I know I'm not officially in the SC, but I'm close and I have some ideas about what works and what doesn't work. What you all are attempting to do is WAY too complicated, and over time you will regret doing it. I see no practical way to keep track of how many runs any particular individual has run during the year, and whether they owe the $5 or not. Also, you'll have guests on the run who won't understand forking over $5, and you also will have people who just miss paying it, or the leader misses getting it from someone, and it would be unmanageable over time. Also, I don't think it's fair to a trip leader to have to deal with collecting money from everyone on every run. The isssue of what constitutes a club run is another unclear issue. Since we have insurance coverage with
it's necessary to make a determination on what is and what isn't a club sponsored run. Just talking about going someplace with friends on the forum does not constitute a club run, one of the purposes of the forum is to allow friends to communicate and put trips together....they are not all club runs. A club run has to be announced as a club run, i.e. "the run this month is to Fordyce", etc. So, you cannot just say that every trip that is talked about on the forums is a club run, it just doesn't work that way.
The idea about collecting $30 from everyone has more merit, but you really have no way to enforce it. Because of the way the chapter is set up, anyone who is a
member who lives in your geographical area is already a member of the Sierra Chaprter. Paying the $30 would be a voluntary contribution, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it would be difficult to enforce. Besides, to pass that kind of motion you will need a quorum of votes from a majority of all the
members that live in your geographical area.....not very likely.
It's necessary to raise a little money for the chapter to operate on, plus it's nice to be able to make a donation to a worthy land use cause now and then. My opinion is that it would be much easier to set aside one event a year, or more, as a fundraising run, and charge for that particular run. Those who want to support the chapter can attend the run and pay the fee, plus any guests would also pay the event fee. This would limit the "pain" of dealing with money to only once a year, and those who choose to not participate have nothing to complain about. Also, if stickers or t-shirts are ever made for the chapter, these should be sold for a profit as fund raisers rather than just covering the cost, which is much easier to deal with and accept than trying to collect membership or run money.
You all are making a good effort on this subject, and raising a little money for the chapter is needed. I encourage you to keep it real simple, and to look from the perspective of someone who you are trying to bring into the club. The comment was made about having some recources to make the chapter grow, which is a good thing. Please don't muddy the water by adding things into the equation that might actually keep some people away. A run that is clearly designated as a fund raising run is easy to do and should be universally accepted. The rest of the time you all can go wheeling and not be concerned about money issues.
Food for thought........
Richard G
past
president