rockjock said:
We have decided on a name and I've made a calendar of events. But we feel we need to get a few more people who are alittle more gun ho than some of our members before we join ifwda. We do want to help the cause and do our part to keep our hobby alive for our kids to enjoy with their kids. We would like to do things like trail clean up and enviromental stuff but we just don't know where to start. We don't have the public land that the west has. We do want to get the message out that not all 4 wheelers are out to damage everything they drive across. How do you get the word out? And get people intersted?
Scott- Start small and take on more as the membership permits.
If you want to for a club, by all means do it!
You do not have to incorporate, but it helps from a liability standpoint.
If you incorporate, find out whether you want to be just a "not for profit" corporation or go for your 501C status. The 501C status is more paperwork. If you decide to have a club checking account, which is a good accounting thing to have incase the revenuers come looking, you need to apply with the IRS for a EIN (Employer Identification Number) even though you have no employees. This is important: If you pay anybody as an employee you open up another can of paperwork whoopass.
So, start off as a Group and see how you like it. No ppwk, no ties.
If you folks like it, Incorporate, draw up some basic bylaws and start having regular meetings. Do fun things and have fun meetings. Fun meetings=more attendance.
Don't worry about the "give back" or "Supporting a cause" until you can make it enjoyable, or of small burden. Many is the club which took up "Adopt a Road" programs only to dump them on the aniversary date due to lack of interest.
As far as getting the word out about TreadLightly, get some of their pamplets and distribute them. If you want to advertise your club, leave fliers on Jeeps and in autoparts/4wd stores. A website can help, but only if everyone has computers. Not everyone has a computer. In one 4WD Association I belonged to, I estimated by direct poll that 2/3 of the members either did not have a computer, or were illiterate computer owners (the kids had them). Make your website basic and if you need a "Forum" use MSN or Yahoo Groups to keep the cost down.
Ron
