As you may or may not have noticed, I posted a thread asking for volunteers to come help out at the MTRA Farm Expo booth and also got no response.
MTRA has approximately 700 members (500+ active) and as you can see only 86 are members of this forum.
These types of ratio's also play out any time there is work to be done in this club. It is always the same 15 or 20 people doing ALL the VOLUNTEER work. Whether its Farm Expo's, meeting with Forest Service, putting on safety fairs, building race courses, putting on races, setting up fun events and rodeos, meeting and working on Doe Mtn., etc,etc.
If we want this club to survive we must get more people sharing the load. Every volunteer that helps on any project has out of pocket expenses that they never complain about. We have even had some club members show up to work events right after having major surgeries, right after loosing a close friend or family member. Working tirelessly even while sick.
I won't mention any names but I've seen members, on more than one occasion, working on trails for this club that should have been home in bed. Working till they can hardly stand.
I have seen members take a "butt chewing" from racers and or spectators at an event that were unhappy about this or that and these members continue to smile and very respectfully try and diffuse the situation.
As Sam mentioned we are working on a new website and forum that will be much more informative and user friendly. But if we don't participate in the use of the website and forum then we will still be uninformed. We can't force people to join our club, volunteer their time for our club, or even post information to our forum. We also have members that have no access to the internet and frankly don't want any. These members would like to receive a monthly newsletter via the regular post. This is another project that we need volunteer help on.
I know that I personally stay committed to MTRA because I love to ride offroad and want to do as much as I can to preserve and promote our sport. I have also met and become close friends with some of the greatest people anyone could imagine because of this club.
There are members of this club that head up certain projects and I know without a doubt that these projects would have been swept under the rug by their perspective agency's if not for the "we wont take no for an answer" attitude and unwavering, diligent effort put forth by our VOLUNTEERS!
I guess the point I am trying to make is that most of the MTRA VOLUNTEERS have full time jobs, families, and lives outside of this club and not one single member is being paid to WORK for this club. We do it because we love it! I welcome anyone to volunteer to head up any committee that they personally feel will make us a better club! If you see an area for improvement step up and take the reins and push to improve OUR club!
I take it personally when MTRA has a fun ride/free hotdog picnic and 100 people show up but when we have a WORK day only 12 people show up!
I really hope I haven't offended anyone with my rant here today but I am passionate about the survival of this club.
With that said I do apologize for anyone not getting an answer to any question put forth on this forum. Also, I would have liked to have gotten many answers to my request for volunteers at the Farm Expo because the ones that did show up to WORK the Expo got to meet lots of really interesting people and signed up quite a few new members. Thank you to everyone that came out and helped and again it was "the same old crew" (you know who you are)
Please, if you want this club to not only survive, but THRIVE..... PLEASE roll up your sleeves and help!!!
Signed,
Randy White
MTRA member since day 1.
MTRA 2 term Board Member (Thank you)