Bring Your Own Baby (BYOB) with Bri and Friends

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

Launched in 2024 to welcome the Club’s growing number of young families, Bring Your Own Baby (BYOB) has evolved into a highly effective early-engagement program. In 2025, the program expanded in scope and reach by welcoming a rotating group of Club leaders and department heads as hosts, creating additional, meaningful touch points between members, their families, and the people who shape the DAC experience.

Enhancing Club Operations & Membership Engagement

Meaningful Participation Metrics: Since launching, BYOB has welcomed nearly 1,000 total attendees, with strong participation growth driven by expanded age eligibility and increased leadership involvement.

Accelerated Member Onboarding: For many new members, BYOB serves as their first point of connection—shortening the path from new member to engaged participant.

Strengthens Family Retention: By meeting families where they are early, the program reinforces the DAC as part of everyday family life.

Supports Multi-Generational Membership: BYOB encourages parents and grandparents to use the Club more frequently by offering shared experiences with the youngest members of their families.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

Implementation

Thoughtfully Crafted Programming: Each BYOB session in 2025 was designed by Youth & Family Activities Manager Lyz Mickley, featuring age-appropriate experiences for children ages 4 and under, including themes such as Tartan & Teddy Bears, Dino Dig, sensory exploration, story time, and creative seasonal activities.

Expanded Hosting & Staff Engagement: In its second year, BYOB intentionally expanded beyond a single host to include leaders from the Board of Directors, Athletics, Catering, Finance, and the Executive Manager’s office. This created relaxed, organic opportunities for members and families to build familiarity with Club leadership in an approachable setting.

Reliable Monthly Cadence: What began as a one-time idea quickly matured into a consistent monthly anchor program for new parents and caregivers.

Inclusive Across Generations: Attendance regularly includes parents, grandparents, and extended family, reflecting the multi-generational nature of DAC membership.

Organic Community Formation: What started as a casual gathering has grown into a recognizable micro-community of families who now connect throughout the Club.

Member Reactions

Members describe BYOB as welcoming, approachable, and one of the most meaningful ways to meet other families and Club staff. Parents often note that they “made their first DAC connections here,” while grandparents value a program designed to include them alongside their grandchildren.

Summary Statement

BYOB’s evolution—marked by broader leadership participation and increased member-staff interaction—has transformed it into one of the DAC’s most impactful membership-development tools. By creating early, authentic connections between young families and Club leadership, BYOB strengthens belonging, builds community, and supports long-term engagement from the very start of the member journey.