Thanks for the help but...

[ZLTFUL]

...folks, I am out.

I think that there are a great bunch of guys here and it sucks that a few rotten apples have to spoil it for potential members.

I am sorry that I don't fit the proper definition of a potential member by helping someone I have never met before move their tank in or helping local reefers by purchasing equipment from them rather than going mail order or to general for sale forums.
Even inviting people I have never met before into my home for their opinions and criticisms of my setup. I think that shows alot of faith in the quality of the people here.

I don't regret any of that and would like to think I have made a couple of friends in the process. But I seem to have also made a couple of enemies. And while I would like to thank them for keeping most of the personal attacks private, I am definitely not wanting to be involved in the type of comraderie they are displaying.

On that note, thanks for the support I have gotten from those folks who were kind enough to offer it.

Hope to see you guys around.

Ryan

 

[xroads]

I dont think there are rotten apples. I think the bad thing about a forum is that what you say & what you mean come off as totally different things. Lots of people have pride in the club & may have taken your comments wrongly. Think of it as someone telling you that your momma is ugly, or GF is fat. You imediately go on the defensive.

Remember that we are all here because of our common passion.

 

[Atticus]

Good luck in your future endevors and if you ever change your mind we will always be here...

 

[einsteins]

That is your choice...

I said you could move on if you really thought our club was not a good value.....but to make it sound like you were holding out your membership to see if we could give you a better value or to see if the club was going to continue to prosper is going to rub some people who are paying members the wrong way.

This club is an outstanding value...no one has ever questioned you as a member or non member until you made your comments on the value of the club.

I dont question your help/participation as a matter of fact until you posted I thought you were a member...I hope you will stay and eventually become a member with us. BUT only if you think it is a good value.

eins

 

[ZLTFUL]

And still, noone is seeing it from the outside. Perhaps it is because you are members and you have gotten your value from your investment in the club. Because make no mistake about it, time and money in a club like this is an investment and investments are great as long as there are returns.

You can't claim this forum on RC as a club benefit. Frankly, it's a public forum free to anyone who browses by. You don't even have to log on to obtain information.
That being said, a new member wants to see something tangible for an investment of time and money.
This club is worth every penny. And that is my opinion. But to recruit new members it is going to take more than just saying, look at all of this valuable information we share! It is worth the money!
The internet is free and whether the info be good or bad, it contains an endless ammount of information.
What it will take to bring in new members is them seeing that there is comraderie and benefits in knowing these people and having access to their resources. These are things that rarely show up in a forum environment unless expressly talked about.

Hell, I didn't even know GIRS did Pizza parties. I love pizza parties and to just hang out with like minded individuals and shoot the proverbial ****.

But when I walk down a street lined with stores and all I see is signs that say "You can't see what is inside UNTIL you pay", I tend to look for a different street.

Maybe it is because I feel that the potential to be SO much more than a simple reef club is there that I am getting so passionate about this. All I do know is as a potential member, I want to know that when I make my investment of time and money, the people I am doing it for appreciate and respect the sacrifice.

There is no doubt the current leadership of the club is doing a fantastic job in the face of the adversity they have had to deal with in even the less than 6 months I have seen here. Old members leaving to pursue other things. New members hesitant to take the proverbial plunge. People in general not doing what it takes to make the good into the great.

I can't name one local reefer here in central Iowa that I would hesitate to call if I needed a hand with the full knowledge that they will be there if I need them.

Not once in any of my posts did I say the club was not a good value. I was just trying to impress upon the future leadership and current membership that to bring in new members, those potentials need to see the potential in the club.

Anyway, nothing beyond what I can type here will change your opinion of me and I have had a **** day overall anyway so I am going to relegate myself to the status of lurker and just maintain the good report I have with the local reefers. And I must content myself with that.

With all sincerity and no questions of the clubs motives in my heart,
Ryan

 

[dascharisma]

Ryan,
I don't exactly know what the issue is here. If anyone said anything insulting, then I apologize on their behalf.

The main thing that the club does beyond helping to keep the forum active, is to organize events, and pay for those that cost money. We spend hundreds of dollars every year to bring in speakers. In the last 2 years we have had Scott Micheal (world renowned fish expert and author) Mike Palletta (reef tank guru and author) and Mitch Carl (Omaha Zoo reef keeper and coral research scientist). All these presentations cost money, and the club dues paid for it, and the board of directors organized it.

Additionally the board organizes tank tours, frag swaps, BBQs, and pizza parties.

The turmoil that you are seeing in trying to establish a new BOD happens every year. People write a lot of posts, and then the next thing you know, the whole thing is settled and everyone is happy again. Don't let the chatter worry you. This club isn't going anywhere.

Your contributions are appreciated (especially by me) and I hope to see you stay active in the future.


Brad

 

[Atticus]

I believe the biggest misunderstanding was that you were trying to show the point of view of the non-member. It was taken as a story of why you have not joined.

