$5.00 Donation

[renegade12@juno.com]

Teddy Lancaster wrote:

"IMO, Easycare and Sportack are only "sucking in" to look good.  Most
vendors
cannot afford to do such deals.  Our "discount" is SEEING what you buy
and
having NO shipping charges."  	I will respond to this statement in a
minute.

In 1998 when I was elected Vice President of AERC, - AERC was on the
verge of going down the tubes financially and our membership was at an
all time low.  I dedicated a great deal of my time and personal expenses
to raise money and membership numbers for AERC.  Many things were
initiated to gain back our old members and we were successful.  I also
ventured out on a new idea for AERC - SPONSORSHIPS.  This effort raised
$50,000.00 in cash and other benefits per year INCLUDING Sundowner
Trailers, Inc. support of an AERC Membership Drive thru the Membership
Discount program .... we gained 800 NEW AERC MEMBERS LAST YEAR...and
Sundowner agreed to roll this program into the 2000 year.

But the Real Point I want to make, Garrett Ford was the first person to
become a SPONSOR of AERC...not to increase his business, but because he
loves this sport and understood how important it is to all of us who love
this sport, that someone had to take the first step.  He also volunteered
to be on the Sponsorship Committee.  

Ironically, one of the first persons I contacted about the Sponsorship
Program was Teddy...and I received numerous radical responses from her
that sounded very similar to her current $5.00 donation statements.  Now,
what I see from this last 18 months is an AERC that is healthy, stable
and GROWING.   From a business standpoint, it is obvious that a healthy,
stable AERC +  800 NEW AERC MEMBERS makes for a large increase in
potential customers for vendors and those people who make money from
providing/selling services to AERC Members and endurance riders.  AERC
has provided a ready and willing source of income and sales for many
people, but only a few people DONATE their time to jump on board and
shoulder the responsibility of making all this happen.  I applaud every
AERC Board Member and all our volunteers who have worked so hard to make
AERC what it now is.  Instead of knocking people, you naysayers should
stand up and applaud all these folks whose hard work you benefit from.

I might also add that AERC has made new alliances with several
National/International publications...Arabian Horse World immediately
comes to mind as they are running about 15 to 30 pages per issue on
ENDURANCE, including the AERC National Championship Rides and Cosequan
Challenge in the December issue...about 10,0000 to 12,000 issues sold per
month.  They also highlighted endurance in their last two quarterly
issues, which have about a 30,000 circulation...AERC benefits, but this
added publicity for endurance helps open new markets for the vendors of
endurance supplies....at no cost to them, I might add.  

I remember about three years ago when the Cosequan Challenge was slammed
to no end on ridecamp (who was it that led that attack?) ...now it is a
respected ride with plenty of vendors..and some who wish they were
vendors at the event.  I remember all the slamming of money rides in
general, and now I wonder about those same vocal people who can't wait to
get to the rides in Dubai...where all the money can be found.

The easiest thing in the world is to be negative....the most rewarding
thing is to help make good things happen.

Randy Eiland 


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