Indi, IN VP Candidates Keynote addresses............

I call for a vote of no confidence in this thread.




Any volunteers?





Hello??


[crickets}[/crickets]

 

Humm. Looks like if you are a VOLUNTEER, you do stuff for free! What a freaken concept.

Move the topic so the hijackers can cry somewhere else. This thread should be about the VP run.

Oh and keep the posts short and to the point. I don't need to read through a F&*king novel here on a movie fan board for a Star Wars FAN club. IMO, if you want to make a difference in the community, then run for mayor. If you want to make a difference in a club that is based off a fictional vision, then tell me about events and cool stuff that you can get me into that revolve around that vision. A lot of the members that have dropped out, have dropped because we don't do anything worth their time. CII was worth their time, they got something out of it. Our membership was high. Hell, now all I hear about is bitching and crying over petty BS.

I know I am going to regret this but I agree with you on several points. I also believe that the volunteers need to do this of their own free will. I just want to look at ways to get more people interested in volunteering. Like with more costumed visits to kids in the hospital. At this point I don?t think that any idea would just be thrown out. We need to look at all possible solutions. What kind of costume or volunteering events get you interested? If you are into it then I am sure others probably are too. I hope that was short enough for you. I will try not to write any more books.

Later
Brad

 

I call for a vote of no confidence in this thread.


Vote now, vote now, vote now...


GD

 

I like ice cream.

Seriously, being the outsider I am, and I know that I must be ill, because I'm about to say the 616 has some excellent points.

 

You get caught in a no win situation many times as an organization grows or wanes. We are at a size that requires meeting space beyond that of a living room. However, when you begin demanding work from people in a "fun" social type group many of them will move on. Let's face it, when the work is greater than the fun or enjoyment, it is no longer social.

Some of the sentiment is to weed out those that aren't working as hard as everyone else. You will weed people out the more you demand of them or require of them and by the time it is all said and done you won't need the large meeting space. I don't have the answer to the question. All I'm saying is that there needs to be perspective on what is "reasonable" to expect from people in a social organization.

 

Derron: Back to Gen Con. Perhaps I should have made myself a little clearer. I did not know about GenCon volunteering because it was never explicitly spoken of and 'we' is often a non-descript word. I do not recall a thread before that, nor pms speaking of volunteering. Or if they were, they were not kept current. I first heard that the Indy Knights would be volunteering a month ago and not from a board member. And a 'presence' is a big difference from scheduled volunteering. The former is anything from 'we show up and have a beer' and the latter is a commitment. Which leads me to my point: assume makes an a@@ of you and me. Please if you are VP don't assume we all know what is going on. There need to be more explicit directives. Or if it's something y'all can't talk about openly, please a least stay in contact through pms or e-mails. e.g. 'Haven't heard anything yet, but stay tuned.' That makes a world of difference. It makes people think you care.

 

However, when you begin demanding work from people in a "fun" social type group many of them will move on. Let's face it, when the work is greater than the fun or enjoyment, it is no longer social.

Amen Quag!!!!


We are all part of a "group" and to be apart of a "group" sometimes sacrifies have to be made. My fellow brother TK brings up some very valid points of volunteering. Keep this in mind the room the we have at the Rathskeller rents out per day at $250.00. We have 12 general meetings a year that is $3000.00 for rental on the room. The four events we do for the Rathskeller are St. Patricks Day, 4th of July, 9/11 Memorial and Octoberfest. At most of the events we need 8 to 10 people at 4 hours each. So if we figure (correct me if I am wrong Mathman) 40 hours per event times 4 events that equals 160 hours of volunteer time. That means the "group" makes $18.75 per hour per volunteer for the 4 events. Of course we never see that money because it goes towards the rental of our room.

Thats not too bad of a deal....


Each candidate has made some valid points and I am interested to see how the new administration will handle this growing problem.

