ridecamp@endurance.net: NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS

Terry Woolley Howe (cancer@inetworld.net)
Fri, 10 Oct 1997 09:09:37 -0700

I called the AERC office yesterday to talk to MaryAnne about the
feasibility of prorated dues for new members. During that conversation
I asked her how the new $10 fee for horse registration effected newly
joining members. My specific question to her was "If an individual
joins AERC on January 1 for $65 what does that individual get." She
thought for a moment and then said ". . . The Endurance News Magazine."

So basically, new members cannot start accumulating points until they
pay additional money. To me this means that the dues for a new member
is really $75 or more (if they have more than one horse). I don't know
how most of you feel about this, but this is a concern to me. I think
that the majority of the members on ridecamp are probably already
members of AERC, so you may not see that it would effect you directly.
But it will effect you indirectly. For any viable organization to grow
and prosper it must have new members. Just through normal attrition,
the organization will lose members (finances, other interests, etc.),
and without new members, fees will go up, services cut, etc. The best
way to help keep costs to the indiviual members down is to increase
membership so that there is a broader revenue base. From my
perspective, this new policy of not including the registering of the
horses of new members at the time they sign up would be a definite
deterent to joining AERC. A family of 5 who paid $105 to join would
actually end up paying $155 after registering a horse to each member so
they could start accumulating points. It doesn't sound like a bargain
to me!

This is not something that the AERC office has any control over, so
there is no point in ragging on them about this. They administer the
rules as set down by OUR directors, which WE elect. If you feel as I
do, I strongly urge you to contact your directors prior to the
convention and let them know how you feel on these issues. I for one
would like to see prorated dues for new members so they have an
incentive to join throughout the year, a reduced level of membership for
those who do not plan on riding (no mileage tracking, etc.), but still
want to be members of AERC, and also to amend the rule whereby the dues
for new members would include the one-time only registration of the
horses that they are currently riding at no additional fee.

Terry Woolley Howe
San Diego

P.S. I feel that often the attitude of the ride manager sets the tone
for the attitude that the volunteers and those helping with a ride
project to the participants. After talking with MaryAnne at the AERC
office, I feel that this too will be the case here. I found MaryAnne
to be very reasonable and willing to deal with. (I don't mean to infer
that the AERC staff was not cooperative before, but there were times
when policy did not allow much flexibility). But I think MaryAnne has a
genuine interest and concern in getting the problems that have plagued
the AERC office straightened out and I think we all realize that this is
not going to happen overnight. I think we need to be patient with the
new kid on the block.

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