With the advent of our website — which includes a membership portal — at www.GreenbriarGCA.org, the block captains’ responsibilities have lessened considerably. We are strongly encouraging residents to use the website to pay their membership dues online. And we are no longer printing hard copies of the GCA Welcome Kit or the Community Directory for distribution by hand to residents.
Block captains are still the eyes and ears of the neighborhood and serve as the essential point of contact between their designated block and the Greenbriar Civic Association board of directors. Their primary role is to convey information about any issues, events or items of interest to their district representative and to provide important or emergency communications to their residents when needed. Block captains should be dues-paying members of the GCA and be prepared to engage fully in the responsibilities of the position. If no longer able to perform the required duties, it is important that they contact their district rep immediately to find a replacement.
Welcome Kits:
All new residents should be given a GCA business card and membership brochure that directs them to our website at GreenbriarGCA.org where they can access the Welcome to Greenbriar folder in the Documents section. The folder contains the GCA Welcome Kit, plus other documents that provide useful information, including emergency contacts and phone numbers. Block captains should contact their district rep to obtain a supply of business cards and brochures.
Flyers/Notices:
While most promotional flyers about upcoming GCA activities (the Easter egg hunt, concerts in the park, community yard sales, etc.) are published in the Greenbriar Flyer, on our website and on Nextdoor Greenbriar, there may be an occasional flyer or notice that needs to be hand-delivered to residents. If so, district reps will provide the flyers, and block captains should deliver them to their residents in a timely manner. Note: U.S. Postal Service regulations prohibit leaving flyers in a mailbox.
Annual Membership Drive:
Block captains are a vital component of a successful membership drive. While we publicize information about the annual membership drive in the Greenbriar Flyer, etc., and encourage residents to join/renew online via our website, some residents prefer in-person contact and payment by cash or check. For those who joined the GCA online, they will have received an email at the beginning of the fiscal year to notify them of the need to renew their membership. For those residents who have not yet renewed or joined online, we ask that you contact them personally to request their support of the GCA. The minimum annual contribution is $25, although residents may choose to pay more as a Community Supporter or Community Builder or to donate to the production of the Greenbriar Flyer. It is important that block captains talk to their residents to explain the benefits of GCA membership, foremost of which is a strong voice when representing our community’s interests before county and state officials. Please also see the GCA Community Benefits document in the Welcome to Greenbriar folder at www.GreenbriarGCA.org. If unable to reach a resident after 2 multiple attempts, block captains may leave a mailer with a return envelope at the home.
Time Commitment:
If all residents of a block are at home, block captains should be able to complete the membership drive within one to two hours. The entire gamut of block captain duties should take no more than 10 hours per year.
Meetings:
We generally have an annual Block Captain Appreciation Party in July or August. Although attendance is optional, district reps will be available to hand out the worksheets to the block captains for the membership drive. We also encourage block captains to attend the monthly GCA board meetings, usually at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Cale Community Center, to contribute new ideas and insights on how we can better serve our residents.
Online Presence:
We also encourage block captains to join the Greenbriar Fairfax community on www.Nextdoor.com. The GCA board uses this resource to announce upcoming events and provide other information of importance to Greenbriar residents.