With that being said lets table this discussion and let the new officers tackle their first problem after the August meeting. Lets get back OT and see if any other members has a question for the candidates.

 

.... i have a question..... according to the mission statement quoted earlier, the main objective of the group is to have fun....

.... if people are making it NOT fun anymore, are they going to be asked to leave because they are in violation of the bilaws?

 

I will take TK's comments and treat them as a question, since there aren?t that many questions being posted.

IMO, if you want to make a difference in the community, then run for mayor. If you want to make a difference in a club that is based off a fictional vision, then tell me about events and cool stuff that you can get me into that revolve around that vision. A lot of the members that have dropped out, have dropped because we don't do anything worth their time. CII was worth their time, they got something out of it. Our membership was high.

I don?t see why we as IK members can?t make a difference in the community and have a good time doing it too. When you look at our members, the 501st and Rebel Legion members we have as well, we should be able to accomplish a lot. You asked about vision. I will give you some ideas that I have been kicking around but would ask you the same question. What is your vision for the group? Do you want to be a drone and have some elected official, whether that is me or someone else telling you what to do? I really doubt it. We are a group and one that wants to have a good time and probably to do some good for the community as well.

I have given you one example of my vision already. How great would it be to have hundreds of IK, 501st and Rebel Legion members out in costume for the 500 parade? I really think we can do this. Now what if we get a float sponsor for the year after? It may not be CII or CIII. But it would be a fun event that would net us a lot of exposure. It may even help the powers that be to decide to bring CIII to Indy.

Other ideas would include more costumed events. Many of our members have put a lot hard work and money into their costumes. Why not get them out and show them off while trying to do some good. I know you didn?t work on your costumes just so you could sit around and stare at it while it sits in your closet. We have been to Riley?s Hospital once. That was to be our big kick off for CII. Have we been there to see those kids since? There are Shriner?s hospitals that are within road trip distance. Why not hook up with other clubs, bases and garrisons in those areas and put on a hell of a show for some kids. Let?s talk to the Children?s Museum again. They may not have a Star Wars display going on at this time but they do have other space related exhibits.

I would also like to see the IK become a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. I know Safeco can?t be the only business out there that matches employee contributions. If we get this done Safeco will donate to the IK $250.00 after so many hours of volunteer service. Or they will match any cash donation up to $500.00 dollar for dollar. Now if the company I work for does this I would imagine that at least a few others do as well. This is free and easy money. What could the IK do with a couple of grand? Well let?s see. Oh yeah, just about anything we want. There are other benefits too. We would then be able to give our tax ID number to other companies that will only make donations or contributions to NPO?s.

I would love to be able to get some game consoles donated along with some Star Wars games to take to the various places where we would visit kids. What kid wouldn?t want to play games while they are going through whatever treatment they happen to be having done? Add on top of that a chance to play a game head to head with some Star Wars characters to boot. The nice thing about this type of volunteering is that you are doing it of your own free will. The amount of time is based on what we as a group want to do. You are helping those who really need it and those who will be the next generation of Star Wars fans. We can have as many or as few volunteers as we want. If you have 20 people in costumes visiting those kids they will be thrilled. If you have 3 people in costume visiting those kids they will still be thrilled. We can have volunteers set up before a visit is planned. This way if there are no volunteers or if everyone is busy doing other things then we simply don?t set up an event. The poi

 

oops.

 

I would also like to see the IK become a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. I know Safeco can?t be the only business out there that matches employee contributions. If we get this done Safeco will donate to the IK $250.00 after so many hours of volunteer service. Or they will match any cash donation up to $500.00 dollar for dollar. Now if the company I work for does this I would imagine that at least a few others do as well. This is free and easy money. What could the IK do with a couple of grand? Well let?s see. Oh yeah, just about anything we want. There are other benefits too. We would then be able to give our tax ID number to other companies that will only make donations or contributions to NPO?s.

