Re: Scirocco.org a club? [long]

["Ben Rogowski" <bgr13@mn.rr.com>]

As far as transforming the list into an organized club, I am against it.
I'm the membership coordinator and newsletter editor of a club here in
Minneapolis called Volksport.  Check it out at www.volksport.com  We've
actually got a few members besides myself on this list.  Running a club
takes a lot of time and dedication, from quite a few people.  Some of the
time it's a downright pain in the ass.  I do love my club, (both my clubs i
should say; I'd be nowhere without the Scirocco List) but our mailing
list/internet club has most of the benefits, with much less effort.  At
least from my point of view, as i don't have to run the site at all.  It's
great to have local gatherings of members, and we should probably do some
'List gatherings here in the upper midwest.  The fact is Scirocco.org
doesn't have to deal with the issues like membership management, a bank
account, insurance fees, mandatory monthly meetings for those who run the
club, etc.  We've actually been trying to streamline our club so that we're
more internet oriented, like Scirocco.org.  I guess what I have to ask is
why ruin a good thing?

Ben R
'79 Scirocco 1.8 16v, Coilovers go in tonight!!
'86.5 Quantum Syncro Wagon
'00 Suzuki SV 650

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Rogowski" <bgr13@mn.rr.com>
To: "Ben Rogowski" <bgr13@mn.rr.com>
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 11:28 AM
Subject: Fw: Scirocco.org a club? [long]


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Neal Tovsen" <sixteen.volt@gte.net>
> To: "Brad Sterling" <bgsterling@earthlink.net>; "Scirocco List"
> <scirocco-L@scirocco.org>
> Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 11:09 PM
> Subject: RE: Scirocco.org a club? [long]
>
>
> > Comments inline:
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Brad Sterling [mailto:bgsterling@earthlink.net]
> > > Neal, you ignorant slut (showing my age with that reference).
> >
> > While technically true, I WAS hoping to keep it a secret. ;)
> >
> > ----Big 'ol huge SNIP----
> >
> > > My point:  new car sales help, but aren't a necessity.
> >
> > More-or-less what I said, I think. I completely agree.
> >
> >
> > > For that matter, I'd argue that many of the new Impreza drivers are
> caught
> > > up in the next big thing and you'll see an increase in membership
> followed
> > > by a downturn when the Subie falls out of trend.
> >
> > I'm with you here. The Impreza has certain features which has started to
> > attract a peculiar type of enthusiast. While I don't think they
represent
> > the majority of Subaru enthusiasts, they do tend to be less brand-loyal
> when
> > another car (one with a bigger wing, usually) comes out. These are the
> > people who will leave after the fad is gone.
> >
> >
> > > As for Manufacturer/Dealer/Industry support, I think the key word here
> is
> > > Industry. Now I'm sure Mark and Mike are
> > > not hurting for business with all of the VWs on the road, but just as
> this
> > > list supports them, I would bet they'd want to support a group that
> helps
> > > them.  It's kind of a sinking-ship, we're-all-in-this-together
> > > relationship.
> >
> > Yes, I believe that is what they're doing now. And a damn fine job,
IMHO.
> >
> >
> > > My long-winded point is that a club
> > > doesn't have to
> > > be as grand as what you're used to.
> > ---snip---
> > > Instead of a newsletter, perhaps we could work
> > > on a good
> > > list of FAQs (starting with our current one of course) that can be
> emailed
> > > to everyone as they join the list and also posted once a month
> > > (kind of like
> > > a monthly newsletter).
> >
> > Sounds like what we do already, except perhaps better
> maintained/organized.
> > We've been working on being better organized for years, but everyone
> > (especially myself!) is guilty of being "too busy". A little
> self-dicipline
> > on everyone's part would do wonders for this one.
> >
> >
> > > I'd even be willing to help compile this list of
> > > tire/wheel sizes, tune-up specs, sway bar options, oil in the air
filter
> > > solutions, etc.
> >
> > That's what everyone says, including me. Sadly, except for a very recent
> > spurt of activity, our Website hasn't changed dramatically in the 3+
years
> > I've been on the list. This has been true of most clubs I've been in.
> People
> > want all the benes, but when it comes time to CONTRIBUTE, "ah...I just
> don't
> > have time". Guilty as charged.
> >
> >
> > > My last point, regarding dues, would be they have some merit.  We
> > > could set
> > > up some cheap dues (so as not to make Ron leave) and promise a T-shirt
> or
> > > specially molded, Scirocco cup that fits behind the e-brake.
> >
> > Cup holders? You must have read my mind! (or my earlier post...) Where
do
> I
> > send the money??
> >
> >
> > > This will keep
> > > out the timid or flame-war-starters (what was that dude's name),
> > > pay for the
> > > website hosting fees, and get us some club merchandise.  Hell,
> > > many on this
> > > list have said they're willing to pay $15-$25 for a hat or t-shirt.
It
> > > would be like buying a hat or t-shirt and getting the membership for
> free.
> > > If Adirondak and Virtual parts give a small discount to members, the
> > > membership pays for itself the first time you buy motor mounts or a
sway
> > > bar.  The downside, we'd have to get a President, Treasurer, etc. and
> > > incorporate.
> >
> > Again, sounds like what we're doing. We've got free hosting (thanks
> > Christopher!!!!), Brett is the only one who really has put lots of sweat
> > equity into the Web site, and Mark/Mike already give us discounts. For
our
> > $15-$25, we can call up Wassersport and get a t-shirt, and several times
a
> > year we can all wear them together at places like Cincy, ND, and
> Waterfest.
> > Where's the big win?
> >
> > /MY/ long-winded point, you crotchety old coot (ha! backattcha!), is
that
> I
> > think it would be really cool to do all this stuff, but I'm still trying
> to
> > reconcile it all in my head. Scirocco.org kicks ass, and it is cool to
say
> > that we don't have dues or centralized leadership but we still have
> > gatherings and club discounts with a few vendors. For the amount of work
> we
> > collectively put into this club, we get a lot of cool benefits! I'm
still
> > not sure we'd really be getting something more than the awesome
phenomena
> we
> > already have. Would it make us more of a tight-knit group? Would we all
> get
> > along better? Would we have more/better gatherings? Would we save LOTS
of
> > money from vendors? Would we all get rich? My gut reaction to each these
> is
> > either a solid "NO", or a "well...I suppose it'd be a little better than
> it
> > is now". There's a lot of effort involved in running a "serious" club,
and
> > I'm not sure that the payoff is so huge.
> >
> > PLEASE realize that I'm playing Devil's Advocate more than anything.
I've
> > already pledged my support to anyone who's willing to give it a go.
> >
> > SO...
> > Step up, Mr. President!
> >
> > Neal
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Email LIST problems to: scirocco-l-probs@scirocco.org. To unsubscibe
send
> > "unsubscribe scirocco-l" in the message to majordomo@scirocco.org
> >
>


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