On 3/21/08, Sue Heim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >Therein lies the problem... I've seen far too many chapter presidents "do > it for yourself." The local chapter here has lost members. >Several years > ago we had over 300 members and used to get something like 60-70 members at > dinner meetings. Now, there is about >half that number in membership and > considerably less than half the number attend meetings. > > There's nothing wrong with the chapter board wanting to be proud of their chapter. In addition, the larger a chapter, the more they have the ability to weather random goofs. Sometimes you pick a program that dispite all good intentions, falls flat. Size also gives you the ability to take chances. If you are small, with a small checking account, a loss can be damaging. The larger you are, the better you are able to recover.
I've been trying alot of things...some are success and some failure. However, in EVERY effort, my mantra has been that anything we do is in the members best interest. For instance. The society is offering four free conference registrations for the chapter in each category who can get the highest percentage of renewals. We happen to be in second place in the second to largest category. If we win? The four packages get raffled to the membership, and most don't even knowit yet, even though I had to get my company to allow me to expense part of the trip, the chaptrer part, and me part (BTW, our chapter last year paid the whole thing for the Pres, but if I can take part of the load off the chaprter, more left over for the membership). We could have applied it to the board, but I thought my membership woulod appreciate it. However, a chapter is handcuffed from trying new things when they don't see the support from the people they are trying to serve, and the best indicaror is membership. > If you could join locally withoiut having to join the national organization, I'd reconsider. BTW...there is nothing from stopping a chapter from doing that and we are considering it starting next Sept. John Posada NYMetroSTC President ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
