The Application Process:
You cannot join by simply filling out a form and paying dues
All adult applicants must attend at least two meetings prior to being elected to membership
Guests and potential new members are always welcome at our monthly meetings
All newly elected members become Associate Members for their first year. Associate Members have all the privileges as Regular Members except that they cannot vote or hold elected office.
If you are brand new to the Show Dog or AKC Performance Event world, or are new to the area, and do not know any of our members, please attend one of our meetings before applying. At the meeting, you will be introduced to our members, and a mentor may be assigned. If you are acquainted with one or more of our members, ask if they will act as your mentor.
GKC Meetings are usually held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month except for May and December. Our next meeting will be held on:
When your application is submitted, it will be emailed to our members. If you do not have a mentor listed, we will ask one of our members to volunteer.
The Role of Mentors
A mentor’s role is to meet with or converse with applicants and determine their areas of interest, their areas of expertise, which then in turn help them find their niche in the club’s activities. It allows the mentor to direct applicants to members who can best help you with your own interests and training. It is also the mentor’s role to be a resource for the applicant to answer questions about a particular activity, about the club’s policies on any particular item, about how things works within the club, or to simply be a sounding board for the applicant until they are no longer needed. Mentors, and indeed the entire membership, serve as guides for new members and are there to help and provide support, guidance, information or advice whenever needed.
All adult applications are now submitted online. If you are unable to submit an online application, our Membership Chair will interview you either in person at a meeting, or by phone, and enter your application information for you.
Once you have a mentor, and your dues ($15) are paid, at the next meeting you attend, your application will be read, and you will be asked to tell the members a little about yourself and your interest in joining the club. At the following meeting you attend, your application will be read again. The members will then vote by secret ballot and if elected by a two-thirds majority of voting members present, you will be welcomed to the GKC as an Associate Member. Applicants must attend the first meeting within 4 months of submitting the application and their second meeting within 8 months after applying, otherwise they will be required to re-apply.
After one year as an Associate Member, if you meet the conditions for advancement to Regular Membership*, you will be asked if you want to apply to become a Regular Member. If Regular Membership is desired, you must obtain two sponsors, who are regular members in good standing, and submit an application for advancement. It is then sent to the Board of Directors for approval.
* Conditions for advancement to Regular Membership: Attendance of at least five (5) Membership Business Meetings within 12 months OR working a total of ten (10) hours at club sponsored events. Note: Two (2) hours of work may be substituted for one (1) club meeting.
Questions about becoming a GKC Member? Click to Contact Membership Chair, Ken Spiegel
Please read our Constitution and By-Laws prior to applying.
Junior Applicants: Download the applications form here.
Ready to fill out and submit your application?
Proceed to Online Application