Membership and Chapter Enhancement Program

[GSequoia]

Cool. I'd just hate to see the funds go unrequested and unused.

I'm mixed on that just because we're in so much better shape than the other chapters that I don't mind missing out on that. What I don't want to miss out on, however, is the land use match.

 

[Nimrod]

Does the SoCal Board have any plans to request and use Chapter Enhancement funds in 2018? Or are we going to forego it again?

 

[Kejtar]

Does the SoCal Board have any plans to request and use Chapter Enhancement funds in 2018? Or are we going to forego it again?

X2 - I hope there is a plan to request the funds .

 

[cracker]

Why is this always a big deal with our SoCal leadership? Why do the members have to keep bothering the leadership about this?

 

[GSequoia]

It's going to depend on event details which we're still working on.

Personally in this chapter the MGE program has never really been a big hit and had a lot of membership involvement nor have I really seen any evidence of it doing its job of attracting or retaining membership.

 

[cracker]

It's going to depend on event details which we're still working on.

Personally in this chapter the MGE program has never really been a big hit and had a lot of membership involvement nor have I really seen any evidence of it doing its job of attracting or retaining membership.

Then don't tie it into the SoCal event and propose something else at another time.

 

[GSequoia]

Then don't tie it into the SoCal event and propose something else at another time.

That's not off the table (and was kinda the idea last year) but the question is the idea.

 

[Kejtar]

Lets see... There is free money which we can use to help further interests on the off-road community in the area and you have not seen any evidence of it attracting or retaining membership....
If we help the community and that has positive impact on the areas we use our members benefit and are further interested in staying with the community .... If we do not, the community shrinks as offloading opportunities dwindle....

So try again...

 

[GSequoia]

You’re misunderstanding the program. The MGE program does not put money into a community, area, park, or anything like that. It is specifically to attract and or maintain existing members by giving them some sort of perk. It’s a relatively small number given our large membership number so it’s difficult to come up with a dynamic idea for a chapter such as ours.

So try again...

 

[Kejtar]

My bad - I got my wires crisscrossed - but in any case, I will go back to my original question: why don't you think this will benefit SoCal? I think that this would be a good thing and benefit the chapter - even if it only pays for a BBQ for the members.... Make a cool event out of it.... Maybe even split it into two or three small programs that are part of a whole that could be a vehicle for this "grant"

 

[Nimrod]

It's going to depend on event details which we're still working on.

Personally in this chapter the MGE program has never really been a big hit and had a lot of membership involvement nor have I really seen any evidence of it doing its job of attracting or retaining membership.

If the Board were to solicit input from the membership, someone might come up with a creative and effective way to use the funds for the intended purpose.

Stickers, beverage koozies, tee-shirts or anything else with our Chapter name and URL that we can distribute at events like those put on the past couple of years at Inland Jeep and Leadfoot Offroad would seem to me a reasonable and effective use of the funds. In fact, in the past couple of months I've met two XJ guys on the street and have steered them toward our club and website. One of them I know has since set up an account, but not joined. If I'd had a sticker or Koozie to give them I think they'd be more likely to keep the club in mind, and more inclined to feel positively about it and maybe even to join. So there's some input right there.

Here's another suggestion: Offer a tee-shirt to any member who successfully recruits a new member. The relationship between the expenditure and the intended purpose of the MGE program could not be clearer than that.

 

[Kejtar]

Now those are some good ideas!

 

[Vanimal]

How many potential members show up at SCF each year? Seems like everyone is already a member, or has been in the past.
Do another event.

On a side note, did we give up on building a grill? It's been talked about for a year now, and we are coming up on the next SCF and will likely have to waste money renting another one. I offered my time, welder, gas, wire, and plasma... just need someone to drop a few bucks on some stainless and i can get going on it.

 

[Anak]

If the Board were to solicit input from the membership, someone might come up with a creative and effective way to use the funds for the intended purpose.

Stickers, beverage koozies, tee-shirts or anything else with our Chapter name and URL that we can distribute at events like those put on the past couple of years at Inland Jeep and Leadfoot Offroad would seem to me a reasonable and effective use of the funds. In fact, in the past couple of months I've met two XJ guys on the street and have steered them toward our club and website. One of them I know has since set up an account, but not joined. If I'd had a sticker or Koozie to give them I think they'd be more likely to keep the club in mind, and more inclined to feel positively about it and maybe even to join. So there's some input right there.

Here's another suggestion: Offer a tee-shirt to any member who successfully recruits a new member. The relationship between the expenditure and the intended purpose of the MGE program could not be clearer than that.

Hear hear!!

Especially the t-shirt idea.

I think there has been call for t-shirts rather recently too. And can we get some light colors for those of us who spend time outdoors?

 

[Carol.92124]

How many potential members show up at SCF each year? Seems like everyone is already a member, or has been in the past.
Do another event.

On a side note, did we give up on building a grill? It's been talked about for a year now, and we are coming up on the next SCF and will likely have to waste money renting another one. I offered my time, welder, gas, wire, and plasma... just need someone to drop a few bucks on some stainless and i can get going on it.

 

[cracker]

Here's another suggestion: Offer a tee-shirt to any member who successfully recruits a new member. The relationship between the expenditure and the intended purpose of the MGE program could not be clearer than that.

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[Bent]

Or even the/a shirt to the new member.

ETA: I hand out cards and talk to XJ / MJ owners but kinda lose track after that, except Skwerly that is.

 

[Nimrod]

The year's half over. So at the risk of being a thorn in anyone's side, I think this is a good time to bring this up again. If the chapter board has decided to forego use of the funds, as a dues-paying member I'd like to know that and I'd like to know why. It may be the right thing to do and maybe someone could explain it. If not, then the board should take this as a gentle reminder that time is ticking away.

 

[Bent]

Al, we tried to use it during the Calico SCF event. The intent was to have the Saturday evening dinner catered or partially so. We were thinking BBQ.

In trying to doing so I ran into two deal breakers. We were either two far out in BFE, or for those more local to the event we didn't have enough people in attendance. Dickie's for example wanted 100 minimum.

But no, we have not discussed anything in the last couple of months.

 

[cal]

That doesn't make sense. The point of it is to have national match our contribution to a good local cause.

Feeding our fat asses does not qualify?