[QCWA] Associate Membership

[Lew M]

Pete makes some good sense here.  It seems like a good compromise, although, 
I doubt it will have much impact on the financial problems that have been 
recently described.  This type of local association might be especially 
useful in areas that do not have other thriving clubs.

My local radio club has an associate membership class for unlicensed people 
who are interested in getting started and/or just want to help the club. 
The dues are less than the regular membership and they have not vote nor may 
they hold office.

The local American Chemical Society sections have associate memberships at a 
nominal cost and the associates get to participate in section activities. 
Again, no vote or office holding.  National membership has more stringent 
requirements.

73, Lew
n2rq at arrl.net
Life member 28,800
scr at limarc.org



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pete" <TwelveVDC at aol.com>
To: "QCWA List" <QCWA at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 5:19 PM
Subject: [QCWA] Associate Membership


> Hello, friends.
>
> I usually don't weigh in on these hot-button issues, because someone 
> always takes me to the "Virtual" woodshed for having the nerve to 
> disagree. (Discussion is healthy and American, but please, no flames. Just 
> civil replies.)
>
> I think there is an elegant solution to this issue.
>
> Allow only the local Chapters to admit "Associate Members" into their 
> ranks, (and NOT National) but with the silent blessing of National.
>
> There are many benefits:
>
> •No arguing about watering-down of qualifications to the Parent 
> Organization, which appears to be the chief objection.
>
> •Local Chapters collect modest dues, (~$5 or $8.) from a NEW source, and 
> issue Chapter credentials as may be customary. Once a year, Treasurer's 
> can forward 50% of these new resources to National as part of their 
> "Chapter Accreditation," or "Tribute."
>
> •These Associate Members start to participate and contribute to Chapter 
> functions BEFORE they can't erect antennas for FD anymore, e.g., and are 
> likely more familiar and adept with modern media equipment to deliver 
> program content at local Meetings. (A main reason Clubs everywhere are 
> dying. Who wants to hear ONLY about the "Good Old Days" every month over 
> coffee? Not younger hams, if you ever want to attract and recruit them.) 
> Look at the photographs in the Journal and see our demographic in eateries 
> whose captions hardly depict Programs or Events, but mostly celebrate 
> longevity milestones.
>
> •This gives hundreds of young and middle-aged guys who aren't licensed 
> quite 25 years, a chance to associate with those who have that coveted 
> National Membership and get to wear that pin of Honor. It becomes truly 
> something to aspire to. But I guarantee you, the best way to alienate them 
> forever, is to not make them feel welcome until they "qualify," or label 
> them as perpetual "Guests." Where would our regular Amateur Radio Club's 
> be if we didn't welcome guests until they had their tickets? Think about 
> that for a minute.
>
> •They will already know all the friends and the mission of the QCWA when 
> they reach that celebrated milestone, and can relish in the limelight when 
> proudly sponsored by a colleague for National Membership when the time 
> comes.
>
> • The likelihood of staying UNTIL you hit your 25 years and joining 
> National is a million percent easier than attracting a 25 year ham for the 
> first time. By then, he's been a member of the League and a few Amateur 
> Radio Clubs, gets several expensive magazine subscriptions, etc., so by 
> then it looks like just another group after his cash. Today's economy 
> forces us to compete against each other for membership dues. If you don't 
> consider accepting folks earlier than their 25th year on an introductory 
> level, you will have a harder time attracting them when others rolled out 
> the red carpet the day they got their tickets and were still excited about 
> it.
>
> •These are the future leaders of the Chapters and QCWA National. They 
> should be groomed now for the privilege.
>
> I joined my local QCWA Chapter 17, Allentown-Bethlehem, PA as an Associate 
> Member around when I was licensed for 20 years. I wasn't permitted to run 
> for office, but I was included in every event and meeting, and 
> respectfully treated as an equal, and my opinions were welcomed and heard 
> as any other Member. As soon as we were eligible, two of us were sponsored 
> by the Chapter President, W3TDF, and admitted to National with great 
> fanfare from our friends who were very proud of us. That does not happen 
> to you unless you were an Associate first.
>
> As proof of what the Associate Class means to the QCWA's big picture, I am 
> today a proud Life Member, #33775, and attended the Annual Banquet at 
> Dayton this year for the first time.
>
> Allow the Chapters to accept Associate Members. No one will get their 
> underwear in a bunch over it, because they still must earn their wings to 
> join National, keeping the objective pure. If the bylaws must be amended 
> to allow for such a provision, so be it.
>
> Respectfully,
> Pete Varounis
>     ------------------------------------------
>     de NL7XM  ••Callsign Historian••
>
>
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