Please allow me the opportunity to make a few minor corrections to
Gill's email.
1. The cost of the TSA is not $30.00. It is $20.00 for a single
membership and $30.00 for a family membership, and there has not been a
change in dues over the past few years. If you happen to be a student it
is even less.
2. The TSA is far from a skeletal remnant of a dream. It is a
growing organization with some young, bright, energetic cavers
providing some new and refreshing opinions. They are fun to be with and
I look forward to seeing more of them underground.
3. Once again, the TSA had an outstanding TSA Spring Convention. I
overheard many folks say it was one of the best they had attended
in years. Jim Kennedy put on a whale of a program and it will be tough
to top it. Jim had lined up some top-notch speakers, a good number
of vendors, all at a location that was appreciated by the folks from
west Texas and New Mexico. Cavers drove for hours to get to the
middle of nowhere! That's two years in a row that the attendance has
been unbelievable and it did not matter where the event took place.
If you looked at the faces in the crowd at the auction on Saturday
night one would be hard pressed to see any disappointed faces.
Everyone had a damn good time that evening. The auctioneer, Bill Steele,
was instrumental in helping raise a nice sum of money that went to
the benefit of the TCMA.
4. The TSA website, run by Bill Bentley, is a great resource for
information. Check out the pictures from the just completed Sonora
restoration project, or maybe download a waiver or some other form.
5. Check out the production on the Activities Newsletter. Jerry
Atkinson has put together a professional Newsletter that is timely.
Haven't seen it yet, go the website and you can link to it from
there.
6. The TSA supports projects such as the Caverns of Sonora
restoration, Bustamante restoration, Powell's Cave survey and other
programs. Not sure when they are? That's ok...go to the TSA website for
announcements on upcoming events.
Oh, I agree that TSA is not perfect, but it is far from a dead
organization. For $20.00 a year you can get involved in an organization
that is entertaining, informative, growing and never dull!
Michael Cicherski
-----Original Message-----
From: gi...@worldnet.att.net [mailto:gi...@worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2005 11:53 AM
To: Texascavers@texascavers.com
Subject: [Texascavers] The TEXAS CAVER and theTSA
At 10:55 AM 11/15/2005, Mark Alman wrote:
> I would prefer that only paid members be able to access it, but if
> having free versions available on the Net would help boost TSA, TCMA,
> NSS, and Grotto membership, I would be all for it.
One important point is being missed here, not only by Mark but
apparently
by several of the others who responded.
If the TSA never, ever got another member; if it dissolved completely as
a
membership organization, it would be in no worse shape than it is now.
What
it is now is a skeletal remnant of a grand scheme to bring Texas cavers
together for their (supposed) common good. And it has failed at that.
There
are a few diehards who cling to an ideal, but that does not a viable
organization make. On the contrary, it is an impediment, throwing up
tradition and selfishness when flexibility and practicality are what's
really needed. Until we have an organization worth joining, everybody
should get the idea of membership plumb outa their heads.
We should not be trying to increase (or even placate) membership in the
TSA
as our primary goal. We should be trying to inform, involve, identify,
entertain, and remain in contact with the cavers of Texas--as many as
possible. Then we will be able to call ourselves both useful and viable.
Until that happens, having members (a few, or a lot) is little more than
fluff; it is all for show; it produces nothing of merit.
In general, membership in the TSA should not be expected to provide
anything a caver can hold in his hand; they should not expect a material
reward--a TEXAS CAVER, a postcard, or even the shake of another caver's
hand. What membership in the TSA should offer is satisfaction in knowing
that you are contributing to an organization that is trying to support
you
and fellow cavers in the pursuit of happiness and other common causes.
That
support takes many forms of course, and sometimes cavers' interests
conflict, but the overall aspect of the TSA is (or should be) one of
bringing cavers together for the common good.
All that precludes expecting cavers to fork over 30 bucks a year--for
anything. For that they want something they can hold in their hands.
History has shown that a TEXAS CAVER ain't gonna cut it for most of the
cavers we're talking about here. An aggressive program of hitting-up
cavers
for a 5 dollar bill--either as a membership or a donation to the cause
(I
prefer the former)--at any and all caving events--conventions, projects,
Grotto meetings, TCR, etc--will create a list of names and a force of
bodies of most of the active and interested cavers in Texas. Spread the
word to them through FREE access via the internet to good quality and
informative issues of The TEXAS CAVER and let them spread the words to
others. (Those who want it will take the time and make the effort to get
it. You nay-sayers need to be offering solutions, not throwing up
obstacles.) This is a minimum effort, maximum return concept. It does
require a committed effort on the part of project directors, Grotto
officers, and cavers in general to try to sign up as many cavers as
possible. Why? Because it is to everyone's advantage in the long run to
do
so. And it is what the TSA should be about--if I may be suffered to
opinionize.
Then, when a sufficient number of cavers have been convinced that the
TSA
has a meaning in their lives, reorganize the TSA to include direct
Grotto
and project, as well as member, participation and keep the momentum
rolling. But that's a different direction best left for a later time.
Is there a better alternative?
--Ediger
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