<VV> membership

[Roger Gault]

Very insightful.
Mike has explained why I'm not a member of my local club, and why I've only
been to one HOT meet.

Not whining, or asking for phone calls, just agreeing,
Roger

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Jacobi" <mvjacobi at comcast.net>
To: "virtual Vairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 5:44 PM
Subject: <VV> membership


>
> -- 
>
> One of the major impediments to club and / or CORSA membership iis one
that
> challenges all organizations.  When we do get someone to visit our
meetings
> or inquire about membership or actually take a leap of faith and join us,
we
> fail to engage them in club activities and shortly afterward, lost them.
>
> The newbie shows up and pays his club dues.  Then, unless he has brought
his
> own circle of friends with him, we let him sit off by himself while we get
> on with news of our own lives and club happenings.....unless he has the
> determination to push into our largely closed, very clannish organization.
>
> He sees that there is really no welcome with us.  No one makes it a point
to
> personally speak to him or call him up or invite him to club  activities.
> It is left to him to try to break through our reluctance to make him part
of
> our circle.....and all too often that individual gets tired of being
outside
> looking in..gives up and doesn't come back.  So he never gets to see our
> good side, never gets to be in on the inside.
>
> Yes, we smile and shake his hand at that first meeting, but then we go
right
> back to our own tight little circle of friends.   Net result, no new
member,
> or one who doesn't come back.
>
> Not everyone is gregarious.  Many find it difficult to break through these
> social walls.  I think we need to help.
>
> We need to make sure someone...maybe ourselves..get him on the phone
before
> the next meeting or activity, to make sure he comes out.  We need to be
> alert to the new guy at the meeting who is sitting off by himself and to
> make a place for him at our table or in our discussions.  If a few members
> plan an informal get together at an A and W drive in or Sonic or other car
> type event, we need to make room for him.  Give him a job at the flea
market
> or autocross.   Get him active with us so he becomes part of the group.
>
> Our clubs are a lot more than gears and lifters and sheet metal.  They're
> social organizations.  Most belong for the SOCIAL part.
>
> If we can build the local chapters up by being more welcoming, we will
> better be able to sell the national organization...perhaps one day
requiring
> that all local members be CORSA.  But that cure can't be imposed
> successfully from the top.  It must start at the local, individual member
> level.
>
> But social stuff is hard.  Maybe it's easier to live with the problem
> instead of trying to cure it.
>
> Mike, back to mid-winter in Michigan
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  _______________________________________________
> This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are
the property
> of the writer, please attribute properly. For help,
mailto:vv-help at corvair.org
> This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America,
http://www.corvair.org/
> Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org
> Change your options:
http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs
>  _______________________________________________