We now officially have a tax ID number (thanks Dan and Amanda!) and Amanda has all the info about us becoming a 501(c)(3) if we want to do it.

 

Sorry about the double post....stupid boards!!

I guess it gives me the oportunity to ask a question then:

How do you plan on recruiting new members and what do you think we can do to help the new members feel welcome?

 

That?s great news on the NPO and tax ID situation. The last I had heard was that we weren?t going to pursue this but I always wanted to.

On the new member subject, there are several things that we could do. One of the things that I would like to see is a small team of knowledgeable, energetic and friendly people who can work volunteer events. I say a small team because we don?t always want the same person to have to volunteer for every event. Whichever member of the team that attends the event will talk to potential members and explain what, how and why we do what we do. I would think that this would be an ideal place for officers of the club to really put on a good show for potential members. We can all do our own part by talking to friends, family and co-workers also. Several items also refer back to a comment I made earlier. If we take a look at each of our members and make note of all of the experience they have along with their skills, we can work to fit the right person with the right job. This is just one of I?m sure many ideas though.

I think the most important thing that can be done to recruit new members is to keep the IK in the spotlight. If we are out there having fun, doing some good work that we can all be proud of people will respond. It wont matter if its 2 people or 20. When we go out people stop and take note. Thos that have even the slightest interest will be more than happy to come and talk to any of our members.

As for making new members feel welcome. I would like to see all of our members make more of an effort in this regard and the officers more so than anyone. Each meeting should start by finding out if there are any new members. We used to do this and usually there was at least a hand or 2 that went up. If we have a new member all of the officers should make it a point to introduce them selves and to welcome the new member. This will give the new member a chance to meet us while we meet him. He or she can also get some one on one time in case they have questions. The whole welcome wagon approach if you will. Other members can then follow suit. Break them in slow. Next meeting maybe they will feel like sharing some info on themselves. You can?t expect every member to get in on this but most will. As always this is just one idea. Lets here what other members think and get their take on it also.

Later
Brad

 

Brad- We had to have a tax ID number for the Track.

Thanks for the prompt response! I look forward to reading Xizor's view on the same thing.

 

... on the 500 parade thing.... you might want to check with the dudes in armor before you volunteer them.....


.... its hard walking down the street in armor let alone 2.5 miles on a hot may day....


... just a thought....

 

New members.......

First I will repeat that we need to take a look at the old members who aren't attending and find out why and if we can get them back in the fold. Our official numbers are around 100, but we seem to have dwindled to the same twenty or so with a different ten or twelve each meeting.

That said......

I think a membership committee is in order. A Group of perhaps one officer and three or four others (Brad's team idea I suppose) but a diverse group it should be, some youth, some age, male and female. While the idea of pushing the group at volunteer events is nice, the events I have been to there is too much going on to discuss at any length who we are and what we do. However, our presence at these events in our shirts/jerseys can go a long way in recruitment. The shirts bear the web site and the jerseys just stand out ( Someone at the Speedway asked if we were a minor leauge hockey team!!) Perhaps at each event, each volunteer could carry a few of our brochures ( Do we still have any?) Those tell as much about the group as we could. If there is time we can be sure to elaborate on what the group is about. Yes we need to be interactive with people, but if we are there to volunteer, that needs to be the focus.

But the biggest thing, as Brad said is the membership. WE are the walking advertisement for the Indy Knights. ASk Ron the story of talking to the TRU employee a couple of years ago. He hooked up the group with about eight new members in one shot, that TRU employee (ToymanIN-Brad and the Sith Council). You collcetors especially, when you are on the hunt, keep some business cards in your wallet and pass them out when you run into a fellow collector. When Gail has that oral sedation thing going, she can slip them a card. Karen can put a card in with the bags of goodies they pass out for the new puppies.... You get the idea here. We are the ambassadors for our group. To date we have projected an image to many people that we are a fun group, so spread the news of the Indy Knights! Let's see what we can do with our small presence at Gencon

Once we have them in the fold we do need to treat them right. We have gotten away from the new memeber intros at the meetings. In part I think it was because the new numbers frittered away to nothing for a while. Maybe we can bring in some new blood with Gencon, it is really up to us as members to keep the fun alive.

