<VV> Revenue increasing, idea number 2

[corvairs]

Hi Bob - Now we're getting into slightly murky waters. What you are 
asking for is an actual "commercial enterprise" of real value put 
together entirely by volunteers.

I have NOTHING against the idea. The Basics Manual is a great success 
story, but it wouldn't have happened without substantial effort on your 
part, Larry and MaryBeth  Claypool's, Hanks etc and even shmoes like me. 
But if the main reason was to subsidize everyone else's dues - I'm not 
sure it would have happened. I know that my participation in it was 
because I thought it was a good idea for the hobby - and I like to write.

But honestly, at some point is it fair to expect people of your calibre 
to donate this kind of effort again and again gratis? By all means - 
let's do it again, but let's not do it for the wrong reasons. You know 
as well as I do, that such an undertaking has real financial value. Is 
it right to put this suggestion in the column for "subsidizing Corsa dues"?

On money making enterprises in non-profits I'll also say this. I once 
belonged to a model railroad club that needed money. So it was suggested 
that, rather than raise dues, we would hold a hot dog sale on a busy 
downtown weekend. The jist was that the effort put out (by a minority of 
the members) was way out of proportion to the money we made. We were a 
MR club, not food vendors, and the whole project did way more damage to 
the club than anything.

Yes, different people, it could have gone differently. But even then, 50 
or so volunteer hours to make a couple of hundred dollars profit (about 
as successful as you could expect) didn't make much sense.(Many people, 
who are not businesspeople, do not understand that many enterprises are 
counter-productive).

Look at it another way - The volunteers could have put in a weekend at a 
regular job and donated all the money to the club. We would have been 
far ahead, with he same amount of effort. Of course then the unfairness 
of a minority of members donating so much money for all the members, 
just so their dues wouldn't go up,  might have upset some people. I 
guess in that case, the lesson is a little TOO obvious.

But let's not dismiss these ideas entirely. They could be pursued by a 
"Financial Czar" for Corsa, which I have already tentatively volunteered 
for.

Lon Wall



BobHelt at aol.com wrote:
> Next, since the Corvair Basics book was written and formatted for  
> publication with no expense to CORSA, and has been a money maker for  CORSA, please 
> consider asking for a volunteer author to write an  INTERMEDIATE CORVAIR  book for 
> CORSA. By following a similar format of  development, an intermediate book 
> could be prepared and ready for publication by  CORSA at no expense to CORSA. 
> That book if done right could also be a money  maker for CORSA.
> Regards,
> Bob Helt
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