Now that's the sort of reasons I'm looking for, Bill, thanks. And thanks for taking this survey seriously. --Ediger
On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 6:29 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > I'll keep it short. I'm a TSA member because: > > * Caving is a life-long interest of mine, so I support my statewide > organization > * I am a member of the NSS, and the TSA is a region of the NSS > * I like it that funds are available through the TSA for worthwhile > projects such as: > - Punkin and Deep Caves > - Monetary support of the ICS > - A grant to refurbish the Honey Creek Cave tower to make it safe again > * I like receiving the Texas Caver. There aren't many caver newsletters > other than it in Texas. > > Bill > > ---- Gill Edigar <[email protected]> wrote: > > Well, I have my own reasons for supporting the TSA for 40 years, but I > was > > hoping to develop some positive reasons that other cavers join the TSA. I > > already know why I belonged and will again, but I have had a hard time > > getting other cavers to tell me why and what they would tell new cavers > were > > good reasons to join. Many just stutter and stammer and can't think of > any. > > Others have given me perfectly good reasons--which I will share as soon > as I > > feel I have enough. > > > > And, ugh, this is a totally different topic, Linda. The other one has > been > > put to bed for a while. It is a positive thread designed to help the TSA > > accomplish its goals. I think it's really important for people to think > > about all sides of the issues rather than just blindly supporting one or > > another view. Having adequate information surely can't hurt. And, > besides, > > I'm just curious and have talked to several other people who asked the > same > > questions. > > > > On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 8:28 PM, Linda Palit <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Why do I get the feeling you have decided this many times, and many > years > > > ago? > > > > > > > > > > > > And does this mean we are taking this discussion off the list for > awhile? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] *On > Behalf Of > > > *Gill Edigar > > > *Sent:* Thursday, December 17, 2009 4:11 PM > > > *To:* [email protected] > > > *Subject:* [Texascavers] Why join TSA? > > > > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > >
