[QCWA] Membership and Choices

[Ron Fish]

"William Lambing" <w0lpq9 at msn.com> wrote:

Ed has good points ... As a Mason and Shriner besides QCWA, all of us are having 
the membership issue.  Our Flying Fezzes group here in Indy has quite a few 
members, but usually less than 10 come to any meetings or support the programs 
we as Shriners, support.  Those of us on a fixed income can only do so much .. 
that is just the way it is.

It is sad.  But, don't dilute the original charter of the QCWA.  They have 
membership requirements as do all fraternal organizations of a social stature.  
That is the way they were chartered.  Don't like it  ... then start your own 
with YOUR individual requirements.

Many people have put forth some ideas ... but again ... don't dilute the 
original charter.

Bill, W0LPQ

 
I agree wholeheartedly with Bill's comments.  As a 40-year ham, I waited 25 years to join QCWA and 40 years to join OOTC.  I didn't suffer as I have been an ARRL member since I was licensed as a Novice.  QCWA was founded by hams with 25 years or more in the hobby and that is the one and only reason for this organization.  Associate Members as such make no sense.  The ARRL has an Associate Member category for non-licensed individuals.  The difference is that when you gain your license you can become an AARL Full Member, but you still have to wait 25 years for QCWA membership.

Regarding Masons/Shriners (fraternal organizations, not hobby groups), you must be a Mason to become a Shriner.  For more than 100 years you had to be a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason or a Knight Templar York Rite Mason to join the Shrine.  In its infinite wisdom, the Shrine changed the rules about 10 years ago to admit any Mason, even if he did not belong to either Rite.  This change was sold as a membership benefit.  The result?  Shrine membership is still declining, and this change led to further declines in Rite membership.  Most Masons now have no incentive to join either Rite.  So we need to think about the repercussions before we lower QCWA's membership requirements.

Ron Fish, KX1W
Life Member, ARRL, QCWA, OOTC
Middletown, NY