[QCWA] Fw: QCWA Digest, Vol 25, Issue 21

[B Roske]

> Hello Gene, Bob and other QCWA friends from Corpus Christi, Texas.  I can 
> tell
> you what happened to the South Texas QCWA Chapter.  I was president during
> the period of the mid 1980s to 1990, more or less.  We saw our membership
> dwindling rapidly as members went SK.  It was obvious that we needed to do 
> a
> bit of awareness raising of the younger radio amateur ranks.
>
> By attending meetings of the area amateur radio clubs and presenting 
> programs
> about the QCWA and our area members history in amateur radio plus some 
> direct
> mail, we were able to build the membership up to about thirty regular 
> members
> I think.  Our membership was spread all over South Texas with a few 
> driving
> almost a hundred miles for the meetings held in Corpus Christi every other
> month.  We had interesting programs, a good meal and wonderful comradship.
> Most brought their spouse or significant other.
>
> Not long after I was president we discovered the State of Texas had 
> launched a
> blitzkreg assault against corporations that were "evading" their tax
> obligations.  Our club secretary received a very nasty letter from the
> Secretary of State's office informing that we were in violation of this 
> state
> requirement for filing quarterly returns showing our financial papers and
> paying a tax.  It seemed that no amount of communication could make the
> bureaucrats get the picture that we were a not-for-profit corporation and 
> had
> no income at all, but merely were incorporated because twenty five years
> prior public service organizations were supported by the state.  Well that
> changed and they were not too friendly about it.  There were also some
> wrangles with a requireed annual IRS information report that had to be 
> filed.
>
> So our QCWA chapter was insensed with this governmental stiff arm 
> treatment
> and we decided we did not need to put up with that.  Shortly thereafter we
> submitted our state corporation charter to the Secretary of State with a
> final accounting [no assets, no revenue, no tax due].  With that we put 
> the
> South Texas Chapter of the QCWA to bed formally.
>
> However, the members continued their memberships in the national 
> organization
> and we continued with our meetings just as always, but now it was just a
> bunch of amateur radio Old Timers having a good time.  That group has now
> ceased to exist as without the formality of the QCWA banner there was no
> cohesiveness.  As the OM and YL's went SK one by one the group reduced to
> just a few and they decided there wasn't much use in meeting any longer.
>
> So that is the story of the end of one QCWA chapter.  My suggestion is to 
> not
> incorporate the QCWA unless there is some reason to protect the members 
> from
> some kind of liability risk arrising out of public or group outdoor
> activities and such [i.e. fielday].  As an alternative it might be 
> feasible
> to form the QCWA Chapter as an unincorporated sub-group within the area
> amateur radio club, be it a special "board of directors" a committie or
> something similar.  In other words, it would be possible to create a 
> shelter
> for the group within the charter of another amateur radio charter run by 
> an
> active and more robust group of more youthful radio amateurs who are 
> already
> doing all the corporate paperwork compliance.
>
> Just a few passing thoughts for consideration.  It would be useful to take 
> a
> look at all the reasons why chapters have gone under and why they must be
> incorporated in the first place.  If there is a pattern and if chapter
> retention is important then it would be useful information for the 
> national
> board to have regarding policy decision making purposes.
>
> 73,
> Rik
> K5SittingBullsUncle
>
>
>
>> From: "Gene A. Nailon" <k5dle at juno.com>
>> Subject: [QCWA] INTERESTING QCWA FACTS:
>>
>> ACTIVE CHAPTERS 1998    140
>> ACTIVE CHAPTERS 2006   -123
>>                        ----
>>                          18 LOST CHAPTERS or SK CHAPTERS.
>>
>> HOWEVER: This is not the full story.  15 NEW CHAPTERS were
>> added, (2) of which have dissapeared.
>>
>> What this means: 31 Chapters have dissapeared, been lost or
>> became SK.
>>
>> WHY?
>> ------------------------------------------------------------

Posted for Rik, K5SBU

73,
Bob, N0UF
QCWA Reflector Administrator