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Bob, Don't rush to judgement. I gave YOU credit for finding a way to decrease the cost of the printed Bulletin. I can honestly say that I know of NO ONE who would prefer the electronic membership over their current status, because most of them are not computer literate. I honestly never considered your situation of poor eyesight and having the ability to blow up the print size of the Bulletin, and I apologize for my shortsightedness. In the Antelope Valley (population 400,000+) there is just one plant society and that is Hi Desert Iris & Daylily Society, of which I am a member. Our membership hovers around 50. This is a very sad commentary on plant societies in general. At the annual Home & Garden Show, our club sells over 700 potted iris, and at our annual iris show, we probably sell around 1000 potted iris. We may gather 5 or fewer new members at these activities every year, and if we are lucky, we will keep one or two. Many familiar faces attend these activities year after year, but they do not join in. I think that is the profile of the majority of 'e members'. They may garden, want information, but they do not join plant societies, prefering to gather the information and expertise they need anonymously. MY OPINION. That is what the discussion portion of this is all about...sharing our ideas, comments, and opinions. I too know many club members who put the Bulletin aside until sometime months later, but less than half of our club belong to AIS....once again, the non-joiners. They don't enter shows, become judges, etc. You have repeatedly mentioned the Daylily Society as having been successful in increasing membership, and I think Jim Morris mentioned that the Daffodil Society as having like success. WHAT ARE THEY DOING??? Could AIS utilize some of their ideas to increase our membership? I am not against the idea of an 'electronic membership', but I think the parameters need to be defined prior to granting said membership. If the only difference would be printed vs electronic Bulletin, then the $15 charge would make sense. Opening the Iris Register to everyone for an additional fee, as it exists now, would remain. I am willing to pay for additional services, but many are not, so they would not choose to receive the additional services. These thoughts are what I have been voicing and I am sorry if I did not make myself clear before. Cheryl Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:13:28 -0400 From: robertpries@embarqmail.com To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Proposed bylaws amendment notice - electronic membership Cheryl we all make judgements about others, it is unavoidable. But your evaluations of me verses your own philanthropy has little to do with e-memberships and is not even correct. And your assumptions about e-members seems to me unwarranted. How many people have you talked to that want an e-membership. There are lots of reasons why they might desire this. I will use myself as an example. Some of us do not have the best vision anymore. Viewing an electronic bulletin would allow me to blow up the screen so the print is easily readable. I am not so blind that I can not judge an Iris or attend conventions but you would relegate someone to second class membership just because they choose the bulletin online. I still like my printed copies and I love to be able to look at a picture without going to the computer. I am not anti-print. I just would like all of us to have more options. You seem to want to restrict them I know of very ACTIVE members in clubs, that look at their bulletin, then throw it away. They would be delighted to have an electronic membership where they were not wasting the paper and the expense. On average there are also about 50% of affiliates members who are not AIS members. I know of clubs where the most energetic members care little about a printed bulletin. Perhaps they would find a less expensive membership more attractive. I also know of clubs that pay for their members AIS membership so that they can remain an affiliate. Since an e-membership is not as costly as a print membership either for AIS or those clubs, e-memberships would go far in balancing the AIS budget and the local club’s budget even though the dollars are less. Why do you keep insisting that e-members should have second class status? Many of them might contribute more than you or I to this society.
As to halving the cost of the Bulletin. That would really be folly, especially if it meant reducing the quality. It has been me, not you that has found cheaper alternatives to make a BETTER bulletin for less money. That accomplishes two goals balancing the budget and possibly retaining and gaining membership. Just cutting costs to show profits keeps us in the downward spiral of membership loss and then more need to cut. Eventually you have no budget because you do not exist. ----- Original Message ----- From: "cheryl deaton" <region15kids@hotmail.com> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 2:43:46 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: RE: [AISdiscuss] Proposed bylaws amendment notice - electronic membership I very seriously doubt that 'e members' would attend conventions, support electronic services at the Geek dinner, etc. The very concept of 'e membership' is a virtual membership...non participation. I support electronic services by attending the Geek dinner and donating items for the auction..can't say I've seen you there lately Bob. I also subscribed to the Iris Register as a hybridizer and interested person...I also purchase the checklists because after looking at a computer screen most of the day, I like to curl up with a good book, whether it be a checklist, magazine or novel. Like the iris Wiki which is to provide the general public with information that should be accurate, free and accessible, and to encourage interest in iris, perhaps leading to joining the organization in some form, whether print or electronic version of the Bulletin...we have had these revenue sources in place prior to starting an 'e membership', and with the efforts of Kelly Norris and yourself, the publishing of the Bulletin may just begin being a revenue stream if we can get the costs halved. I do not think an 'e membership' should contain electronic services that are not yet defined. Cheryl Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:50:20 -0400 From: robertpries@embarqmail.com To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] Proposed bylaws amendment notice - electronic membership Cheryl wrote: I was under the impression that the 'e membership' was to be a discounted version of a full membership: the printed version of the Bulletin would not be included, insurance, judge's priviledges, etc. would not be part of it. It's purpose was for those who wanted a 'virtual' membership only. Otherwise, why pay for AIS membership? If the milk is free, why buy a cow? An electronic version of the Bulletin and the checklists would be 'e membership'. The wiki is free, the website and all of its amenities is free, so the 'e membership' would be for those who did not want a physical Bulletin or any of the other benefits that full membership entails. Why would an 'e membership' need insurance coverage? Cheryl If you took away everything that entails membership, why even call it that. We are trying to generate new members, not just virtual addresses, but members who have chosen to recieve the bulletin digitally, but who would still go to conventions, attend affiliates, judge shows and do all the things that the things present members do. Yes it would be a discounted membership, in that it would only be $15 but that is because the bulletin is such a huge cost presently, and current members are not paying for all they get. Fortunately dues are not the only income, but they still represent most of it. Presently print members who do not use the website, the wiki, and any of the other electronic services may feel that they are subsidizing electronic members. On the other hand Electronic members might feel that they are subsidizing the print members since they would actually cover their membership costs. I realize it is a complex thought, but the wiki is not part of the e-membership, neither is the website, but electronic members would actually be contributing to their existance in addition to the electronic bulletin. Presently print members contribute very little to these, and they have been largely sustained by the efforts of the electronics services committee with the Geek Dinner, The Iris Register and donations. The cow that has been given away is more the print and other traditional services. We are trying to create a new cow that people will want to support. Since membership has declined for that last 17 years the old cow does not seem adequate for enough people. The only potential for growth by the old cow is the creation of a new more desirable bulletin. Otherwise where are the ideas for progress? Einstein said insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. What new do you have to offer? Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. Learn more. |