FJRForum club?

[kulwen]

I am still new here and do not mean to get anyone fired up, but I have an idea.

The forum is free to everyone, and I love this. I get the impression things such as t-shirts sales pay for the cost of the forum. However, as anyone thought of an FRJForum Club? I use “club” as a lack of better term.

Here is my idea:

Purely optional forum members can decide to pay a membership fee of $25, $30, $35, or whatever amount is decided. For paying their membership fee the member would get a FJR forum shirt, maybe with their forum name embroidered on it. Maybe, if the forum software supports it put something under our pictures on our posts to indicate we are a club member.

A certain amount of the membership fee will go to the cost of the shirt and running the forum. The rest will go into a general fund. The general fund would be used for two things: sending flowers and cards to our members who end up the hospital, and prizes to members who get physicals in a certain period.

Since I have been on the forum I have noticed the forum as lost a few friends, and almost lost others to heart attacks, bike wrecks, and so on. I thought it would be nice if the forum could send flowers to those in this situation. I am NOT suggesting flowers, card, or whatever the item is only to be sent to the paying members. The item could be sent to any forum member or family who happens to be in this situation. Maybe a rule the member needs at least 100 posts or something like that.

The second item might be something where we all send in something to prove we got a physical in the last year to be put in a drawing to win a Skyway Farkle or a gift certificate for a vendor. Maybe this drawing is held every six months or yearly. With any luck the drawing might help some of us to never get flowers sent to us or our family.

Now, I have left out many of the details such as who would get copies of the physical paperwork for drawings, should that person get a free membership for their work with the drawing. This is a just a very high level idea.

I am not trying to move in on the Admins, or trying to be part of this does happen. I would be happy paying my money to be a member and thats all.

Thoughts?

 

[black mamba]

For many reasons, probably not a workable idea.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I appreciate and agree with your general sentiments there John, but if the moderators want to come up with something...they will.

 

[feejer222]

Not for me

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

88 views

3 "no thanks" responses (4 with mine)

I believe it is DOA.

I agree with many of the sentiments, but it would be like hearding cats trying to keep everything straight and going.

 

[Greg E.]

+1=5

 

[Indian Scout]

+1=5

Dead issue, makes 6 :assassin:

 

[Dwavey]

Sad to see the naysayers throwing cold water on an idea without offering either their rationale or an alternative. I don't know whether it's workable or not but I would hope that a forum member could at least put forward an idea and receive some constructive discussion on it - in the end it may not fly but who knows, it might lead to some other great idea.

John, there appears to be two aspects to this idea that I see: First there's the aspect of formal membership in an organization. Second is what the organization will do for its members.

Around my part of the world, belonging to a 'club' that promotes safety, safe riding, etc., garners favour (read: is a factor toward granting insurance and sometimes even a small discount) from some insurance companies. Now there are existing organizations that already do that, so I wonder whether there is either a need or benefit to having a new one. But I also note that there are owners' organizations like the BMWOA, RAT, etc - I wonder if they might be a model to look at?

 

[Ignacio]

I would be happy paying my money to be a member and thats all.

I think the best way for members to show support is to purchase a shirt, show up to a regional gathering (your case being WFO-6) and either deposit whatever money is burning a hole in your pocket in the kharma jar or buy one of the many throttle body synchs done, and certainly show support in postings on the forum if one falls ill or victim. Ad hoc seems to work fairly well in the latter from previous experience.

But that's me. I'm the guy the thinks birthday cakes at work are too much like Office Space.

.....I believe you have my stapler. :huh:

 

[GunMD]

THE FOLLOWING IS A PERSONAL OPINION...YMMV.

I don't really think that formalizing a "club" is a great idea. The first thing that comes to mind is "who will manage it?" Who will take care of the money? Who decides who gets a card when they crash? Who decides how much that card costs? All of these things will have a different answer from each member of the club. No fun to keep track of if you ask me.

There are several informal "clubs" 'round here. Now I realize that nobody calls them clubs, but you do see ride reports and pictures from a few groups quite regularly. That's how I think it should stay.

That being said, if anyone (or a group of anyone's) feel like they want to formalize their gatherings or their rides then they should do so. It may not be my mug of beer, but to each his (or her) own.