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revised on 08-20-02

"Do you Dare to Care?"

As I'm sure many Rainbow Girls and adults involved with our Order have noticed, there aren't always a lot of adults on the "sidelines" during the meetings, and it seems to be the same five people recycled over as drivers and chaperones for many events. I have met so many Masons, Star, and Amaranth members who know almost NOTHING about Rainbow. That is a shame, for them. Rainbow Girls are always wonderful girls to know, and so full of enthusiasm and spirit.

Rainbow Girls (past & present) and the adults involved with Rainbow should never lose an opportunity to tell a Master Mason, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, or a member of the Order of the Amaranth that we are interested in one of the most worthwhile Organizations in the world -- and if they are not interested, and Rainbow is not uppermost in their minds, it will be too bad, for the future of the Masonic Lodge, the Order of the Eastern Star, and the Order of the Amaranth depends upon the impression they (Masonic adults) leave with the members of Rainbow.

"Dare to Care" is a program I've thought up, in the hopes of getting Masons, Eastern Star, Amaranth and Majority members involved with Rainbow. My goal is to help Assemblies get our Masonic adults, and Majority members, to take an interest in Rainbow, become active as a sideliner, and participate in things.

Loosely termed a "Dare", it will be aimed at Masons, Star, Amaranth and Majority Members who are not currently involved with Rainbow, who do not have daughters, grand-daughters, or other relatives currently active (or recently become Majority) in Rainbow, and who are NOT the current Worshipful Master, Worthy/Royal Matron, Worthy/Royal Patron, or other escortable "adult" title. It is similar to a Booster's Club.

Basically, we're daring them to care. To come to our meetings, our fundraisers, and other Rainbow events. NOT just the Installations, and other events where they would be escorted or otherwise given honors (if entitled). Yes, we realize that Rainbow would not be here without them - but to be truly involved with something, to help when help is needed, to give of yourself so that others may benefit, you do it because you WANT to, because it makes you feel good, not because you'll get the recognition for it, and people will bow in your general direction.

The "dare" is more of a contract. To show that they "Dare to Care" about Rainbow, they will sign up with the Worthy Advisor (or the chairperson she designates for this program; perhaps the Recorder?) for a one-year "dare". A notebook of some sort should be used to keep a record of each person signed up for the dare, with their name, address, phone number, affiliation (which Lodge, Chapter, Court, or Assembly they are/were a member of), and the donation amount ("forfeit") agreed upon if they lose the "dare". The chairperson, or perhaps the Mother Advisor, should have possession of this notebook.

The adult will pay a fee - say, $10 (or the equivalent fee for one average-priced fundraiser per Worthy Advisor's term) to sign up for this dare. The money from this fee will go towards a Grand or local Service project. This signup fee is not the donation amount ("forfeit") they choose to pay if they lose the "dare".
They will be give three things in return.

1. A button (maybe the clear 'add-an-insert' badges at craft stores) saying "I Dare to Care!" with the Rainbow emblem on it. (see graphic at right)

2. A membership card (business-card sized) with their name written on it, and information on the back (details below).

3. Their dare chart (details below).
   

They are dared to prove they care about Rainbow by:

1. Attending six regular Rainbow meetings during that year (no Official Visit, Installation, or other "big" event will count). At least one of those meetings should, if possible, be with another Assembly. Their dare chart has to be signed off six times by the Worthy or Mother Advisor of the Assembly visited, the date of the visit, and what the meeting was (regular, initiation, balloting, etc.).

2. Attending three fundraisers, fun events, or other Rainbow function (Grand Assembly does not count, unless they're a driver or some other helper). Those events also have to be signed off by the Worthy or Mother Advisor.

3. "Daring" at least one more Mason, Star, Amaranth or Majority member (who has not signed up for the "dare" previously) to "care" about their local Assembly, and getting them signed up. Signing themselves up for another year does not give credit, but they CAN rejoin the "dare" every year.

4. Inviting a prospective member (if she's a relative, it's fine) to attend one Assembly function that is open to them sometime during their "dared" year. Function could include Prospective Member Party, fundraiser, open meeting, fundraiser, service work, or Installation. Their guest must be introduced to the Assembly members, so the girls can make her feel welcome.

They ALSO can attend three fundraisers (one each term, chosen by that term's Worthy Advisor [this is assuming you have three terms per year; adjust if there are only two terms per year]) for the Assembly they "dared" with for free (which they pre-paid for with their sign-up fee); so they could, for example, get a free car wash, a free breakfast, and X-dollars off their order for candy, stationery, etc. This "freebie" for each term is located on their membership card, and will be signed off by the Worthy or Mother Advisor.

