Ridecamp: Re: Re[2]: [RC] Pre-Ride VC Issues and a few others

Rhonda, I was on the AERC board for 21 years, and lack of member response is
typical.  I, too, just like to ride and enjoy myself and my horse, but the
board of directors is in place to make decisions that help AERC work.  It is
a democratic system and we solicit member input.  If the board were to make
decisions without member input, then we would hear outcry from members that
we never asked them what they wanted.  Yet, when we urged members to contact
us, few ever did.  It was tough being on the board for that very reason.  We
were constantly criticized for making decisions, which were followed by
public outcry, followed by reversing the decisions, followed by criticism
for waffling on our decisions.  If we had had enough member input in the
first place, we might have made better decisions.  But most members felt as
you do.....just want to ride, not interested in politics, etc. This is a
tough way to run an organization, and a tough job for the board.  A number
of board members don't wish to run again after they have served a few years.
They're tired of trying very hard to do the best by the members, and tired
of being criticized afterwards.

Barbara McCrary

---- Original Message -----
From: <RhndLev@xxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 2:12 PM
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [RC] Pre-Ride VC Issues and a few others


> In a message dated 6/11/02 10:13:59 PM Central Daylight Time,
> bobmorris@xxxxxxxx writes:
>
> << Trying to get any response from the membership is a
>  tough thing to do. We went to the trouble to get a
>  comparison of the old and new by-laws on line and I do not
>  believe we had a half dozen comments about them. People do
>  not seem to care. >>
>
> I think the vast majority of us just want to go on really long trail rides
> with our friends and have fun and endurance rides are a good way to do
that.
> I know I am not especially competitive.  I don't want to hurt my horses or
> see anyone else's horse get hurt, and I want the vets to help us with
that.
> The particular rules that accomplish that are not that important to me.
I'd
> like things to be fair, as Roger says, but if they're not always
completely
> fair, well, what is?  At least I'm with my horse with a good group of
people
> who are not pansies who whine about me riding too far, for too long like
the
> people I ride with around home.  So, I mainly stand by and listen while
> others who are actually affected by the rules discuss them.  I feel I'm
too
> new and too out of the competition to comment.  It's not that I don't
care,
> especially, it's that I'm not qualified to have an opinion.
>
> Rhonda
>
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 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
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