Thoughts about the state of the ETRC, all constructive input welcome

[Chris_Campbell]

Heya guys..

I know i've not been active in quite awhile, and more or less have just been lurking here occasionally. That is do with personal issues and nothing to do with you guys. I'm currently in Michigan and will be for the next year or two. Hopefully all the issues I'm reading about are fixed by then because I consider ETRC an invaluable asset. Great info, Great people.

 

[izzy_real]

ETRC Can I help?

ETRC Can I help?

Hello everyone!

I'm sorry to see your club in such a state. I'm sure none of you know me, but about three and a half years ago, ETRC drove to Bristol, TN, to a little store called Under The Sea. The owners of that store, were really good friends of mine, so I volunteered to help while the club visited.

I was impressed with the collective knowledge the ETRC was so willing to share; the number of members; and quality of person that attended.

In March of this year, the ETRC allowed me to borrow your Reef Central thread to start the Tri Cities Reef Club. We started with 11 members, and keep around 6 to 8 members per meeting. All meetings are on the 1st Saturday of the month, except weekends with holidays, then the meetings follow to the next weekend.

Would the members of the ETRC be interested in attending meetings with us? I'm sure the tri cities guys would be willing to car pool to a central meeting place for both respective clubs, if you guys would be interested in hanging with us. We've not began collecting member dues, but members of the ETRC would be exempt from such collections. Just to get you guys together with us would be awesome! I think both clubs have alot to offer each other.

I understand that you have some other clubs offering the same idea, and just thought I would help you keep your options open. Matt Carberry is a member of our club, if you wish to speak with him in reference to this invite.

I hope you'll accept, and we'll plan November's meeting around this idea. If I'm stepping on toes, please forgive me.

We aren't even a year old yet, we're still growing, and I could use your ideas to help us continue this growth.

If you wish to contact me, just PM me for my digits.

-Izzy

 

[goreefer]

Since I have only been to one meeting, the CR fragging one, I am hesitant to give a lot of input.
One thing that I have noticed is that the meetings that do not have an agenda do not seem to have much of a turn out of the members.
At the professional meetings that I attend there is always some type of program. If there was not the meetings would not happen or everyone would just sit in the bar and BS.
If there was a some type of program I think that there would be more involvement from the members. The fragging demonstration is a good example.
If the BOD is reinstated I would recommend that they develop a plan to have different reef related topics and or demonstrations at the meetings. Fragging is one.
I have built two ATO systems for my tanks and would be willing to bring all of the parts that are needed and build one at a meeting. We could then either raffle it off or give it to someone that needs one.
I suspect that many of the ETRC members have different skills and or reef management techniques that could be shared and end up making an excellent program through out the year that would make all of us better reefers.

Garry