The girls' side of the bargain (which they should be doing with any sideliner/visitor anyhow) includes making the "Dared" feel welcome at the events, "Hi, Mr. Smith!" "Wow, thanks for coming, Mrs. Jones!", remembering to say "Thank you" to the person for showing up at the events, and actually TALKING TO THEM. Also, the Worthy Advisors should make sure the person has a Term Calendar, and she (or the chairperson for this program) should call to remind them about the "free" fundraiser event, so they can plan to attend. Adults (Board members, parents, etc.) should also make the person feel welcome, too. (I've seen new visitors be ignored by girls and adults alike, most likely because they just didn't stop to think, "Hey, a new person, let's go say hi!") Girls should also try and attend the adult organizations' events that are open to them. (picnics, Installations, etc.)

If the person loses the dare, they will have to pay a donation ("forfeit") to the Assembly (in the amount of his or her choice, minimum $5), which will go towards the Grand Service project, or a local Service project of the Assembly's choice. But it is to be made crystal clear that the girls would rather lose the dare than have the donation. (And girls must not push people to make a higher donation!)

So that means, if successful, you get one Masonic adult attending six meetings and six activities for Rainbow, PLUS getting another adult involved. Perhaps the girls could have a display in the Assembly room of the "Dare winners" for each year (plaques and engraving are costly -- maybe one of those 8x11" plastic holders, with a sheet of nice, rainbowy paper with the names printed on it). Also an award certificate that says "I dared to care about _____ Assembly!"

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Use your own creativity when designing the membership cards, button and Dare Chart, but keep the wording the same. To make things easier, I have set up a Dare Chart document in MS Word. If you need help with anything, email me and I will do my best to answer your questions.

Also, if you do use this "booster club" program, please let me know in email how it works for you, so I can further modify and improve upon it. Thank you to those who have responded!

Membership card, front

Membership card, back
(based on a 3-term year)


Dare Chart, front

____________________ has been dared by the officers and members of _________________ Assembly to prove that s/he cares about Rainbow. This "dare" was signed into agreement on ____________, and the terms of the dare (listed below) must all be fulfilled by one year from the above date, or s/he has agreed to pay a "forfeit" donation to the Assembly's service project funds in the amount chosen by "the dared" - $_________. Terms of the Dare are: This person must attend six regular Rainbow meetings during the year (Official Visits, Installations, or other such "important" events will not count.) One of these six meetings should, if possible, be with another Assembly. For each meeting, this Dare Chart will be signed off & dated by the WA or MA, with a note stating what kind of meeting it was (initiation, balloting, business, etc.) S/he must attend three fundraisers, fun events, or other Rainbow function (Grand Assembly does NOT count, unless s/he is a driver or other kind of help). These events also require that this Dare Chart be signed off & dated by the WA or MA. The "freebie fundraiser" events do NOT count. S/he must dare at least one other Mason, Star, Amaranth or Majority member (who has not been "dared" before) to care about their local Assembly, and get them signed up. Dare Chart must be filled out & initialed by the WA or MA. S/he must invite one prospective member (relative OK) to attend an Assembly function that is open to prospective members (see WA or MA for details). S/he must introduce their guest to the Assembly members. In return, the members of the Assembly agree to: Always be friendly and cheerful to this person, making him/her feel welcome, at all Rainbow & other Masonic functions, or if they cross paths elsewhere. Keep him/her informed as to what's going on in each term (either by providing a term calendar, telephoning, or both, preferably.) Letting him/her have one "freebie fundraiser" of the WA's choice, for each term (of which there are ______ per year), and advising him/her well in advance of the chosen event/sale. Signed: ______________________, Worthy Advisor ______________________, "The Dared"

Dare Chart, back

Meetings: Date Assembly Meeting type (ex: regular, balloting) WA or MA initials 1 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 2 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 3 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 4 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 5 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 6 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ Fundraiser/Fun Trip/Other function: Date Assembly Type of event WA or MA initials 1 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 2 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ 3 ______ _________ ___________________________ _________ Other Mason/Star/Amaranth/Majority Member "dared": (must have signed up with same Assembly, or have proof of signup if with another Assembly using "Dare to Care") Name: ________________________________ Affiliation (can be more than one): Mason OES Amaranth Majority Member WA or MA initals: __________ Prospective Member: _____________________________ Event: ______________________ Date: ________ WA or MA initals: __________ "Fundraiser Freebies" are signed off on back of membership card.

This text, all graphics, and the entire idea & concept of this "Dare to Care" booster's club is copyright © 2001-2002 by www.rainbow.org. Please do not use without giving credit to www.rainbow.org. (Why? This way, more Assemblies will find out everything about the program -- and any revisions made to it -- from this site, and not second- or third-hand from someone else.)

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