[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: What Are We Willing To Give UP for Dogs and the Parent Club
- From: Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx
- To: terraf@xxxxxxxxxxxx, showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011 09:36:45 -0400 (EDT)
OUTSTANDING post!
I know at times I may seem overly cautious but I started belt tightening 4+
years ago...I just did NOT like the way the economy was looking. I don't
want a mortgage in this shaky economy so I started making little changes.
I kept the bug guy but canceled Scotts and now put down my own lawn stuff.
I haven't looked at the phone bills yet; I still need all of the phone
lines, 800#, dedicated fax, DSL and unlimited calling for business. Dry
cleaning goes to the cleaners on Thursday and is prepaid (20% off!) and I shop
at stores that have gas cards...I paid $1.88 for gas last week! It
(saving) has become a sort of a game....I power washed my own place last week
(saved $500!) and rather than call the painter for a little trim touch up
outside, I'll do it myself in the fall. OK the trim touch up needed is
partially a result of the power washing attempt but it won't kill me <G>. No
running up credit card debt, but then again, that's nothing new, I was raised
by
fiscal conservatives lol (and BOY an I grateful now for those early
lessons!!!!).
I train my puppies at class, NOT in the ring and I don't enter a dog
unless I feel they are ready for the points. Sorry that doesn't help entries
but I really don't want a mortgage and being able to pay that off is
waaaayyyy more important to me than if a club draws a major!
You know what? I enjoy shows just as much visiting w/ friends when I have
a youngster at my side outside of the ring being socialized than if I
showed the same "not ready for prime time" youngster...maybe more.
I have been preaching for-ev-r that unless a person has a safety net and
good insurance (education fund for their children etc. etc.) they have no
business either spending money or even worse, running up debt for a hobby.
Ditto breeding. Unless you have a "doggy" safety net for when things go
bad, and aren't counting on puppy sales to cover costs, don't do it.
Re the PC, I suggested two years ago that we have regional mini nationals,
outside, in conjunction w/ Futurities/Maturities. I think more dogs would
be shown and more people could attend over a long weekend. Set up some
kind of point system and have dog(s) of the year, just like the race horse
people do.
I'm fine w/ a quarterly Review; there's no content to speak of now anyway.
I don't collect trophies, so yes, if clubs went to a trophy for first place
and ribbons for 2 thru 4 fine by me.
I am not feeling good at all about the expenses and commitments for 2013.
That's not to say I don't appreciate the effort our board is expending,
but I REALLY, REALLY don't like this economy and I don't see improvement by
2013.
Kathy, member GSDCA, DVGSDC
Celebrating generations of Dual Titled TC'd Champions
visit _http://www.pinehillgsds.com/_ (http://www.pinehillgsds.com/)
In a message dated 8/8/2011 8:36:48 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
terraf@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
Sally Hayden brought up a good question; what are we willing to give up
for dog showing and or the Parent Club?
Let me remind everyone that the majority of the parent club membership are
baby boomers...retired and or on the countdown to retiring. Therefore we
here at Keggi Fair are wondering how we are going to survive in our golden
years. Are we going to have our state retirement or will we loose that
too? Will we have adequate health care and at what cost? So in the last
month we made major decisions for our household; 1. cell phone plans are
going to change-no more internet and web for us, back to the LG phones and pay
by month to lower costs, 2. we are getting rid of the house phone, 3.
dropped the contracts with the bug man (Terminex), lawn guy (Tru Green), and
water delivery (Spring Green), our 2003 van has 190,00 miles on it. We
decided to buy another van (not New) with only 80,000 miles as we really don't
need a van for everyday driving when we are retired, forget the addition of
the 4 season room on the house, no more traveling and motels to dogs shows
more than 300 mi
les away, No more use of credit cards unless for an emergency. We still
feel very fortunate to have our jobs and be able to have and breed dogs
but....are we willing to pay more for a subscription to the Review? Are we
willing to enter and participate in the Futurity/Maturity system, are we
willing to pay higher dues to the GSDCA? Probably not and that too will be
cut.
Please don't ask us to spend more as we make very informed decisions on
how to cut our monthly budgets in our households because a group (GSDCA)
wants to host huge dog parties to prove to the World how great we are. Please
show me where you (GSDCA) are making cuts and not just spending more to
(MAYBE) make a profit. EVERYBODY is cutting their budgets!
Here is what I would cut at the GSDCA.......
1. No more paid travel to the Board Meetings unless you are the
President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. Everyone else can call
in. It
is done all the time at the state and Federal Level and it works.
Exceptions would be made depending on the needs.
2. Reduce the Board (come on how out of date and touch are you all for
thinking bigger is better)!
3. NO WORLD SHOWS or other BIG SHOWS except for the National...not until
our HOUSE IS IN ORDER (GSDCA) both financially and ethically.
4. Quarterly Review and only one part time paid staff and a less
expensive format. Pass on the savings to the members of the GSDCA so they
can
afford to advertise-brag.
5. Nationals outside and in the fall and more centrally located for at
least the next five years.
6. Let the Regional Clubs run their own Futurities and KEEP ALL THE
MONEY>>>they work hard on those weekends and should be REWARDED FINANCIALLY.
STOP the madness of passing on "nickel and dime mentality" . . . I do not
want to pay extra for a motel room at the HOST hotel because the Board
needs money. And this is funny as this is the first year ever that WE got a
reservation at the HOST!!! I do not want to pay extra for RV parking because
the BOARD gets the cut. I do not want to pay HUGE prices to set up my
booth at a NATIONAL because the BOARD NEEDS MONEY!!! I NEED MONEY TOO! If I
find out who those were that thought that was a good idea to make money I
will make it my personal pledge to get the word out when election time comes.
I want to see a BOARD that is willing to understand the "BIG PICTURE" and
not forget about a it's membership and what they need. WE WANT IMMEDIATE
TRANSPARENCY! NO WE ARE NOT TEA PARTIERS! Come ON! We are Baby Boomers
that are trying to hold onto our MIDDLE CLASS STANDING! DO YOU HEAR US?
Terra Fairburn & Nanc Kinley
Keggi Fair German Shepherds
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POST is Copyrighted 2011. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Each Author is responsible for the content of his/her post. This group and its
administrators are not responsible for the comments or opinions expressed in
any post.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - http://showgsd.org
SUBSCRIPTION:http://showgsd.org/mail.html
NATIONAL BLOG - http://gsdnational.blogspot.com/
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