[roc-chat] Re: The Real Threat to ROC - lack of volunteers
- From: Jeff Gortatowsky <indanapt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "roc-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <roc-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 15:59:17 -0700 (PDT)
Dave we all have things we CAN do and some we can't. My eyesight is not exactly
what it used to be... not bad mind you, but with a competent spotter, between
the two of us, be can make things quote safe. I think I can LCO pretty well and
people often praise it afterwards.
Funny I avoid RSO because I feel I'll be MORE strict than I would want others
to be with me! Isn't that insane? So I kind of avoid RSO. Like me telling Kurt,
"Ya know, I am not sure thats safe... " Yikes!
Being a spotter and being the Pad assigner are pretty easy fare. Fixing up the
trailer stuff... been there, done that, not recently, but again, it's pretty
much a no brainer. Sounds like with the new range setup spotters might be even
more important. And also I ask my spotters to watch for kids on the range. I'll
stop launching. I don't want a repeat of an incident last year!
Later...
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Jeff Gortatowsky, Redondo Beach, CA | Twitter: JeffGortatowsky | Yahoo:
indanapt
"(Scientific) Skepticism is not a set of beliefs, it is a set of methods for
asking questions about reality." -- Doctor Steven Novella
________________________________
From: David Erbas-White <derbas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: roc-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 3:36 PM
Subject: [roc-chat] Re: The Real Threat to ROC - lack of volunteers
On 5/11/2012 3:14 PM, Jeff Gortatowsky wrote:
Jeff,
I think I agree with about 99.9% of what you're saying here, MOST
ESPECIALLY about how it isn't any different in any other volunteer
group. I've been in other groups (not remotely rocketry related),
at high levels, and made the mistake of allowing myself to get
'burned out' -- which is why I do my best to volunteer, but have no
desire to run for the board simply because of my past experiences.
I also agree with the need for encouragement of those who volunteer
-- myself, I try to follow the rule that if someone is doing the job
within the bounds of acceptability, they deserve praise - rather
than derision if they're not doing it exactly the same way I would
do it.
I recall one time when I was RSOing that I received some derogatory
comments from a ROC member -- someone I greatly respect, BTW -- that
left somewhat of a bad taste in my mouth. However, I understand why
the comment was made, and where he was coming from, and
realistically might have made the same comment myself if the
positions were reversed -- so ultimately no harm, no foul, and it
just reminded me that I have to watch my mouth myself (obviously,
not always successfully <G>).
Side note for the board to consider (not because of my own
circumstances, but because it may affect others) -- I consider
myself fairly adept at the mechanics of being LCO, and enjoy it, but
have avoided it for the past couple of years for a couple of reasons
-- first, my eyesight is really not good enough any longer to track
a rocket to see the event. Seriously, it just isn't. I generally
can't even see my own rockets deploy any longer. If there's any
possibility of having a 'spotter' available (at least at a large
launch like a ROCstock), this would help enormously. Second, I'm on
a bunch of cardiac meds now, and there comes a point where I will
suddenly feel close to collapse -- and at that point, I need a
replacement pretty darn quickly. Lacking the ability to find
someone (having a backup in the wings, as it were), it means that I
simply don't volunteer to do that anymore, because I don't want to
interrupt the flow of launching for others.
Anyway, I hope we can all do a little more to help out, and I'll try
to do my part -- but I really don't want to see burnout happen with
the Board members, and I want them to know that I understand and
appreciate all of the effort that they put in to ROC!
David Erbas-White
Feel free to hit - delete now... there are no revelations in this email...
seriously.
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>I will say ALL clubs, every STINKIN' one of them, has a core of people that do
>85% or more of the work. Otherwise the club would not exist. It's just the way
>it is. R/C Clubs, Astronomy Clubs, Rocket Clubs, etc... I've been in a
>bunch. You don't become a leader in a or group for any other reason other than
>the love of the club and self-satisfaction. I am on the BoD of a few major
>astronomy events and I 'get it'. It is thankless. I've gotten used to it. :)
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>I volunteer at setup of ROC-Stocks and (used to) LCO the crap out of them - at
>least I used to until I got shoved aside by a BOD member on more than one
>occasion (who is not on the board anymore). Note to to prospective leaders; if
>you want volunteers a bit of praise or constructive criticism, not screwy BS
>about your ability to do the job versus mine would be best. ;) So for the past
>few months, I quit range head duty... sorry I was pissed. Petty and childish I
>know. But still...
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>Monthly launches, I have my 'excuses'. Namely you don't want to WAIT for me to
>show up in the morning. :) Trust me, for years I have vowed to get up earlier
>and never, ever, do make it before 8:30 - 9:30 no matter what I say. :) ;)
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>Not a unique idea... but I could have sworn this was done once long ago:
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>Volunteer to LCO, RSO, Pad Manage, setup, take down, or trailer maintenance
>and you get a pass to a "ROC BOD and Volunteer only" launch. Of course it's a
>crap shoot for the weather, but just think. Only 20 to 40 people with nothing
>but 1 or 2 days of rocket flying. Or build up a set of passes and get a free
>years membership. Or a discounted one. Or one ticket in an end of year raffle
>for $50 at Whats Up Hobbies.. or.. whatever. Again I understand that has work
>involved... just throwing out ideas. And yes one should volunteer for the hell
>of it.
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>I've always suspected, tho never been proven, that the BOD already has secret
>launches... after all, why else would you volunteer to fly almost *nothing*
>every launch, do all the work, and then get abused for the privilege!!!!! :)
> ;)
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>My two cents.
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