A Message from the Small Point Club Board of Directors

The Small Point Club relies on the dues and patronage of our members for our financial viability. For the 125 years of the Club’s existence, our membership has generously supported the operations, the many special events and our beloved, and now very old, historic building. By providing once-yearly dues to the Club, the membership provides cash flow for our off-season expenditures (utilities, taxes, insurance, repairs, etc.). Without the dues, our operations (food, beverage, rooms, etc.) would not cover our full-year expenditures. It’s not too much to say that the value of Club membership is that we are able to continue to offer this venue and service to our Small Point Community year after year. Our ongoing thanks to our membership for recognizing their role in this historic endeavor!

New SPC Membership Category Information

The Club’s new Membership and By-law changes are designed to facilitate and streamline the route by which candidates can become members and move through the ranks of membership – based on age, stated desire to move to the next category, and time as a member in good standing. These changes are in direct response to comments by our membership that the membership process was cumbersome, especially for the families of Club members who have in some cases been here their whole lives. There are now two tracks to membership: (1) promotion of a member’s children to their own memberships without the need for letters of recommendation, and (2) new members from outside of the Club community whose application will still require three letters of recommendation.

The Club is making it easier for children of Full Members and Shareholders to assume their own membership. We are familiar with these individuals – sometimes for years – and feel that accepting them into the Club membership community should be a simple matter. Now children/grandchildren of Full Members and Shareholder Members at age 21-24 may be granted permission by parents/grandparents to charge Club activities (food, drink, rooms, etc.) to their account credit card. Prospective Family Members do not fill out an application. Parents/grandparents need only to contact the Club general manager and provide names and ages. Family Members pay no initiation fee or annual dues, and are not considered Club Members in their own right. Family Members at age 25 may become Associate Members by contacting the Membership Chair, completing the application and being approved by SPC Board. 

No initiation fee and annual dues of one-half the Full Member dues (currently $600, so $300 for Associate members), with yearly amounts applied to the Full Member initiation fee. (Note: Former Junior Members – now Associate members – prior to 2023 are grandfathered in at their original $100 per year dues and $500 initiation fee.) Children/grandchildren (25-34) of Shareholder and Full Member parents/grandparents may become Associate Members by contacting Membership Chair, filling out application and providing Sponsor letter from parent/grandparent. Associate Members, after 2 years in good standing, may become Full Members by completing the application, contacting the Membership Chair and being approved by the Board. When Associate Members in good standing turn 35, they will be asked to become Full Members.
Note: Anyone applying for Associate Membership who is not a Family Member or proposed by Shareholder or Full Member parent/grandparent,, must go through the full application process with three Sponsor letters (see Become an Associate Member below).

Full Members may sponsor new members, but may not vote or sit on Board. With current $1,000 initiation fee and current $600 annual dues, this category requires a full application process (see Become a Full Member below), unless candidate is an Associate Member in good standing. Note: The Board has lowered the minimum age requirement to allow younger members to become Shareholders (in order to vote and sit on the Club Board and serve on Board Committees). Note: New Full Members may discuss financial arrangements with the Board to pay the initiation fee over time at a small additional fee. Full Members of two years in good standing may become Shareholder Members by contacting the Membership Chair and the Club’s Custodian of Shareholder Records.

Shareholder Members may vote at Annual Shareholder Meeting, sponsor Membership applications and sit on the SPC Board and/or Committees. Applicants for Shareholder Member is unchanged and candidates must be Full Members of two years in good standing. Applicants for Shareholder Member must first contact the Membership Chair and the Club’s Custodian of Shareholder Records for approval and recommendation by SPC Board. Voting for new Shareholder Members takes
place at the SPC Annual Shareholder Meeting in August.

The new membership process and categories and respective By-law changes will help us populate the pool of Club leaders across age groups, so importantly needed for the future success and vibrancy of the Club. We welcome your comments and perspective.

-The Club Board

Full Membership

  • Using above link, download and complete the Full Membership application. The minimum age for Full Membership is 25.
  • Contact your Primary Sponsor and/or Membership Chair to assist with application process.
  • Completed applications must be accompanied by three Sponsor letters from Shareholder of two years in good standing and who are not members of the applicant’s immediate family. One of these is designated as the applicant’s Primary Sponsor. Note: With Board permission the Membership Committee may make exceptions to the recommendation requirement for applicants in cases where the applicant is already known to members of the Club.
  • Associate Members of two years in good standing may apply to become Full Members by contacting the Membership Chair and completing the application.
    Sponsor letters are not required and annual dues paid go toward Full Member initiation fee.
  • At age 35 Associate Members in good standing may become Full Members (with annual dues payments going towards the Full Member initiation fee), by contacting the Membership Chair and completing the application. Three Sponsor letters are not required.
  • Complete packages may be submitted by email or mailed to the address below.
  • Each completed package must be submitted to the Membership Secretary two weeks prior to any Board meeting.
  • The Club Board reviews Full Membership applications on a rolling basis, at any regularly scheduled meeting (every month during season, and 2 or 3 times off
    season).
  • Once approved by the Club Board, membership is effective upon receipt of the initiation fee.

Associate Membership

  • Using the above link, download and complete the Associate Membership application.
  • Contact your Primary Sponsor and/or Membership Chair or any member of the Membership Committee to assist with the application process.
  • Family Members in good standing at age 25, may become Associate Members by contacting the Membership Chair and filling out the application. Three Sponsor letters are not required.
  • Children/grandchildren (age 25-34) of Shareholder and Full Member parents/grandparents may become Associate Members by contacting Membership
    Chair, filling out application and providing one Sponsor letter from parent/grandparent.
  • Shareholder Members of two years in good standing may nominate anyone between the ages of 25 and 34 for Associate Membership. They
    are the applicant’s Primary Sponsor and write a Sponsor letter. Applicants are required to submit two other Sponsor’s’ letters, usually with assistance from Primary Sponsor.
  • Complete packages may be submitted by submitted by email or mailed to the address below.
  • Applications must be submitted to the Membership Chair two weeks prior to any Board meeting accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the sponsoring Shareholder Member.
  • The Club Board reviews Associate Membership applications on a rolling basis, at any regularly scheduled Board meeting.
  • Once approved by the Club Board, membership is effective upon receipt of the annual dues.

ROGER FARRINGTON
SPC Board, Membership Committee Chair
CONTACT: roger@rogerfarrington.com

Packets should be submitted to Roger either via email or mailed to him at:
46 Club Road, Phippsburg, ME  04562