. I quoted you above because what you describe is what has happened to a group I was previously involved with, my local chapter of AAUW (Amer. Assoc. of University Women). Many of the women there were in their 50s and older, had been there for 20 years or more and wanted to leave the more time-consuming tasks of running programs and holding officer positions to younger members, who to my knowledge have yet to materialize (I went inactive with AAUW after the 2005-6 academic year). The lack of women with whom I could "identify" as a
fairly 
young, working mom was the major reason I left AAUW although I still support them on a national level. The other reason was more political (I didn't like the direction the group was heading in under the leadership of the president at the time).
You've given me some good food for thought. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised after I meet with the BSP sisters next week...I will say that the woman who invited me sounded about 30 years old even though she said she was 60!