Start an Aquarium or Pond Club

Aquarium Society Formation Checklist

Planning Stage

• Contact FAAS for additional support and list of active clubs in your area.
• Contact nearby clubs for sample rules and guidelines.
• Make contacts in your local area
  • Possible members
  • Possible meeting places
  • Possible supporters
  • Local pet shops and hobby outlets
  • Local sources of ribbon awards
  • Local sources of publishing materials
  • Possible sources for loan of publishing equipment
• Advertising mediums
  • TV
  • Radio stations
  • Newspapers
• Formulate a plan of attack:
  • Draft a sample constitution and bylaws
  • Draft bowl show rules
  • Draft committee structure
  • Draw up a workable time schedule of formation
• Prepare your publicity (letters, posters, press releases)
• Join FAAS

Formation Stage

• Hold your first organizational meeting
  • Elect interim chairman and secretary
  • Select a name for your society
  • Introduce constitution and bylaws
  • Keep members interested by frequent contact and reminders
  • Actively solicit support from pet shops and hobby outlets
  • Confirm a site for the general meeting
  • Continue formation meetings as required
  • Plan for general meeting date, place, time and schedule of activities
  • Introduce bowl show and/or other activity guidelines
  • Plan additional meetings in advance.
  • Decide on a meeting format and schedule
  • Set goals, desirable to urgent and from immediate to long-range with emphasis on easy to difficult
  • Renew publicity campaign for this first meeting

Your First General Meeting

• Submit constitution and bylaws for approval.
• Nominations for office with elections at the second meeting
• Fully brief all those present as to schedule of events, plans andexpectations; solicit actively for memberships
• Distribute free door prizes to encourage future attendance at meetings
• Encourage support in bowl show and introduce the planned auctions, etc., as part of all future meetings
• Keep the meeting interesting and play down business
• Request all present to attend planning meetings/business meetings to input for formation phase
• Encourage maximum membership involvement in all areas

Follow up to Meeting

• Carefully assess what has happened, what has been accomplished, possible changes and introductions for future meetings and activities.
• Determine the degree of interest expressed by the attendees and place emphasis on the areas of greatest interest.
• Develop plans and activities quickly if it is seen that the activity in question might be well accepted. Proceed with caution where less interest has been displayed.
• Organize a newsletter to all members (even a single page which announces the next meeting will suffice). Increase this as you obtain additional funds and interest.
• Maintain interest with new ideas and by actively soliciting membership participation.
• Keep in touch with FAAS as things develop and as problems are seen to develop.

About the Federation of American Aquarium Societies (FAAS)

The Federation of American Aquarium Societies (FAAS), formed in 1973, is a service organization of and for aquarium societies of North, Central and South America.