DSCC, do we need club dues?

[Joe Smith]

Ed proposed that we might need to start a discussion on the possible need for dues at the DSCC. Very well, I'll get the ball rolling. I feel that we need dues simply to give the membership a core deposit to work from should he (or she) desire to set up an event. I think that any member who is willing to do the leg work, phone calls, and put in the sweat equity to set up an event, should not have to squeeze the initial funds out of their own pocket.

Here is what I propose. We charge a
25 dollar membership fee to all DSCC
members in good standing. Just what
does a member get for his money? I
submit the following:

1. First notification via a custom email
list for members only. The member
will have first access to track
events, discounts, and any other
benefits we can come up with.

2. Every member should get a club
cap with the DSCC logo.


3. Members will have discounted
admission to DSCC track events
and dinners. Non members will pay
a premium, with the option of joining
at the event.

4. We need a quality, laminated,
membership card. It should have
the DSCC logo, and exp. date.


Those are some ideas that were
floated about at the Silver Springs
meeting. Let's all see if we can come
up with some more.....

[CobraDan]

Joe,
Lets discuss the hat, nice idea after I just sent in to purchase 2 hats from Cobra Promotions. When Phil owned the company and I set up jacket purchases with him he picked up the cost of our logo($185.00) which is now put on the front of the hats also. I asked if I could get a digital copy of our logo because if he departed I didn't want the club or anyone else having to pay again to have our logo digitized in embrodery language. Saturday I gave a copy to our newly elected president on a CD. I kept a copy also. The new owner from Ohio is now making and charging $15.00 per hat plus $4.95 shipping for a total of $19.95, which leaves $5.05 for the club dues. I think I paid an additional $3.00 for my 2 hats. $25.00 seems to be a nominal fee until you try and purchase something like a hat. Is $5.05 enough?
Dan

[Engineer Ed]

I like the idea of joining the DSCC for a small fee and getting a hat in return along with other "benefits".
Unfortunatley, I have enough hats and T-shirts.
I would however like a nice collared "Cobra or DSCC" shirt to wear to dinners and nicer restaurants.
I will price out some nice Polo's for us as a possibility.

Keep in mind that Ruble is now going to be responsible for cashing all these checks and print DSCC club cards.
I think he may agree to it, but lets check first.

Since you chose $25.00, do we have a budget to support that amount?
Lets have a plan for the money first besides just depositing it in a bank.
How about the "dues" going towards the Shirt or hat and towards postage of the Club Card.
What ever is left over can go towards that persons cost for the annual meeting.
If that person choses to not attend the annual meeting, he / she loses that money. After all, it was used for the deposit and cannot be refunded.

Ed
FFR1997K

[Dr_lopez]

I agree,
We should have dues...
I like to make a suggestion...it would be nice to have something we can hand out with DSCC information and membership application. When we meet other Cobra owners at shows,events or where ever we run across one, we would have something to give then, and possibly recruit more members that way!!!

[Dr_lopez]

Hey,
I just noticed something!!! My post count is going backwords. The last time I posted I had 48...

[Johan]

Dues are OK with me, but perhaps we could do just as well with some track oriented money generators,
A.)such as an entry fee, a purse for most improved lap time, and the remainder going to the club. Also, rides could be sold in the 2 seat Winston cup car ( you buy a ticket for a friend and he has to ride, not you, don't worry ). The racers could challenge the waxers to see who could raise the most money, and they could have fees and prizes also along the same lines.
2.) a wet "t"shirt contest
and
D.) donations or voluntary dues.


My concern is that if even one person pays dues, then the course is set and people are going to decide to either pay or withdraw.I have a gut feeling that no more than 40 members will be willing to pay $25, and that adds up to $1000.

The dues from the general membership can only be spent for the good of the general membership, so the waxers can't use it to but wax and the racers can't use it to buy timing gear.

I feel the best solution is a waxer/racer fundraising challenge with 1/3 of each groups total going to the general club fund.
For example, Waxer raises $1.00 and racer raises $1.00.
Each gives the club general fund 33 1/3 cents.
Result is that the racer fund has 66 2/3 cents,
the waxer fund has 66 2/3 cents,
and the general fund 66 2/3 cents.
Definition of racer : member that wants to go to a track for a club meeting, does not really care if anyone else is there or not, will park a junk car on track to have something to pass, has few if any friends. Considers Heroine addiction a mild craving compared to auto racing. Steve Mcqueen , our hero, said " there is only racing, everything else is just waiting :"
Definition of waxer : crys at weddings, first one to arrive at family reunion, has a car that actually runs, will drive hours to join friends even if there is no racetrack nearby, has actually waxed car twice in a 1 year period,

[CobraDan]

Ed,
Cobra Promotions aready has put together a polo shirt for our club. Check it out :
http://stores.cobrapromotions.net/De...&total=4&no=47

Dan

[Joe Smith]

Originally posted by Engineer Ed

I would however like a nice collared "Cobra or DSCC" shirt to wear to dinners and nicer restaurants.
I will price out some nice Polo's for us as a possibility.

Since you chose $25.00, do we have a budget to support that amount?


Ed
FFR1997K [/b]

I think the shirt is a fine idea, and was
in fact going to suggest that very thing,
but the history of quality shirt sales on
Club Cobra has been quite poor.
I want a QUALITY item that I would
be proud to wear. I'm hoping that many of our club would agree.

(The Cobra promotions shirt that Dan
touts may be the thing, but I want to
SEE one before I slap down close to
80 dollars for two of them.)

As for a budget, no, I don't have one,
and don't think an accurate one can
be planned for. We have too many "pop up" events, track and waxing that
are planned on fairly short notice. My
main concern is that if a guy wants to
do say, a wax n' BBQ event on a 2 month notice, can he have access to a
deposit to help pay for the ribs, plates,
and keg in advance? That way, if
the event is a "bust" he won't be left
holding the bag completely.

Of course, we can always break out
the "donations jar" at the door for
such an event.

Comments.....?

[Joe Smith]

Originally posted by CobraDan


Joe,
Lets discuss the hat, nice idea after I just sent in to purchase 2 hats from Cobra Promotions. When Phil owned the company and I set up jacket purchases with him he picked up the cost of our logo($185.00) which is now put on the front of the hats also. I asked if I could get a digital copy of our logo because if he departed I didn't want the club or anyone else having to pay again to have our logo digitized in embrodery language. Saturday I gave a copy to our newly elected president on a CD. I kept a copy also. The new owner from Ohio is now making and charging $15.00 per hat plus $4.95 shipping for a total of $19.95, which leaves $5.05 for the club dues. I think I paid an additional $3.00 for my 2 hats. $25.00 seems to be a nominal fee until you try and purchase something like a hat. Is $5.05 enough?
Dan

Dan, I think that $5.05 is not very many "bones" for our treasury, but
anything is a start. Are you pleased
with the quality of your DSCC caps?

Joe

[CobraDan]

Joe,
I actually just ordered the hats but I and a few others have bought their jackets at $95 each and I bought one for Jean also. We both had them with us but with the temp as high as it was they were not needed, the quality of Cobra Promotions is excellant. I was going to bring them into the meeting but had to many things on my mind and forgot.

Dan

P.S. I forgot to tell you that I worked out a little deal and the pictured Cobra on the back is in the color of your personally owned Cobra. We have a stickey post at our site to view Cobra Promotions products, take a look.

[Jerry Cowing]

I'm absolutely against dues for our club. If someone wants a hat, let them buy one like I did. If someone wants to race, let them pay their own way and not be subsidized by other club members that can't find the time to race or aren't interested in racing. If you start charging dues, cancel my name off the DSCC list.

[patrija]

I'd be willing to pay a nominal dues amount, let's say up to $50/yr. I also believe it's mentally easier to pay if there's some kind of return (member cards, window sticker, etc.) that come as part of the dues.

That's about equivalent to one or two magazine subscriptions and I get at least that much information, support, and comraderie from the club.

[Gatorac]

So far the racing events are were the money the DSCC has now came from. They are not subsidized at all. With the attendace at the Gainesville event reaching full capacity every time it does not look like it ever will need to be subsidized. Everyone there is paying thier own way. Everyone that has attended one of these is very happy to throw there $100 into the hat.

To inform members of other events and put deposits on banquet halls and meeting places does need some help though. Mailing out 300 plus letters is no small job.

[GeorgiaSnake]

I just counted the Local Clubs - 17 including DSCC - what are they doing? Do they have low participation, charge dues ? I think our membership is to spread out and subject to more interference from weather than most of the other groups.
I would love to particpate in almost any venue, but I can't due to travel. I don't have a trailer or tow vehicle - one other small detail my car isn't finished either. I don't want to hear about driving 1000 + mile round trip in an open Cobra either, I won't do it.
I agree a small fee wouldn't make or break most of us but it would drive a wedge between us if not handled well.
Instead of creating our own events why not push for participation in events already planned buy other organizations. Let them pull the wagon and we circle them.

Randy

[ToyCollector]

GS,

See my response to my volunteering for DSCC where I mention a PCA event that Cobra owners could readily attend. I totally agree. If 10 Cobra guys show to an event with 40 Porsche people, where a corvette, viper, and miata may be there, it can still be a fun event for the 10 Cobra guys. Fun time had by all is the goal. Actually, some of my best has been showing up with the Cobra at a Porsche event. Trust me on this one Show up just about anywhere with a Cobra and it's a good time.

[ToyCollector]

Oh, and while on the subject. You think DSCC has it tough? Talk to someone fronting $$$ for a track event. Now THERE ARE SOME stories. We need to spread the joy and support all who create fun events!

No dues, pay for the event--makes the event the draw. If event doesn't draw, no event.

[terry lee]

I think Joe Smith is onto something.
$25.00 is a good number to start with for a family membership as far as I'm concerned. Any more, and we might scare too many people off.
If you have to pay to join any organization, you are more willing to participate in that club's functions. Proof of this is best shown with the attendance of the last DSCC Annual Meeting. True it was on a bad weekend for many of us, but I would have expected more of a turn out. No money invested, nothing to lose.
I believe we need a strong membership base to keep this organization going. Let the paying members benefit from club activities as advanced notice for track events, etc as suggested.
Carol and I are leaving for VIR in the morning and won't be back until next weekend, but when I return, I'll start the ball rolling with our voluntary dues of $25.00. Ruble, the check will be in the mail and marked as Club Dues, use as you see fit.
Terry Lee

[ToyCollector]

Originally posted by Johan


Dues are ...
A.)such as an entry fee...
2.) a wet "t"shirt contest
and
D.) ...

My concern is that if even one person pays dues, then the course is set and people are going to decide to either pay or withdraw.I have a gut feeling that no more than 40 members will be willing to pay $25, and that adds up to $1000.

Johan,

First off, where did you learn to outline!

Second, I think the dues won't buy a thing if for general membership and your numbers are probably right on. From what I hear being bantered about on the board is we can't even get people to show to a "pretty much free to the pocket book event" and now we want to charge dues? Look at the DVSFIII backlash on fees! And that event has been great!! That has reached a mass where dues are legit, in only 3 years over 200+ cars and counting are showing up. They earned the right to charge and it is at a scale where one would charge. Again, it is event driven charges (I posted same sentiment somewhere else tonight). Go pull who actually particpates on the DSCC forum on ClubCobra---same 30-50 names I assume [That's a SWAG]!!

Third. Steve McQueen, LeMans, what a movie!! John, I told you many a time to not watch French Connection and LeMans back to back!! When will you learn?

[Spyderman]

you guys are acting like a bunch of twinkies. There are real problems out there and you sit around argueing about whether to get hats or not to go wit the NICE shirts that you can wear to a real nice restaraunt, and then somebody says we is not worth any amount of money to asssociate with and if there are duues he 's outta here. WWWWWWAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH.
enough with the negative vibes, babe
I feel luckyn to have a pinto to run, can'tn imagine if I had a Fiberglass Cobra racer to run .
How can you guys squabble about this crap ? Who would pay moneey to subscribe to this ?
You guys better start acting like your having fun, or I swear, I'll run for area manager. I would invite a "Boys Club " to come see our cars in an inner cityb environment, maybe let them sit in it, show em how to change the oil, fix a broken transmission , oil pump shaft , remove diesel fuel from tank, you know, give a little back.
Now quit pissing me off...

[CobraDan]

Spyderman,

Go back to making movies I liked your first one. I'm the only one around here thats pissed off. I had 18 Cobras, 1 Corvette, and 1 Mustang Cobra in my front yard last August. Silver Springs count I think was 20 Cobras. Yes I'm the one who is PISSED. Cobra Bash one month planning, Silver Springs over 6 months of my time. Good luck Ed.
Dan