<CORSA Chapters> Membership, dues and such

Fri Mar 14 00:10:43 EDT 2008

Just a suggestion from a newbie here:

First, regarding the need to make all local club members CORSA members:

Years ago, the Tidewater Corvair Club discussed becoming a 100% CORSA
club, and because it was brought up from the membership, a long
discussion ensued, (no raised voices, no fist pounding). The person
who brought the motion forward had his ducks in a row. He approached
the club officers and the "die hard members" and obtained their
support for the motion, before bringing it to the attention of the
club. When he brought the motion before the club, he highlighted all
the reasons for becoming a member of CORSA, and had thought through
all the arguments against. When all was said and done, the club voted
to approve the motion. We didn't loose any members because of it, at
least none that I am aware of.

So rather than dumping a requirement on everyone, all at once, (yes, I
realize this isn't whats being suggested) in the form of an article in
the Communique, I would suggest that a concerted effort be made to get
in touch with the local club officers, bring them on board first and
give them the ammunition to argue for adopting a 100% policy, then
have them stimulate the conversation at a club meeting.

It's always easier to convince someone an idea is good, if you can
make them feel it's their idea.

Second, regarding making all CORSA members become local club members:

I think this is going to be a little harder to do. Geography  plays an
important part in this decision, especially in many of the western
states. Dues may, to a lesser extent, play a part as well. I'm also
aware that personal politics plays a part as well. I don't believe
most local clubs need the extra membership, but I do believe they need
members to be more active in the club. I only have the Tidewater Club
to judge from, but with a $12 annual dues, we aren't getting rich, nor
are we going bankrupt. We tend to keep a couple thousand in the bank
for club activities and hosting the Vair Fair. With an ever increasing
number of members with email capability, our major expense (postage
for newsletters) is actually decreasing.

Just my $0.02 worth.

On Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 12:20 AM, Steve Goodman
<rearengine.steve at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Hello all:  I have been one who wanted all CORSA members to be mandatory
>  members of a local club with the reservation that it is in the zipcode area.
>  As an example it would be tough to expect someone who lives in Scottsbluff,
>  Nebraska to be a mandatory member of Rocky Mountain Corsa in Denver, Colo.
>  On the other hand, there are CORSA members in the front range area who are
>  not RMC members.  Since the bottom line here is "money" it is advantageous
>  to RMC to be able to collect as well as CORSA.
>
>  I realize the word 'mandatory' is foul to some and I understand, owning my
>  own business makes me particulary subject to all kinds of mandatory rules
>  etc.  At the same time, the mandatory membership in CORSA was done a bunch
>  of years ago and after the same initial fight was accepted.  Then a change
>  in insurance carriers did away with it until now.  At least that is how my
>  memory serves me.
>
>  I also realize that a mandatory membership either way is certain to drive
>  some completely away from either CORSA or the local club and that isn't
>  acceptable either.  It is difficult to find middle ground and I personally
>  have no answer.  I keep thinking that someone out there will figure it out
>  but so far it hasn't happened.
>
>  Best regards, Steve
>
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: Robert Marlow - Vairtec <Vairtec at optonline.net>
>  To: tim mahler <flat6vair at insightbb.com>; CORSA Chapters
>  <chapters at corvair.org>
>  Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 7:53 PM
>  Subject: Re: <CORSA Chapters> Membership, dues and such
>
>
>  > tim mahler wrote:
>  >
>  > >The easy one,  some CORSA members are a long way from a local chapter, so
>  it
>  > >is hard to require local membership.
>  >
>  > I now reply:
>  >
>  > While I am not necessarily advocating that we make the switch to
>  > mandating CORSA membership for all chapter members, if we were to do
>  > such a thing I think it makes sense to require the reciprocal, too --
>  > that all CORSA members belong to a chapter.
>  >
>  > In the case where the CORSA member lives a loong way from the nearest
>  > chapter -- and this can be hundreds of miles -- it still will prove
>  > worthwhile to that individual.  Through the membership in the local
>  > chapter, that individual will learn of other CORSA members in his
>  > region, maybe in his area, maybe in his neighborhood.  He will learn
>  > of club activities nearer to him than the nominal chapter
>  > address.  Both the individual and the chapter will benefit.
>  >
>  > But, as I said up front, I am not necessarily endorsing such a
>  > change.  It would be a fundamental shift in the way that our hobby
>  > has done business. Would the benefits outweigh the detriments?
>  >
>  > --Bob
>  >
>  > Robert W Marlow
>  > Vairtec at optonline.net
>  >
>  > _______________________________________________
>  > Chapters mailing list
>  > Chapters at corvair.org
>  > http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/listinfo/chapters
>
>  _______________________________________________
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>

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George Jones
--------------------------------
Tidewater Corvair Club (since 1987)
Central Virginia Corvair Club (since 2006)
Corvair Society of America (CORSA)(since 1987)
'65 Monza Crown V8 Convertible
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'66 Monza Coupe Custom (in progress)