[NSRCA-discussion] NSRCA Dues Increase

[Bob Richards]

Wayne,
   
  Thanks for taking the time to express your opinion. I agree with most of what you say. I do believe the KFactor is a good publication, but based on what other organisations are doing, I agree that it is not giving us much return on our dollar. I do believe we should spend more effort towards an online publication.
   
  Bob Richards
  

Wayne <Whinkle1024 at msn.com> wrote:
  Well said Del

As I mentioned and everyone went off on me. Its not the extra $10. Its the 
fact there is no plan for the future and no way to pay the bills. We are 
short on funds so we need to increase dues. To me this only means dumping 
more money into an already deep hole. The NSRCA management over the last 2-4 
years has spent in the range of $25,000 more than its income. Not pointing a 
finger and saying where did it go? and then shaming folks into just sending 
the extra $10 is not going to solve the problem.

Derek can speak directly to the funds issue as he reported the funds in 
excess back beofre Lamar was elected to office. I got the number directly 
from the debate on email regarding the finacial issues and address questions 
to canidates that I believe Troy Neuman posted 2 years ago. These numbers 
jive with Rusty Dose's last column where he states dues and advertising is 
down $15,000 per year. Guess what do this for 2 years and there is your 
$25k.

This is not a call to stop renewing. Rather its a vote of no confidence in 
the current method. Not the people just the fact we are dumping money down 
the drain.

I voice my opinion and the world explodes in that I don't know what I'm 
talking about. Guess what THAT is the ARROGANT, Elitist attitude that we 
pattern flyers are so famous for.

I have copies of old KF's that were nothing more than Xerox sheets like a 
normal club news letter. The content was 10 times what it is today. Yet it 
probably cost about 1/4 the price to produce.

The KF used to attract folks because it was the place to get info and 
contacts for all the cool pattern stuff. Not because it had a fancy cover in 
color. Well the internet, and direct mail marketing ads from Central Hobby 
and others now give this information to us. I would rather see us spend our 
money on a professional website that has info, how to's, ads, and real time 
information other than the local weather report every month from the DVPs 
that is costing us thousands.

My suggestion is to stop producing a published news letter. Instead continue 
it as an online publication and spend our money on the website and have some 
professional help in setting it up, marketing our shirts, caps and patches, 
and get back to what the NSRCA does well. Promote pattern instead of 
producing a poor publication.

Get in bed with Flying Giants and create a online "pattern flyer central" 
Like IMAC has done. They have a good product and the cost is half the price. 
In fact they are doing so good at it people think they are us. How many 
times do we see the internet light up with I would like to fly pattern and 
want to get started but I only have 50cc yak and I don't want to get laughed 
at. A good website and some positive support that can pool us the members 
and keep a archive of the great techniques and articles that are written.

We can't compete with MA News, FLY RC and others so why try. We are who we 
are and its time to cut back and tighten the belt. If we devote even 1/2 the 
funds from our current poor KF to a good website we will much better off for 
the long haul. I know the website is work but we have volunteers doing it 
and the results are not competitive. Hell we can't even get D1 and D6 to put 
their websites on the national site. Then we can't get D8 to update the 
contests on the National site they have to go to D8's site to get the 
contest. Come on lets get a united front that looks like we aren't just a 
bunch of hillbillies! That is why IMAC has the coverage in the magazines, 
that is why IMAC has suppliers like H9 including decals in the kits and 
membership apps. That is why they are sound financially. We just sit around 
and argue why a snap isn't a snap and don't want anyone to touch our 
precious news letter that is trying to be a full magazine. Volunteers make 
this organization go round. Well gets get them focus on what needs to 
happen. Asleep at the wheel will not solve it. We have had that for the past 
several years.


Wayne

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