Reef Club Meetings And Club Membership

[crpeck]

This seems more your style

Dave touch this

 

[Del123]

you two spend way too much time on the net!

 

[Del123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13608781#post13608781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sperry
I like having the meetings in peoples houses. It is cool to see other peoples tanks. I have gotten a lot of ideas about various things from seeing what others have done. From where I live EVERYWHERE is a long drive so the location isnt that big of a deal to me. I would like to see more of the host having a formal presentation of their tank. How you set it up, how long it has been running, corals you have and their temperament, pitfalls along the way. Typically stuff like that gets covered informally as individuals ask during the normal mingling and not everyone hears it. The "how to" meetings are always fun, more of those. I really like the meetings where we setup a tank at someones house. Be it a new one or moving everything from one tank to another.

I also like Scott like to see others tanks and the setup. I don't think anyone drives any more then I to get to the meetings, I have tried to make every one and have made most (unless I get mixed up on the day) and I don't mind the drive. I try to make it too all the fish stores and then go on to the meeting. I don't think there is any way to get more people to do what they don't want to. If they wanted to be at the meetings they would be, in most cases. In every club I have ever been in, there are only about 5% of the members active, this one is no different. We don't need more dues, we don't need a place to call out own, we don't need alot of change just people getting togeather to have a good time. I joined to learn from others that know more than I (that don't take much) and I have learned from all these people. I like the club just as we have it.

 

[OneReef]

I will throw in my .02 if it will help at all, because I come from the perspective of a relatively new member to the club.

I have been a member of the club for about 5-6 months roughly. I have only been to one meeting. I would like to have attended more, but other obligations have kept me away, out of town meetings made it tough too.

Here are my impressions off the top of my head. Obviously, I (and I would assume most others) are hoping to get something out of coming to a meeting. Knowledge, for one. I have only been in this hobby for about 2 years, and I know there still alot to learn. I have come a long way, reading threads every night on RC helps tremendously. LFS are a great resource. So I would think coming to a club meeting would be a great way to learn more. One way to do this is what someone earlier said. Have the meeting host member tell about their tank, what they have been through with it, parameters, equipment, problems they had in the past, how they overcame them, how they do maintenance, etc.

Demonstrations are awesome. The one meeting that I really hated to miss was the one at Sanford's house where he fragged stuff. I have always wanted to see how to frag an Acan. I had to miss that meeting since it was out of town and I had a prior commitment, but my point is, that I saw the value in coming to that meeting.

The first and only meeting that I went to, really all that was talked about was some ideas for the frag swap. There was no talk of reefing or of the hosts tank. When I left, I talked on the phone to a friend of mine who had been thinking of joining the club, and he asked me about it, and I honestly told him that he might not want to join, as I did not see the benefit or what would be gained out of joining. I may have just gone to a meeting that was the exception vs. the rule, but not much went on that benefited anyone from my viewpoint.

I would think having topic discussions or demonstrations or speakers would be beneficial. Here is a random idea that I saw from another club, and that was for people to bring water samples from their tank, and their test kits, and different people test water with different test kits to show how test kits vary widely, and how peoples use of the kits vary, and see what folks come up with. Stuff like that adds value to me.

Anyways, those are a few thoughts off the top of my head, hope I didn't offend anyone, but just wanted to show a new persons perspective on things.

 

[Mako Shark II]

(Noting the times of day AFTER my verbose retort)

Don't you people Sleep at night??

Barrett works swings ("Schweing!"), so it makes sense why HE's up late, but the rest of you....



Good stuff here folks. Keep it flowing. We all want the same thing.

 

[ducklabdad]

<posted by Just DAVE

Just my opinions for Bill because I know you're peeking.

I have to have my RC fix!!

I admit I opened up RC this morning expecting this thread gone! as I had requested! Much to my surprise it was up and running and has made a trun more where it was intended. RC knows better than me(does not take much)

Trust me "nothing said by Preston" (Kroger 451) was reason for me to ask for thread pull and I regret he thought may have been, he was stating his opinions and nothing wrong with that. Threads I was responding to were deleted!! I truly do hate e-mail and this type format as Mary, and Barrett, (paraphrased) said true intentions are often not taken correctly.

Great ideas "One Reef" , I am a newbie as well, but I have gotten much from this club and hope to see it grow and continue. Del should probably be issued " frequent flyer miles for how much he travels to these meetings.. and several others do as well.

Maybe we should give an award each month or once a year for "most miles traveled to attend club meetings!! As long as we are not asking Cathy to keep up with it, she does more than her share as it is.

