[NJARC] Club progress

[njarc@mailman.qth.net]

Not being an active member of the club I want to excuse myself in advance but 
thought some of the following may be appropriate:

In the last decade or so, perhaps 25 years, "people" in general dont readily 
join things anymore.  There are tons of reasons and I won't offer any here but 
club membership, chuch membership (not being religious or not just be a 
member of the church in a social sense) volunteer fire and ambulance, etc. are all 
the same.

In the "old" days these types of organizations would do things but in recent 
times many of those things are just not that doable, or interesting, or 
whatever anymore. Hamfests, swapmeets, fund drives, Pot luck dinners, etc. are 
dwindling.  SO, unless you are the Dayton Amateur Radio Club there is no big event 
"magnet" to pull the club together in a common mission. People still will go 
to meetings but without change - perhaps even for change sake - the numbers go 
down and down. 

With diminishing participation and apparent lessened active interest this 
often leads the encumbants to take even stronger control by proclaiming no one is 
asking for anything different.  And despite very good intentions to protect 
the club and keep it alive the entrenchment of the status quo drives people 
further away.

In a radio club up here - we HAD term limits - 2 yrs for pres and 1 year for 
the others. But after 60 years the above issues starting taking hold 10 years 
ago and monthly meetings were down to less than 20 people (sometimes less than 
10) from highs of 60 - 70.  No one would run for for office and they got 
around their own rules by rotating the 8 leadership postions (Pres, VP, Treasurer, 
Secretary and Trustees) around - musical positions.  This despite some young 
and/or new members trying to break in but vetoed or bullied away. This was 
because the leadership didn't think those people had the vision or experience 
required - they were all hams less than 2 years and none had any serious ham 
radio experience except for changing an antenna on their handie-talkies.  

I regretably resigned 5 years ago from that club after being a member for 25 
years. It broke my heart so to speak but it was on a nose dive course. Now 
they are lucky they get 10 people at meetings, no longer have a hamfest worth a 
damn, cant get volunteers anyway, can't afford meeting room rent, etc.  The 
membership now consists of about 12 core members ( most of whom from the 
"leadership" team of the past 15 years) as well as an occassional new ham member who 
hasnt been there long enough to be told they aren't "serious" enough hams, etc.

Ive seen the same thing with my local church. 225 families 10 years ago - 
less than 100 today. Same leadership as 10 years ago -- rotating their ways 
around the various positions of "leadership" --  Warden, Ass't Warden, Vestry 
members, etc.. Its a joke. WHen people suggest wild and crazy new ideas - like 
changing 2 hymns at the 10 o clock service - the Warden objects saying it's not in 
our august church heritage and will chase people away -- ..  I say good 
riddons ..   But I am no longer a member of that church so I don't care any 
longer..


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