 

Lamerson,

I am not trying to volunteer anyone for anything that has to do with the 500 parade. It is a vision that I had for the group that I wanted to share. It may or may not ever happen. If it looks like it can happen then the group can look at it and vote on if they want to be a part of it or not. We have enough volunteer issues as it is and I dont want to add to them by making people think that I am looking for volunteers already.

Thanks
Brad

 

So are there any more questions? Either Deron or I will soon be representing you the member as the new VP. How will you know if you want us for that job if you don?t ask questions? Keep them coming; learn about the person you are going to vote into office. Do we represent the kind of organization that you want to be a part of?

Later
Brad
Sorry edit for spelling.

 

Okay...I will ask some questions-

1. Do you consider yourself a team player and how do you see yourself fitting it with the rest of the already in place E-Board?

2. How do you propose that we make meetings more interesting?

3. How did you find out about the IK and what made you join?

 

I consider myself a team player. Having been a psuedo officer I have had to do much interating with the officers and the rest of the group. I think each of the returning officers will do an outstnding job. Jay has dome much for the group, though it may have been in the shadows. He will serve us well. Dan has taken on a job few would really want given some of the headlines recently about club treasurers. He kindly reminds us about ue each month and keeps track of our $$. Ken has policed the boards and nipped several things in the bud before they got out of hand. I think he will continue this fine work. Jon's work on the site has probably gone unmentioned too much. I see only more positive things from in the next few months.
I think Gail will do a wonderful job as secretary. I don't think ANYONE could be as organizrd and on top of things as Karen has, but Gail has shown to me that she should be able to handle the job.

Interest in the meetings could be why attendance has faltered of late. Perhaps bringing some guest speakers now and then would help. These could even be some of our own talented folks discussing thier trade talents. Or we could ban the padawans and have Tatty apear, but then again, that might drive more people away.

I found what was then just the Indianapolis boards purely by accident. I have never really been a fan of meassage boards, but one night I was trolling around TF.n and found them. I believe the meetings really became regular in about Feb of '01. My first meeting was July of '01. I joned because it was a chance to interact with other Star Wars fans. The fans here in Connersville seem to be the closet kind, with exception of Sidra who I hooked up with through his brother in law and former bandmate of mine. I continue to come because of the friends I have made over the course of the past two years. I think that is why I am so passionate about the group.

 

1. Do you consider yourself a team player and how do you see yourself fitting it with the rest of the already in place E-Board?

I certainly do consider myself a team player. In fact I consider myself one of the biggest team players around. This is the main reason I am running for the VP office, I want the chance to serve you the member. I don?t want to come up with an idea and think that this is the only right or possible option. Like I said before I am here to serve you. That means coming up with ideas for and most importantly with you. We will take on all issues and problems head on as a team, as a group. I am not real clear on the E-Board part of your question. Can you give me a little more info on what it is and what you?re asking?

