This is "grass roots."
Three "rules" I formulated when I was setting up a group for an underdog computing system, that formed the basis for a successful event:
1. give people something to see
2. tell people there's something to see
3. find someone else with a complementary objective, that has somewhere interesting to be to be seen
> All you need is one person to represent a area, depending on density of
This person typically makes or breaks the event, often setting the tone and quality via their personality and capability. I called them the "point man" (hockey lingo, substitute "quarterback"), but essentially the event leader. It can help greatly if there is some, for lack of a better word, "formula" for an event, something like a checklist that makes the admin details go well, and gives potential event-leaders a view of what's ahead...
> line club headquaters and have fun. This is all very easy to do.
... because it isn't easy to do for everyone. Some people would never consider, as you did, just cold-calling a place to see what they could get into. The local Jaguar Drivers Club went for a tour of a local TV station, and attendees will now find themselves likely immortalized in a series of station IDs.
But, it isn't all that difficult really. And with the 'Net, these distributed independent groups can actually be quite (informally) organized.
--- J e r o m e Y u z y k | jerome(at)supernet.ab.ca - - BRIDGE Scientific Services | www.tgx.com/bridge - - Sunbeam Alpine Series II #9118636 | www.tgx.com/bridge/sunbeam -
--- J e r o m e Y u z y k | jerome(at)supernet.ab.ca - - BRIDGE Scientific Services | www.tgx.com/bridge - - Sunbeam Alpine Series II #9118636 | www.tgx.com/bridge/sunbeam -
recedence: bulk Reply-To: jerome(at)supernet.ab.ca (Jerome Yuzyk)
In article <022801bdb20f$25c28300$292120cb(at)rmaddock>, "Russell Maddock" <rmaddock(at)petrie.starway.net.au> wrote: > Although I think the idea of electronic communications is a good one, won't > this ostracise owners who are technologically challenged? I've been > enthusiastically spreading the good word about the mailing lists and > websites in my part of the world, but few people seem interested in buying a > computer just to extend their motoring hobby. A lot don't have the computer > savvy either. > > Speaking as a former editor I know what a pain in the rear printing, postage > and mailing is. I had been thinking about starting a trial electronic > newsletter to run parallel to the printed one, but quit my post before > anything happened. I have doubts about how successful this would have been > however because at best only about 10% of our members have access to email. >
Contemporary theories of physics only die when their supporters do...
It doesn't ostracize people as long as it's not the only medium, and you've realized that not eveyone is like you. Up here we take for granted a whole lot of great technology, and many people assume Internet Nirvana for Everyone. This would be ideal, but won't be so for quite some time. Until then (and probably even then), one has to deal with basically two media streams: digital and print. Make your newsletter first a website, and print from it. Do a club meeting with a computer and projector on Cars on the Internet (or do an event linked to some place that does, a la Curt's Winery thing).
People won't buy a computer just to extend their hobby, but they might if they can see that what it can do for their hobby it can do for some other parts of their lives (e.g., e-mail beats postage and long-distance charges).
And, motoring is primarily a Guy Thing. Computers too. It's inevitable.
> >member profiles. Without postage and printing, dues should be minimal. > >Those who are "web-challenged" could view or get printouts from someone > >online (probably in glorious B & W). If this is organized right, things
I'm sure every club has someone computer-savvy. If not, then it's very small or very old (demographically). Try to make that person the Club's gateway to the 'Net. All you need is one person that can print things out and bring them in, or be available to look up things. Contact made.
--- J e r o m e Y u z y k | jerome(at)supernet.ab.ca - - BRIDGE Scientific Services | www.tgx.com/bridge - - Sunbeam Alpine Series II #9118636 | www.tgx.com/bridge/sunbeam -