Acting Like A Brotherhood, Not a Collection Agency
1. Every Brother Knight was personally invited to join the Order. Therefore, every Brother Knight should be personally invited to stay in the Order before he is suspended.
2. Before filing the final “Intent To Suspend” the Shepherd and Apostles (Retention Committee) must request and use any updates of contact information.
3. Personal contact (see below) must be made or attempted.
a. For Brothers with no updated information, send in the beneficiary’s name so you can attempt to contact the Brother through them.
b. If the phone number(s) do not work, make a home visit.
c. If the home address is incorrect, ask for an update.
d. If all attempts to contact has been made, the Brother should be dropped and be sure to list the dates, times, and methods used (phone, home visit) to attempt contact.
4. The Retention Committee is required to submit, “…, a full (written) report is to be provided to the grand knight as to why the member is delinquent and why he is considering leaving the Order”
5. This written report to the Grand Knight should be emailed to:
a. State.Deputy@CaliforniaKnights.org
b. Membership@CaliforniaKnights.org
6. The list of reasons for a Brother leaving the Order may include a statement by the Grand Knight that multiple attempts were made (both by phone and home visit), using the updated information provided by the State Membership Data Team, to personally contact a Brother.
How to Suspend a Brother the Right Way
Yes, California does allow drops!
1. Make Personal Contact
a. By Phone
b. Face-?To-?Face
c. By Home Visit
d. If out of town – send a handwritten postcard asking for phone # and email.
2. Make the Personal Contact A Positive Way to Reconnect Him to the Brotherhood.
a. Announce your name and state that you are a Brother Knight.
b. Ask about his life, his activities, his family, etc.
c. Invite him to Council or Church events that fit his needs or his family’s needs.
d. Ask why he became a Knight in the first place.
i. Does he still have that reason? ii. If he feels he cannot continue as a Knight, find out exactly why. Use the “Caller Script” to offer solutions to any of his problems or objections. e. Ask if there is any way the Council can help him or his family. f. Tell him that the records show that he has provigil online usa online not paid his bill.
i. Ask what happened? Did he get it? Was it put aside? Did he lose it?
ii. Ask if he can pay the bill. Ask if would be a problem to pay.
g. Remind him that dues help the Council to do the charitable work that the Knights are known for, and ask him to do his part by paying his dues.
h. If none of your solutions work and the Brother insists that he still wants to leave the Order, ask for a specific reason why. Let him know that this will help us to improve the Knights of Columbus.
3. If there is no Response, the Address and Phone Number(s) may be out of date.
a. Ask the Membership Data Team to help find new information.
b. Send us your best information to Membership@CaliforniaKnights.org :
i. Full Name (middle initial or name helps),
ii. Last known address
iii. Last known phone number
iv. Birth Date and or Age
v. Any relatives names (beneficiary name from form 100)
vi. Council name and number
vii. Name, phone, and email of the person requesting information
This procedure shows that the Knights care and shows our Brotherhood. Better yet, establish a Worthy Shepherd and Apostles team to make personal calls every 3 months to keep in contact. This truly show Brotherhood and strengthens the bonds of Fraternity.
•Do Not allow your Contact Team to start off by saying that he is behind in dues.
• Do Not try to collect more than one year’s worth of dues or fees.
o The Council is billed one year at a time and Brothers should be treated the same.
o Your Shepherd and Apostles committee should be contacting Brothers every 3 months. If a Brother is delinquent, use the “…Caller Script” to convince him to pay and remain in the Brotherhood, or let the FS and GK know the Brother’s exact reason for leaving the Order. If a Brother wishes to leave, he must be dropped.
• DO -? If there is no response to your dues letters and you cannot connect by phone, ask the State to help find the current address and phone number.
• DO -? If you send (or sent) in Notice of Intent to Suspend, check and use any updated phone numbers and addresses that are listed on the 2014-?15 CA Conservation Reports database.