Well, i figured i would throw my $.02 in. i am not yet a member of the club, but definitely see myself joining in the next week or two. My reason, is not because of a discount, but from the help i have gotten from a few people, mainly Barrett. I know i have probably bugged the crap out of him, but he has given me so much information and help. I am glad to see that the Prez of the club is so willing to help, which makes me believe that the club is going somewhere. I am looking forward to getting to know more people and learn so much more. I did however go up to St. Jude this weekend and what i learned and the people i met made the experience worthwhile. I was kind of surprised at the number of people but then again more than a couple people in those fish rooms would not be too comfortable.
Club direction. Call for help!
- Thread starter Rendos
- Start date
crpeck
Premium Member
There has been a lot of good discussion on this and it is interesting to hear the different perspectives. It sounds like everyone agrees that the discounts are a related, but separate issue than what we accomplish as a club.
Retailers need to believe their discounts generate more sales in the long run or the discounts don’t make good business sense. I believe that discounts accomplish this objective and are effective advertising dollars spent which pay off for the LFS.
Every attractive, well kept reef tank is a living advertisement that inspires others to learn that it is an attainable goal to have one like it. Saltwater still has the reputation of being too hard for the average person and this is just not true anymore. When people in the club get together to discuss and learn from each other, they get ideas of more stuff they want to buy, and help each other build the kind of successful tank that inspires new people to try it for themselves. It all comes back to help the LFS and it is good business to support the club even though the real benefit is hard to measure.
An LFS needs to sustain growth in the hobby to survive. Once our tanks are established, full and mature we don’t spend so much. It’s the newbies and the established reefers going up in tank size that generate the most sales.
Some of the discount does give away profit on purchases that would have been made anyway. But I hope this is offset by the advertising value of supporting the growth in the hobby that is directed straight to a captive audience. As a club, we do need to remind our members of the sponsors’ support and encourage them to look at our sponsors’ stores first before trolling online. By accepting the discount, we need to be mindful of opportunities to help grow the hobby and provide good “word of mouth†advertising for those that support us.
Every nonprofit or club I've ever been involved in always has a small core that does 90% of the work and the remainder of members who just believe in the cause and are happy to support and be there. Those people are still a resource pool to be called on when things need to be done. A lot of people don't push to do but will come through when asked.
Everyone here agrees we have an obligation to educate and to sponsor responsible reef keeping. The St. Jude’s tank is something to be proud of! Barrett have we been short of volunteers for that? I like the school idea, but it seems hard to manage. Can you really set up a tank for a few days and move it around? If so, then it is a great idea.
I like the idea someone had about adopting a tank at the zoo. The guy that runs the tanks there is really nice, but the zoo doesn’t support a budget for them to buy stuff or have good lighting for demanding corals. All of the corals there are really drab and brown. SO many people come through there that it would be awesome to have a really colorful reef with a credit and contact information for the club. If I were an LFS, I’d do that in a heartbeat. What great advertising! Like your own living billboard.
I really like involvement with the club. Any meetings I’ve missed have been legitimate conflicts. If I’d known this last one was going to last 4 hours, I would have joined late.
Whoever it was up there that said something about the group being clique-ish … I really can’t agree with that. I have only found people in this group to be very free with their time, help, and knowledge. The tacky humor is truly just that …. I don’t always join it, have fun with it when I do, and I’ve never let it bother me because I know the intention has only ever been just fun.
The more people we have, the more differences of opinion there will be and the greater need for structure. But we need to remember that our officers are volunteers and give a TON of time for everyone else’s benefit. Anyone who wants more structure or more classes or more anything needs to step up and volunteer to help provide it. Most of the posts up there did have those offers so Barrett, hopefully you can tap some new resources out of this discussion.
I'm one of those who is overwhelmed enough with work, kids and business projects that I don't really push in to be active. But I'm sure committed enough that I'll help whenever you need it.
Thanks to those of you who have kept this going the way it has.
Cathy
Retailers need to believe their discounts generate more sales in the long run or the discounts don’t make good business sense. I believe that discounts accomplish this objective and are effective advertising dollars spent which pay off for the LFS.
Every attractive, well kept reef tank is a living advertisement that inspires others to learn that it is an attainable goal to have one like it. Saltwater still has the reputation of being too hard for the average person and this is just not true anymore. When people in the club get together to discuss and learn from each other, they get ideas of more stuff they want to buy, and help each other build the kind of successful tank that inspires new people to try it for themselves. It all comes back to help the LFS and it is good business to support the club even though the real benefit is hard to measure.
An LFS needs to sustain growth in the hobby to survive. Once our tanks are established, full and mature we don’t spend so much. It’s the newbies and the established reefers going up in tank size that generate the most sales.
Some of the discount does give away profit on purchases that would have been made anyway. But I hope this is offset by the advertising value of supporting the growth in the hobby that is directed straight to a captive audience. As a club, we do need to remind our members of the sponsors’ support and encourage them to look at our sponsors’ stores first before trolling online. By accepting the discount, we need to be mindful of opportunities to help grow the hobby and provide good “word of mouth†advertising for those that support us.
Every nonprofit or club I've ever been involved in always has a small core that does 90% of the work and the remainder of members who just believe in the cause and are happy to support and be there. Those people are still a resource pool to be called on when things need to be done. A lot of people don't push to do but will come through when asked.
Everyone here agrees we have an obligation to educate and to sponsor responsible reef keeping. The St. Jude’s tank is something to be proud of! Barrett have we been short of volunteers for that? I like the school idea, but it seems hard to manage. Can you really set up a tank for a few days and move it around? If so, then it is a great idea.
