[ SHOWGSD-L ] GSDCA
- From: EJDegen@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2005 12:21:17 EDT
I bought my first GSD in 1987. I went to my first national in 1992. I
first joined the parent club in 1994. A couple of my German Shepherd friends
got
together and gave me the membership as a gift (thanks Donna Sater & Syd
Mailberg!). We had been to two nationals together and they thought it was
important that I join the GSDCA.
I had not joined before because:
(1) it was expensive (I was in college and newly married and then we had all
the expenses of young couples and the military doesn't make a lot!).
(2) I saw no reason TO join....I didn't have a champion and didn't feel like
I was "part" of that group. I did obedience & herding.
After I joined the GSDCA (or "was joined" by my friends :-) ), I felt like I
could be part of it "all". I showed the next year at the national in
conformation with my new puppy. That conformation puppy went on to become PAM
CH
KIngswood's Tora Tora Tora VCD1 MX AXJ CD TD OAC OJC NGC TC BH-A. I had been
to the national meeting and *I* wanted one of those dual award things!
I have now been a member for 11 years. I will continue to BE a member
because I feel it is the responsible thing to do as a GSD exhibitor and
enthusiast. However, we need to get people to join and the way to do that is
to offer
incentives.
I think Christine has some great ideas. I would like to add to them.
I first joined the GSDCA because it was given to me. How about we offer a
one year new membership as a High in Trial prize in Obedience, Herding,
Agility, and WDA Schutzhund at the national? Or, if we want to target the new
exhibitor, offer the membership to the highest scoring Novice A dog/handler in
obedience & agility. In herding, draw one name from all the passing GSD test
dogs (HT & PT) from a hat and offer it to that exhibitor. Do the same thing
in Tracking. If the person earning the prize is already a member, they can
donate the new membership to someone else (or maybe we just pay their
membership for the next year). What does it cost the club to send the Review?
That
should be the amount that we need either donated OR have the membership
committee write off (if that's possible). Perhaps regional clubs could offer
the
same new membership as a prize as well (high scoring Novice A or HIT). Have
a new membership be a prize in a raffle. First we need to get people IN to
the club.
Incentives to being a member:
Give a 10 % (or more) discount to all parent club members for seats,
dinners, catalogs, etc., at the national. If this isn't practical, raise the
cost
of everything and THEN give a 10% discount (isn't that what Kohl's does? :-)
).
Have a "Congratulations" page in the Review for all GSDCA members finishing
AKC titles (not TCs, HICs, or CGCs, but TITLES). I know the Review has
results of shows and the AKC titles of record, but that's everyone....let's
make
something SPECIAL. I would like to see more of a "Congrats/Brags" type of
page. As soon as a dog finishes a title and it's listed on the AKC website,
the owner (GSDCA member) sends the dog's name, their name, the title, what
date
it was finished, and the regional club they're associated with (if any) to
the contact person (someone at the Review if they have the staff, if not, then
a volunteer from the audience). If, for example, your dog finished a title
in January, you would have until March 1st to submit that title/brag for
inclusion in the next Review. Also, this Congrats/Brags page could be on the
GSDCA website available for the whole world to see.
GSDCA business and everything that is NOT an ADVERTISEMENT (such as Litter
Box, brags, etc.) should be behind the membership wall on the website. All
Review ads should also be placed on the GSDCA website.
I like the idea of two levels of membership. I would have joined the GSDCA
sooner if there had been an option for a lower cost. The people that receive
the Review would STILL receive the Review, we won't be taking away revenue
from there, we'll just add MORE people that don't currently belong.
I like the ShowGSD list. I would also like to see a list developed just for
discussion of GSDCA member topics. It doesn't have to be a high volume list
(PLEASE don't let it be high volume!). We receive GSDCA official
e-mailings....a list could be the same thing but with the ability to write
back and
forth for discussion. Some people don't read the ShowGSD list because it is
so
high volume. If there was a separate list just for the discussion of GSDCA
business, it wouldn't get "lost" in the shuffle at ShowGSD and the board could
more easily respond to member questions and issues.
Julie Degen
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