 

[Del123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13610555#post13610555 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OneReef
I will throw in my .02 if it will help at all, because I come from the perspective of a relatively new member to the club.

I have been a member of the club for about 5-6 months roughly. I have only been to one meeting. I would like to have attended more, but other obligations have kept me away, out of town meetings made it tough too.

Here are my impressions off the top of my head. Obviously, I (and I would assume most others) are hoping to get something out of coming to a meeting. Knowledge, for one. I have only been in this hobby for about 2 years, and I know there still alot to learn. I have come a long way, reading threads every night on RC helps tremendously. LFS are a great resource. So I would think coming to a club meeting would be a great way to learn more. One way to do this is what someone earlier said. Have the meeting host member tell about their tank, what they have been through with it, parameters, equipment, problems they had in the past, how they overcame them, how they do maintenance, etc.

Demonstrations are awesome. The one meeting that I really hated to miss was the one at Sanford's house where he fragged stuff. I have always wanted to see how to frag an Acan. I had to miss that meeting since it was out of town and I had a prior commitment, but my point is, that I saw the value in coming to that meeting.

The first and only meeting that I went to, really all that was talked about was some ideas for the frag swap. There was no talk of reefing or of the hosts tank. When I left, I talked on the phone to a friend of mine who had been thinking of joining the club, and he asked me about it, and I honestly told him that he might not want to join, as I did not see the benefit or what would be gained out of joining. I may have just gone to a meeting that was the exception vs. the rule, but not much went on that benefited anyone from my viewpoint.

I would think having topic discussions or demonstrations or speakers would be beneficial. Here is a random idea that I saw from another club, and that was for people to bring water samples from their tank, and their test kits, and different people test water with different test kits to show how test kits vary widely, and how peoples use of the kits vary, and see what folks come up with. Stuff like that adds value to me.

Anyways, those are a few thoughts off the top of my head, hope I didn't offend anyone, but just wanted to show a new persons perspective on things.

I see what you are saying, hwever you only made one meeting! Ttere are times we have to do some business at the meetings. ?The frag swap is a big item and it is once a year, however there are some (at east one) that worked about 8 months on it and it is something that we need todo at meetings. The meetings are for club business and most of the time we learn alot at them. If you talk to people at the meeting you can learn alot. Most of the time there are people there that really know alot about the reef business. Went Richard USE TO COME you could ask about anything and he could give you a ans. (matbe he was wrong but I wouldn't know) All this to say the meetings have helped me alot many times. And yes Duck, I like your idea of giving something for the most miles traveled. Can we make it something real nice please? ok I have to rest my finger now.

 

[crpeck]

I agree that it is unfortunate that the first and only meeting attended was when we had so much business to do. But that really is the exception.

Was that the September meeting? That meeting was hosted by one of our most knowledgeable members who I'm SURE would have been happy to talk about his tank to anyone who asked.

 

[mrharris3]

As previously mentioned, setting an agenda or calendar of events would be great. This way things can be planned out and posted at Kermits and Memfish so members and non members can see what we are doing, meetings are to be held and topics of discussion with contact information as need be.

Every meeting should have and element that is both fun and educational, even when business needs to be discussed. Perhaps we can all do some research and see what we can come up with as a club to discuss.

 

[Mako Shark II]

Stop. :spin2:

You people are making me dizzy.

Here's the answer:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1497641

 

[Goibot]

WOW

WOW

Lots of things thown out on the table. Must of missed all the bickering cause all I see are good constructive posts. Let me add a few cents in here:

1. Membership fees - If they were monthly people would pay only when something was going on that month that interrested them. I would keep it yearly. But when someone joins I think the amount should be prorated to the end of the membership year.

2. Meetings - I like going to peoples houses but I can really see where a fixed/central location would benefit us as well. Being in a wheelchair I never know if I can actually get in someones house or not. I am sure that long drives deture a bunch of people.

If we did have a place we could call ours we could hold the library, and check out equipment there. Do the frag tank that was discussed earlier. And have a fixed place for meetings.

It seems to me that if we could do that we could split the meetings between one on the road to someones house and one at the club location. The ones at the location could be used for demo's/teaching and business. The ones at peoples homes could be about their tank and help for them and then of course business (gotta do the business).

 

[MarineFlake]

Would it be out of the question to put together a sort of proximity map which shows where everyone lives and pick a central location based on the majority for the next 2 - 3 meetings? If attendance does not pick up at that point, I think the issue of accessibility can be ruled out given the recent decline in gas prices (For now). Cha Ching .... $.02

 

[mrharris3]

That sounds like a great idea.. This would also help just in case emergencys happen or if someone may need help looking after their tanks..Just an additional thought.