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From: Rick Kennerly (abs.net!nh2f)
Date: Thu Oct 17 1996 - 14:21:35 EDT
Dunno. With success and growth comes polarizing demands from the
membership.
The old timers want the younger members to "pay their dues"--always a
vague and shifting standard. The younger folks fulfill the
requirements and then are frustrated because no old timers
(Commodores) will sponsor them and they have to remain Associates.
To be fair, Commodores do complain that they've never seen some of
the people who dinghy up to their boat looking for a sponsor. On the
other hand, they also complain that they are just "over whelmed" by
the onslaught of Associates seeking Commodore status -- a symptom of
the success of the SSCA in promoting its goal of promoting the
cruising lifestyle.
The growth of the Associate Membership of the SSCA and the associated
dues have made much possible (including increasing the size and
quality of the Commodore's Bulletin) but Associates wonder why they
are treated like second class citizens by many Commodores -- a
backhanded repudiation of the principles the original SSCA was
founded on.
Old timers are miffed because a goodly number of people join to get
access to the insurance and don't seem as "committed" to the SSCA the
way they, the old timers, are. On the other hand, it is the volume
of Associate Members that SSCA can provide to insurers that make the
policies possible (while SSCA only sponsors the insurance programs,
the rates are only available to SSCA members and the SSCA does get a
small premium for each policy written).
While we were running SSCA Cruising Station - Guam we went to a great
deal of trouble and expense for SSCA members (loaner
vehicles--including one small wreck--tons of mail accepted, stored
and delivered to the beach, long distance phone calls to report the
status of a voyage, keeping radio skeds when we'd rather be doing
something else, innumerable runs to the store, soaking baths, and
tons of wash run through our machines, updating the port information
for Guam).
We enjoyed it, we did it all voluntarily and we'd gladly do it again
for the wonderful people we met. But it would have at least been
nice to have gotten a certificate from the SSCA for our trouble or a
cut in our dues or both.
In truth there are two SSCAs: a SSCA for Commodores and an SSCA for
Associates and the gulf is widening, which is the challenge of the
present administration.
Rick - nh2f
Xapic, Westsail 32
Annapolis
nh2f-abs.net
>
> So Rick, whats the answer? I was an Associate for 4 years and got
the
> 2nd hand treatment from Commadores I met along the way. I thought
it was
> just a few individuals, but if I hear you correctly, you're saying
the
> entire organization has a dual agenda?
> Sorry to come in at "Chapter 3" - I'll watch my mail closer
for
> more on this.
>
> Fair winds,
> Bruce Lockwood
> "SHADOWFAX"
> 36' Tung Hwa ketch
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