I don't know how I managed to get labeled as not wanting to join the club. I thought that my intentions were pretty clear from the beginning that I would like to participate in any club that is formed in the NWI Region, but I would not consider traveling 40 miles to Demotte to participate in "local" club activities. The Demotte get-together is just too far for me to go, so I won't attend that one.
Regarding memberships:
At the first meeting that was held at EA, I was told that dues would be collected at the second meeting that would be held at CC. Chris said that people who missed the second meeting would have their cards mailed to them and the honor system would be used to assure that people paid their $10 club dues. well, i missed the meeting because I didn't want to drive in all of that fog, and I never got the card in the mail that I was supposed to get. And without any notification whatsoever, I got locked out at NWIMAC.org.
IMO the unannounced policy change and lockout from the system was a pretty lame way to handle the situation.
First, I think that when the club makes an announcement about how registrations are going to be handled, they need to stick to it. Changing your mind and back-pedaling just isn't an effective way to show that the club is being professionally managed and isn't just some Mickey Mouse operation.
Second, its unrealistic to expect that everyone is going to be able to attend every meeting. I have other hobbies outside of fish keeping, and since its not the only thing that I have going in my life, I will be able to make some meetings and I will not be able to make others. That's probably true for most people.
Third, its unreasonable to implement policy changes without advising the membership. It wouldn't take too much effort for the officers to send the club an email to let people know what is happening.
Evidently there was some sort of change in plans that got implemented. I don't know what happened, but I was unexpectedly locked out of the system at the board's site, which made it impossible for me to know what has been going on. Fuppets has been very helpful in trying to piece things together. I think that the way things were handled wasn't very professional, and failing to fulfill the stated procedures about issuing the membership cards reflects poorly on the club.
Mike, if I would have seen you at any events I would have just given you $10. I was looking for you in Rockford but we didn't see you, Kurt or Jimmy. I think that you gus are spending way too much time focusing on money and raffles and not enough time focusing on fish. But that's just my two-cent opinion. You guys are certianly welcome to my $10 to support the club in getting started, but please don't take offense if I don't want to travel to Demotte (its just too far away for me) or if I don't want to participate in fundraising games of chance. Those just don't interest me, and I hope that I'm not viewed as an outsider because of it.