I like the idea someone had about adopting a tank at the zoo. The guy that runs the tanks there is really nice, but the zoo doesn’t support a budget for them to buy stuff or have good lighting for demanding corals. All of the corals there are really drab and brown. SO many people come through there that it would be awesome to have a really colorful reef with a credit and contact information for the club. If I were an LFS, I’d do that in a heartbeat. What great advertising! Like your own living billboard.
I really like involvement with the club. Any meetings I’ve missed have been legitimate conflicts. If I’d known this last one was going to last 4 hours, I would have joined late.
Whoever it was up there that said something about the group being clique-ish … I really can’t agree with that. I have only found people in this group to be very free with their time, help, and knowledge. The tacky humor is truly just that …. I don’t always join it, have fun with it when I do, and I’ve never let it bother me because I know the intention has only ever been just fun.
The more people we have, the more differences of opinion there will be and the greater need for structure. But we need to remember that our officers are volunteers and give a TON of time for everyone else’s benefit. Anyone who wants more structure or more classes or more anything needs to step up and volunteer to help provide it. Most of the posts up there did have those offers so Barrett, hopefully you can tap some new resources out of this discussion.
I'm one of those who is overwhelmed enough with work, kids and business projects that I don't really push in to be active. But I'm sure committed enough that I'll help whenever you need it.
Thanks to those of you who have kept this going the way it has.
Cathy
Rendos
New member
Thought this was relevant again.
I originally posted this thread in 2006. Seems not a lot has changed.
We need a breath of fresh air in the hobby/club in Memphis. I will continue to support any organization which promotes this hobby, but will not continue my support of one that does not.
I started WTMRAC to promote the hobby and educate members of the hobby. I hate to see my baby die, but sometimes with death comes new life.
My two cents.
I originally posted this thread in 2006. Seems not a lot has changed.
We need a breath of fresh air in the hobby/club in Memphis. I will continue to support any organization which promotes this hobby, but will not continue my support of one that does not.
I started WTMRAC to promote the hobby and educate members of the hobby. I hate to see my baby die, but sometimes with death comes new life.
My two cents.
OneReef
Reef Guru
Wow, I sat here and read the entire thread. Never once looking at the post dates. I thought this was a current thread that I has somehow overlooked. Lol. I was thinking, wow, I haven't seen some of these people post on here in awhile. Then I saw one labeled 2006. Doh. Guess this is an issue that occurred before.
Mako Shark II
Fish are Friends not Food
Wow. Just wow.
CvilleReef
New member
This hobby goes in cycles for a lot of people ... unfortunately its hard to keep a club going like that
Goibot
New member
Ok, let me throw a few cents in. First I want to thank Richard for starting the club originally and Dave for getting me to join it. I was an active member for a couple of years when I first started my tank. But really it became way too hard to participate and attend meetings. Getting in other people’s homes in a wheelchair is really difficult. I was able to attend a few and hosted one myself. Marty’s and Melisa’s come to mind. I did learn a lot from them; Like Marty’s “auto water changing station” this inspired me to make my own. It really saves a lot of maintenance headache too thanks Marty!
Since deciding that “the club” wouldn’t work for me, I have mostly gotten my answers through online forums and Memfish. Richard and his crew are awesome and share their knowledge freely (thanks).
I am saddened to see the club shut down. Though, I’m like Richard in that I am excited to see what will rise from the ashes. I have always thought a club like this needed the stability a permanent home and sponsored membership to help it grow. I know a lot of people are very apprehensive of attending a meeting at someone’s home that they have never met. A permanent place in a more public atmosphere would help that. It could also be more accessible. Also instead of the LFS giving discounts maybe they could sponsor a membership to the club for every system sold.
Just a few ideas.
Since deciding that “the club” wouldn’t work for me, I have mostly gotten my answers through online forums and Memfish. Richard and his crew are awesome and share their knowledge freely (thanks).
I am saddened to see the club shut down. Though, I’m like Richard in that I am excited to see what will rise from the ashes. I have always thought a club like this needed the stability a permanent home and sponsored membership to help it grow. I know a lot of people are very apprehensive of attending a meeting at someone’s home that they have never met. A permanent place in a more public atmosphere would help that. It could also be more accessible. Also instead of the LFS giving discounts maybe they could sponsor a membership to the club for every system sold.
Just a few ideas.
Mako Shark II
Fish are Friends not Food
Thanks Tracy! The automatic water changes are just like transferring fuel on a Boeing 737! Throw a couple switches, activate a couple valves, power up the pumps and watch it go! (...and Pray nothing leaks!)
Regarding the State of the Club:
I haven't been involved since last year, (when Jay Page and I each stepped down from our respective positions after the 2012 Frag Swap), but I think the problem is that the fate of the club has now already been decided.
As you adroitly mentioned: from the ashes of WTMRAC, will rise a new phoenix. Perhaps that's MARS; if not by design, then by default.
This too shall pass, and I expect along with the (future) new folks, many of us (now older) members and hobbyists will re-surface, exactly as you suggested.
Politics is messy business and with "Change", there are growing pains, but this too shall pass. Of that, I'm confident.
Regarding the State of the Club:
I haven't been involved since last year, (when Jay Page and I each stepped down from our respective positions after the 2012 Frag Swap), but I think the problem is that the fate of the club has now already been decided.
As you adroitly mentioned: from the ashes of WTMRAC, will rise a new phoenix. Perhaps that's MARS; if not by design, then by default.
This too shall pass, and I expect along with the (future) new folks, many of us (now older) members and hobbyists will re-surface, exactly as you suggested.
Politics is messy business and with "Change", there are growing pains, but this too shall pass. Of that, I'm confident.
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