I agree that we need to show our cards to possible members, but in all fairness we need to know someone wants to be a member before we know who to show our cards to. Another way of getting to know what the club is about would be to visit the website and to read the stickied post at the top of this very forum that is title GIRS Calendar of Events... We are not trying to hide anything from anyone and would love suggestions on how to get the word out.

As for the RC forum, it may be free to visit, but it is still a huge benefit to members and a great vehicle for recruiting new members. A large portion of our membership finds us through this site. You only get a small slice of the GIRS experiance by hanging out "lurking" here. Once you hang out here and get comfortable enough to join a meeting you will get to see how great everyone in this club truely is. I don't know anyone that wouldn't give the shirt off their back to another member in need.

 

[Atticus]

Hey Brad don't forget Calfo was here. Even if the whispering of his name can get you shunned on this site...

 

[einsteins]

Ryan

You make great points....but you did question the value of the club and that was what I took issue with...

I think you should join us officially and contribute by giving your input and efforts at whatever level you can.

eins

 

[rc1214b]

It's a little disappointing that a prospective member would be treated like this. After reading his post several times I see mostly compliments of the things the club has done. The only concern was a legitimate one for a person thinking of joining. Instead of showing why it would be a good investment they were attacked publicly and it sounds like privately.

I agree that this forum on reefcentral should not be treated like a GIRS members only resource when it is free to everyone. The clubs site should be used more than it is IMO. This forum has far more non-members and prospective members reading it than members and it would be in the club members best interest to remember that when they write things on behalf of the club.

 

[Atticus]

It is still the GIRS CLUB FORUM... I do not see why this is a sticking point. RC even titles the list to find this forum as "Club Forums". This forum was requested by the club officers for club use. It may be open to the public, but that does not make it any less of a "club forum".

 

[ipiniowa]

I truly believe that what Ryan said was taken out of perspective. I think he would like to encourage membership, but the way I have read the 2 threads in discussion is a turn off to new members.

I was a member last year, but not this year. Mostly because I got caught up with other things. Not a reflection of the club at all. Just me. I have attended the frag swaps so far and do take advantage of the help of members on this forum and appreciate it.

I plan a joining again, but seriously I think this thread should be dropped for the good of the club. ANY time I run into some one at a LFS in Iowa I always tell them to check out the site and this forum. Seeing bickering like this might turn them off.

 

[rc1214b]

Maybe my wording was wrong..

I know it is a "club forum" listed under "club forums" for club member use.

What I'm saying is that it is a free resource to anyone so there is never going to be a members only area or any other perk on this site for joining the club. The club shouldn't use this site or "club forum" as a reason the membership is worth while.

Even though this forum exsits it will always have non-members and those valuable potential members reading the posts. When there are arguments or other things that make the club as a whole look bad or unorganized all will be able to see it!

 

[jbrunken]

Just for the record, they finally released a new version of the software today that we use to run the club's "other" forums.

I'll be upgrading the software in the next few days, and it should be much better, but people still have to use them.

We as a club should probably re-evaluate how we use the forums on our website in conjunction with this one.

-JB

 

[lllosingit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10985395#post10985395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Atticus
It is still the GIRS CLUB FORUM... I do not see why this is a sticking point. RC even titles the list to find this forum as "Club Forums". This forum was requested by the club officers for club use. It may be open to the public, but that does not make it any less of a "club forum".

If I remember correctly this forum was assumed from the previous defunct club and when that club folded we still managed a few tours and frag swaps that is why I also have a hard time seeing this as just the "Club Forum"
It's a public forum that represents Iowa more than it does the club...as stated above there are far more non members using this forum than members. This forum should be used as a tool to recruit new members and encourage them to join. I was never a club member but went to many tours before the GIRS club was formed....I also brought in two pallets of Southdown sand when other people weren't able to get Home Depot to bring in a single bag.... I have been helped and have helped members and non members alike.
Yes being a member is well worth the cost to join but it isn't for everyone.
I didn't have the time to make most of the meetings so the value just wasn't there for me but I did encourage anyone I met to come here to meet other people in the area and join the club if its something they have time for.
The "Iowa" portion of this forum will continue with or without the club and although I don't have any aquariums setup right now I still come here to keep up on the hobby. The last club was a flop and I was pleasantly surprised when this club seemed to be doing so much better.
I hope the club is around when I get the time and money to devote to my next setup...until then keep up the good work and go easy on the new guys :rollface:

 

[bgreenlee]

We must all be getting pretty restless to bicker over this.