2. How do you propose that we make meetings more interesting?

First we have to look at 2 things. Let?s look at the SIG?s and the General Meeting. Most of the time the moderator of a SIG walks up to the podium and gives 2 minute synopsis about what they have coming up. If were lucky this is what we get. Now we have the General Meeting. Aside from the social hour before the meeting starts the General Meetings are pretty much all group business. Generally pretty boring stuff really, unless you are involved that is. Now if we can get more from the SIG moderators like here is what we did at the last meeting and of course what?s coming up as well. I think this could add some spice to the General Meetings. This could also help new and existing members learn more about what the SIG?s do and could generate more members and interest. The SIG?s are after all the spice of the group on a day to day basis. Now the General Meetings have a lot of club business and there really is no way of getting around it. Many members can?t make it in time for the social hour before the meeting and most don?t want to hang around after the meeting. The later one I would guess is because they don?t have anything to hold their attention. I feel that the General Meetings should have 3 parts. First the social hour before the meeting should stay. I see no reason why this shouldn?t continue. It gives the members a chance to chum it up and show off their new toys or what not. I think this should also be expanded so that the officers can take time to make their rounds talking to new members and current ones as well. I hope that if the current members see the officers talking to a new member that they will follow suit. Next you have the club business. I hope that more in-depth info on the SIG?s will help liven this part up, but club business is just that and it can be a little dry at times. I hope that by getting more members involved in the day to day business we can have more group discussions. I think that this will help a great deal in making the meetings more fun. At the very least it will be more interesting and more members will be involved. Now once the club business is out of the way we can have the fun part of the meeting. Talk with your friends and fellow members about the one subject we are all passionate about, Star Wars. Hopefully as your new VP we can work more fun into the meetings and see what the members would like to do also.

3. How did you find out about the IK and what made you join?

Well I had been kicking around the idea of starting an Indy chapter of the Star Wars fan club. I contacted Brian Tisdale to see if he would want to get together on this idea and see what we could do. He told me that he was getting ready to hook up with some guys that eventually became the Sith Council SIG. After meeting for a while we happened to find the IK web site. I think it was Brad and Brian that first contacted the IK and went to meet many of the current members. From there we all pretty much joined and have been here ever since.

 

Brad- When I said E-Board I meant Executive Board (ie. the Officers)...sorry about the confusion...my crazy parli-pro language was taking over! Thanks for answering my questions!

Thanks Deron for the response!

 

Sorry about the confusion Sock. Here is the info you requested. So you want to know what I think about the officers huh? Well here you go...

Well so far I think that Ron has done a great job as President. I don?t think that anyone could say otherwise. I think that Jay will be just as good a President and has done a great job as VP. Even when Jay was not an officer he was working for the good of the group. Movie line ups, Fan Force Party, IMAX, the works. I see him continuing to work for the betterment of the group in any way possible. With the contacts that he and Ron share, I see the IK becoming the greatest of all Fan Clubs.

I think that Karen did a great job as Secretary and I am sure that we are all sad to see here step down. I feel that Gail will do just as good a job as the club secretary and hope to get to know her a little better. I am in need of a good Dentist by the way.

Dan has been doing a great job as Treasurer. He seems like a really nice guy who is very involved with the group as well as some SIG?s. Now that the IK are bringing in more money; maybe we should get him to start investing. (JK Deron.)

Ken has been doing a great job as City Rep. He will take control and move a thread back onto the original topic when needed. Otherwise he lets the IK have our fun with a bare minimum of meddling and oppression sponsored by TF.N.

I know I feel this way and I am sure that you will all agree with me, that John has done a great job with the web site. Don?t get me wrong. It was good before, but he has added more to the site that shows off the members, what we do, what we have done and little bits of members only fun. Ron had mentioned at the last meeting that each year the web site just gets better and better. I agree 100%. So here?s to John, the web site and the fact that we just get better and better every day.

There is one other thing that I would like to mention. Of all the past, present and future officers mentioned in the response; most if not all of these officers or hopefuls have posted comments and or questions for the VP candidates. These are people who obviously care about the group, the election process and want to assure that the right thing is done and the right person is in office. Thanks to all of the officers past and present for all of your hard work.

Thanks
Brad

 

Thanks for the nice words Brad. It is nice when your work is appreciated by others.

 

I echo Yoda's sentiments. I do my best to let the IKs have fun. After all, that's why we're all here, right? It's no more fun for me to be the 'Bad Guy' as it is for the people that I feel need correcting. It's nice to know that your work is appreciated, especially in a position like mine where you sometimes don't feel respected for your efforts.