Thanks there, Wokka. That's exactly what I'm looking for. On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 4:36 PM, Charles Goldsmith <[email protected]>wrote:
> Gill, I'm a current TSA, TCMA and NSS member, as well as member of 4 > grottos. > > I didn't join the TSA because of the newsletter, and the same way with > the NSS or the others. I enjoy the newsletters, but that's not why > I'm a member. > > I joined all of the above organizations to help them monetarily, > because I believe that they do good. They all help in small and large > ways to promote caving, help with restoration projects, educate and > special needs (WNS for example). > > I'm a proud (and vocal) caver that tries to do his part to help. > > Charles > > On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 4:11 PM, Gill Edigar <[email protected]> wrote: > > The question has come up before: "Why should I join the TSA?" The > statement > > has been made: "If it weren't for The TEXAS CAVER there would be no > reason > > for me to be a TSA member." Both questions are destined to be asked > > again--and fairly soon, I think. > > Yet way before publication of The TEXAS CAVER was taken over by the TSA a > > couple of hundred Texas cavers were quite enthusiastic about > joining--with > > no real material premiums being offered. What made them do it? What was > the > > attraction of the TSA in their lives to make them fork over hard cash for > > absolutely nothing they could hold in their grubby, muddy hands? What is > it > > that would make you do so? > > Was it just the camaraderie of sharing a social link with other cavers? > Was > > it the sense of responsibility to the caver community to share and help > > solve common problems--problems of educating you and other cavers about > > proper landowner relations, of safety considerations, of learning or > > improved methods of cave surveying, of learning about new caving > equipment > > or techniques, of taking and sharing photographs with other cavers, to > find > > out about new caves to explore, to create a list of cavers to go caving > > with, to attend projects, to have an audience for telling one's caving > > adventures around a campfire, to attend the convention to hear talks > about > > caves and caving gear and cave science or get laid, or just a desire to > be a > > joiner? What was the Texas Region and later the TSA providing to cavers > that > > lead them to join the TSA without a hard copy of anything other than a > > membership list? In order to try to get to the heart of that matter, I > want > > to ask Texas cavers to answer that question themselves--and send me and > the > > TSA Chairman your responses. > > Why are you a TSA member? Or, why are you not? What, beside The TEXAS > CAVER, > > does the TSA provide for you in the way of goods and services and warm > > fuzzies and how might it make caving better for you--or worse, or not at > > all. Let's have some information--brief or in detail. We're sensitive to > > your emotions about TSA and Texas caving as well, so please include > > information about your feelings. > > The time will come, soon I hope, when the TSA will need to answer the > > questions, "Why should I join the TSA?" and "What has my membership in > the > > TSA got to offer me as a caver?" Hopefully a long list of reasons to join > > the TSA will be generated by this request and it can be handed to those > who > > want to know, or explained in person. What would you tell a new caver who > > asked you those questions? Remember, The TEXAS CAVER should not be > > considered an option in this poll. > > Along the same lines it would be good to know the reasons that several of > > you haven't joined or don't want to join the TSA. If that were known > perhaps > > something could be done to address those shortcomings and make the TSA > more > > attractive. Or, what would you like to see the TSA offer or undertake > that > > it is not doing now? > > As a current non-member I would like for you as a member to convince me > to > > join again--sell me on the TSA and its merits and its benefits to > members. > > Or, you can tell me why I shouldn't. I want to know. Please take the time > > over the next couple of holiday weeks (I'll be in Mexico caving) to send > me > > your reasons--for or against joining the TSA. It's information that could > be > > valuable to the future of Texas caving. > > And while you're at it be sure to cc: Mark > > <[email protected]> > > so he can have the information for future use by the TSA and the Texas > caver > > recruiting program which I'm sure they will be interested in starting. > > I'll compile your answers and see if the pros outweigh the cons and hope > to > > see you at the convention and renew my membership and write up a summary > for > > The TEXAS CAVER to publish and all the cavers of Texas to see. > > Thanks in advance for your help and enthusiasm, > > --Ediger >