I personally have found a great deal of value in being a member of this club. From people offering equipment, advice, or even free frags. That is not even looking at the realized benefit from beign at the meetings and getting to hear the speakers, the raffles (which I think only Kevin wins), to the group get togethers where I was senselessly beaten with a piece of bamboo. I guess it is really for everyone to evaluate and see if they want to be a member. However, I am really surprised that it could not be seen quickly by most anyone that has visited this site, met any of the members, or spent anytime in this overpriced hobby. The advice I can get of this forum alone has saved me countless dollars.

 

[Coralfreak]

Wow, this is crazy.

Good job in turning someone away from the club, outstanding!

I'm sorry, some of you may not like to hear this, but I am beyond disappointed in how this was handled. I've read all the posts, I see NOTHING that should have caused this. Ryan's post was a little out of the blue perhaps, but certainly not deserving of this.

All I read was, Ryan doesnt have the free time to help out with the club right now. HMM, ok, neither do I, do I get kicked out next?

It is then mentioned that the amount of the dues is "more than fair" and "worth every penny" That doesnt sound bad, does it.

After that, he is simply wanting to know the answers to some questions, why should I join? How do I know the club will be here in the future? Legitimate questions.

You are too busy, you do have higher priority commitments, you would not make a good officer for this club, your money and time would be better spent elsewhere.

This Travis, should never have been posted, I am BEYOND disappointed in you.

To talk about being a board member when you are not even a member of the club and have doubts about whether our club is a good value is ridiculous to me.

Is it, why? Much better ways to word this. Perhaps try telling someone why its a good value.

I'm sorry, but this just should never have turned out like this.

One last thing, this forum is free to use by anyone, member or not. The club does not own it. Not everyone will want to join, they should still be welcomed here.

I wont keep going with this, but their are few people in this group that need to rethink the things said here today.

Allen

 

[Atticus]

Thanks for the tongue lashing.... I personally would not have handled myself any differently in person or other wise. I stand by my comments and chose my words carefully. They are answers to the questions being asked and are now being taken out of context... Anyone posting at this point has the benefit of having read the rest of this drama and is now reading with a new perspective that those of us whom posted earlier were not afforded at the time.

I believe my posts were level headed and factual. I made no personal or character attacks and would appreciate the same.

To say you are disappointed in me is childish, shall I stand in the corner or write I have been a bad boy on the chalkboard?

I still do not understand why I end up being your target in any drama issues Allen. I have never had a beef with you.

As to the status of this forum, there was never another real "club". There was however and over zealous attempt made to make an Iowa forum while this club was forming. That forum was closed within a week of it opening as this one was the primary forum. It is true that this club began as a few of us that got together to do tank tours in Des Moines. It is also true that October seems to be the month where everyone jumps on a band wagon and goes witch hunting. We have lost a few great members and made a few enemies because of this. That could explain our low numbers in the Des Moines area (even though that is where this club was born).

I do believe that this thread should be closed as it has become unproductive, but if anyone else would like to take pot shots at me this is as good of place as any...

Again, Ryan's post was misunderstood. I thought we were all past it. I know I am...

 

[waverz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10987412#post10987412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Coralfreak
Wow, this is crazy.

Good job in turning someone away from the club, outstanding!

I'm sorry, some of you may not like to hear this, but I am beyond disappointed in how this was handled. I've read all the posts, I see NOTHING that should have caused this. Ryan's post was a little out of the blue perhaps, but certainly not deserving of this.

All I read was, Ryan doesnt have the free time to help out with the club right now. HMM, ok, neither do I, do I get kicked out next?

It is then mentioned that the amount of the dues is "more than fair" and "worth every penny" That doesnt sound bad, does it.

After that, he is simply wanting to know the answers to some questions, why should I join? How do I know the club will be here in the future? Legitimate questions.



This Travis, should never have been posted, I am BEYOND disappointed in you.



Is it, why? Much better ways to word this. Perhaps try telling someone why its a good value.

I'm sorry, but this just should never have turned out like this.

One last thing, this forum is free to use by anyone, member or not. The club does not own it. Not everyone will want to join, they should still be welcomed here.

I wont keep going with this, but their are few people in this group that need to rethink the things said here today.

Allen

Ditto.....

 

[RobynT]

I am a member but have not personally been very active as of yet in this club. I have been keeping up with the various postings (as I'm sure many people have) and would like to put a little positive input into the mesh.

I believe that some of the things that have been said (posted) stem from the fact that people on this board DO care and have just taken some things a little personally. Kind of like a protective or defensive stance. If some of these people didn't care about the club, they'd just read these postings (or not) and move on. Emotions are running high, however you also see participation. The whole club cannot be run by a few board members but it seems to me that most of the behind the scenes work has been done by a few members only. By the way, I appreciate the time and effort and work that all of the board members have done this past year and hope that they will consider it for another year.

Take a deep breath, take a step back and start over again. Use the energy to move the club forward, plan for the future, get more people involved and on board. Focus on the swap coming up soon. That said, I'll be glad to help out when and where I can. Isn't this suppose to be a fun club?? :rollface: