Are You Pulling Your Weight?

If you're not...

... then it's a good time to help.  Is someone else pulling your weight?  Chances are, the answer is yes. You can change that by contacting, via email or phone, an officer or committee chair to offer your assistance with one of the tasks that arise during the course of the year?  Please send an email to GetInvolved@stcyc.org or call (313) 331-3338. 

SCYC is underpowered, and to avoid floundering requires "more power," to borrow a favorite phrase of Tim, the Tool Man, Taylor.  The difference here is that this is no joke. A handful or members are pulling the weight of the entire membership. That's 100% of the work performed by less than 10% of the membership. Ouch! 

The most obvious way to help SCYC is to bring in new members. Every member, no matter where you are, can handle this request from the comfort of your home or office. Another way is too simply organize an interest group and meet a few time a year. Card games or board games are popular with some members. You don't have to meet at SCYC if you prefer your home or a restaurant in your area.  Beer, wine tasting or cooking are also popular. Cruising or predicted log are likewise of interest some members. Boat maintenance or boat buying and selling are useful topics. Meetings can be posted in the Rendezvous or through our Yahoo Group.

SCYC is, and always has been a volunteer club. There are no paid staff members to do the work of running the club. Too many members have failed to pitch in and do their share and appear to operating under the faulty assumption that their help is optional.  

In theory, the more members help out, the easier it gets for everyone. Universal support may also improve the kind and quality of operations and services at SCYC, especially member benefits.

Many of the committee positions involve routine tasks and a small donation of time. For example, we always need help with ticket sales or welcoming guests and passing out wrist bands to members and guests who attend SCYC events.  The membership recruitment and retention committees need help distributing membership material and membership development in general.  Members are needed at each boat show to staff the Kean's Marina table where we are given the opportunity to pass out membership kits and talk to prospective members - at no cost to SCYC.  The membership committee also reaches out to membership to determine member satisfaction which is directly linked to renewals.  

We always need photographers at events, willing to take pictures and get names and captions or short stories related to the photos.  Each boat rendezvous needs a few volunteers to plan and make arrangements in time for members to respond and participate. Each rendezvous needs coordination with the destination marina or club, as well as a coordinator while we are at our host destination.  These are merely a few of the roles that need to be filled each year.

SCYC has been a member run club since 1945. The absence of a paid staff, is one reason your membership dues are so low.  Over the past few years, it has become a club with very few helpful members. Those who do volunteer are overwhelmed by the unbalanced load.  We need everyone to "sign up" at least one new member.  Members are needed to help membership, newsletter, calendar, activities, boating, as well as running for elected office.

Without support from more members the club will struggle. If members fail to volunteer in sufficient numbers, SCYC will be forced to pay for help which means membership dues could increase substantially. That's hardly fair to members who faithfully volunteer and make a difference. The more likely option is too impose a stepped membership fee system based upon the kind and quality of each member’s contribution to the welfare of the club.  The less you help, the more you pay.

Let's all make a renewed effort to help out more at SCYC. Contact any of the Officers or Directors. Make a call or send an email to find out how you can help.