ANST - Membership: what IS the real deal?

[Mike C. Baker]

It is my opinion that there should be at least some expectation of
membership
at these levels (competition[s] leading to position representing the
Kingdom).
Receipt of the Kingdom newsletter I would think a necessity for any of the
(volunteer) duties to be carried through completely & with appropriate
attention to the honor & dignity of the station.

Upon the other major topic currently associated with the theme of
membership:
>From my memory of the membership numbers as presented at the RedTape event
last fall, we were not in danger of losing Kingdom status any time soon --
but
many local groups may be on the borderline of being reduced in status.  On
the
whole, we appear to be continuing an old trend [again, this is my opinion /
observation]: Ansteorrans seem to spawn two or three incipient groups every
year or so, and barely manage to hold onto status for two or three others
(if there
is not either an involuntary disbanding or reduction in status, or even a
voluntary
dissolution).  There was an implied plea to encourage new paid memberships,
and the formal announcement of an end to the experimental period where
family
memberships counted toward required census levels for group status.

Where the whole argument about paid membership versus individual means to
pay
breaks down is the relatively extreme cost. One digest-sized monthly
magazine, a
quarterly in large format, some vague notion of insurance (protecting the
group, not
any individual per se the last time I checked), and a membership card -- ROI
incalculable except for each individual member / participant.  More hoops to
jump through at each event without that bit of pasteboard, for groups /
events that
actually demand on seeing it and individuals honorable enough to be honest
in
filling out their line on the non-member sheet. (Not to mention, at least
too
loudly, those base-born louts who feel no need to actually sign in, and pay
up,
at the gate...)

Scouts have been brought up as an example -- for reference, annual
memberships in BSA organizations for youth members are deliberately
kept as low as possible, and still include an OPTIONAL monthly magazine
for less than twenty bucks (well, at least at the last time I was directly
involved in a unit). Individual event fees are also kept as affordable as
possible, and usually have historically included a [machine-embroidered]
patch for each participant. {For the record, I _much_ prefer the range of
homemade event tokens that we use in the SCA -- at least for compatibility
with our stated purposes and goals... while I also keep my collection of
Scouting patches carefully stored.}

If there would be any one thing which might encourage me to extend my
membership
further than I have currently done it would be the return of the life member
option,
or at the minimum some discount for long-term fund commitment. Until then, I
find
myself renewing for two years at a time and currently faced with a dilemma
as to
how we will handle my fiancée's membership for this year (back to the fine
print!).

Ach, I've gone incoherent -- still too much hemoglobin in my caffeine stream
this
morning.

Mike C. Baker
SCA: Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra
"Other": Kihe Blackeagle (the DreamSinger Bard)
Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em
----- Original Message -----
From: "karl muller" <apophysis at hotmail.com>
To: <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 10:09 AM
Subject: ANST - Re: Membership. the real deal.


> first of all, i don't like the idea of pay to play. but that was not the
> proposal set forth. the idea was that those who enter kingdom level
> competitions should be members. the person who suggested it mentioned
crown,
> queen's champion, and i would assume kingdom a&s, premiur bard and all the
> others would be included. i think this person thinks whomever represents
the
> kingdom should be a member. and if it works, then lowering it to the
> regional competition level. and i'm in agreement to a point. but as far as
> having to pay just to play at the local level, i'm in agreement with most
of
> you. i don't like it. but, again, that was not the proposal.
> any opinions on the real proposal?
> km
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