I never get involved in these discussions, but I enjoy reading the entries and learning more about caving. However, this time I have something to say. I was brand new to the DFW Grotto two years ago. My very first cave trip was to Honey Creek Cave in January of 06. Bill Steele assured me it was a fine trip for a beginner. Oh Bill. I thought I was going to die. But Bill, Diana and the rest of the group were so nice to me, it made the weekend worth every doubt I had about caving. I rode down and back with them, and I had never even met them before. They made me feel at ease almost immediately. Their group (as well as Kurt and the guys at the campsite) took me on as a project, and walked me through each step. Bill and Diana let me borrow camping gear (and even took care of putting my tent up and down), as well as loaning me all the caving equipment I needed. I got to rappel into a hole in the ground, and spend hours going through a beautiful, almost unearthly, water cave -- all for the first time. Once I got the hang of the low ceilings in the cave, and I realized nothing was going to grab my leg, I loved it! I really thought a couple of times that I was going to drown, and I was absolutely worn out afterwards. However, after it was all over, and I had thawed out from the cold, I realized Bill was right, and it had been the perfect trip for a beginner. I take back almost all the things I thought about Bill while I was in the cave. Newbies like me have no idea what is involved as far as equipment, etc. So, if you want to attract -- and keep -- new cavers, follow Bill and Diana's example. Newbies need a shepherd. I would follow them to any cave. I will even do a tank haul for them. :) Trish
-----Original Message----- From: Diana Tomchick [mailto:diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu] Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 10:29 AM To: dreadfl...@yahoo.com Cc: Cavers Texas Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Thomas - UT Grotto Newbie Herder We start our monthly DFW grotto meetings by briefly introducing ourselves (the members) and then asking the new visitors to introduce themselves and tell us how they heard about us, whether they've ever been caving and how they'd like to be involved in caving. Since we're a relatively small group, this generally lasts about 15-20 minutes. We consider this ice-breaker to be a worthwhile time investment. We also make every effort to take new people on cave trips--but it helps to know something about them first in order to get them on an appropriate trip. We have several new grotto members who have become worthy cavers and are even great additions to our tank haul teams. Obviously with a group as large as I've seen attend UT Grotto meetings, this would be a bit problematic. But our local Sierra Club chapter has about the same attendance as the UT Grotto, and they handle new member recruitment in a different way. They have a point person in charge of talking to new members after the general meeting (in the same meeting room) to answer general questions. They also have monthly potlucks for the new members to get to know people in the club. Various members offer to host the potlucks and of course they also organize outings geared primarily to the new members. Diana On Dec 13, 2008, at 9:09 AM, Thomas Sitch wrote: > Ha ha! > > Matt Zapitello and I had this exact discussion several months ago at > lunch. My answer's the same: > > Everyone needs to be the newbie greeter. > > Now, just to be clear, I think that we kick ass as a grotto, and we > have a lot of beginner trips and a lot of great opportunities that > are presented at every meeting (Colorado Bend with Crash, various > cool Peter Sprouse expeditions etc.). It's the social component > (welcoming, conversation, Posse talk, etc.) where I think we can be > more mindful, and that involves everyone in a collective effort. > > ~~T > > --- On Fri, 12/12/08, Terri Sprouse <posada...@yahoo.com> wrote: > From: Terri Sprouse <posada...@yahoo.com> > Subject: [Texascavers] Thomas - UT Grotto Newbie Herder > To: "Cavers Texas" <texascavers@texascavers.com>, dreadfl...@yahoo.com > Date: Friday, December 12, 2008, 8:30 PM > > Thomas, > > Sounds like you just volunteered to take over the role of Newbie > Herder for the > grotto. Should we vote on it at the next meeting? > > I agree, the reality is that the best way to get to know cavers is > to go on a > caving trip with them. I wonder how many people who come to the > grotto meeting > have not been on a caving trip. We need a point person for the UT > Grotto to > follow-up with our newbies to ensure that they GET ON A TRIP, even > if its just > locally to Whirlpool. That is really what opens the door, socially. > After a > series of training trips, most newbies either bond with other > cavers, or they > won't. It's up to them. > > Not that the rest of us won't have to make an effort too but, in > addition, > I think we could really use someone who is designated to follow-up - > to > absolutely make sure that the invitation (and possibly follow-up > invitations) to > go on trips is personally made to each of the newbies. > > Could that person be you, Thomas? > > > > --- On Fri, 12/12/08, Thomas Sitch <dreadfl...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > It was very hard to "break in" and feel welcome at the > > UT Grotto. There were some people who went out of the way > > to do so (such as Jean, or Aimee) and I will always feel > > incredible gratitude to them for that. Now I know lots of > > people and count many friends and it's a good time, but I > > see a lot of new people show up and sit largely excluded. > > > <snip> > > > > The tough stick it out, sure. Once people go on trips and > > gain the trust of the Old Guard they, too, have a common > > frame of reference. But we lose a lot of good people long > > before that, and we lose the other good people that they > > would refer to the world of the dedicated adventuring caver. > > > > My point here is that for the good of the caving community > > we should do more to seek out and welcome new blood. If > > everyone makes an effort - a conscious effort- to engage > > new people, we'll grow and be better for it as a > > community. > > > > Best Regards, > > > > ~~Thomas > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Diana R. Tomchick Associate Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Biochemistry 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Rm. ND10.214B Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. Email: diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu 214-645-6383 (phone) 214-645-6353 (fax) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
