Fwd: Re: AGA

[krandall@world.std.com]

>Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 21:38:44 -0400
>To: aga-contest@thekrib.com
>From: krandall@world.std.com
>Subject: Re: AGA
>
>At 04:11 PM 7/20/99 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>I guess I am in sort of limbo about the organization. I do know that while I
>>was a member, the TAG was often not as big as I wished and it was often very
>>late arriving. But then, so are some other magazines that are published by
>>hobbyist organizations, (specifically, Discus and Cichlids groups). I always
>>rationalized that you have to put up with such things because of costs,
>>volunteers, etc
>
>You've got it.  We _are_ an organization of volunteers.  Moreover, we are an 
>organization run by a few HAGGARD volunteers, which is growing faster than 
>we can handle it.  The MC, (management committee) which runs over a list 
>similar to this, has _exactly_ the same problems this list has, with 
>conversations getting head spinningly long and complicated.  We have a 
>Steering Committee chair (me) who got the job by blinking first in a 
>meeting, agreed to hold the position for a period of 6 months, while a 
>permanent chair was found, and is still <sigh> in that position 18 months 
>later, since no one else seems to want the job either.  
>
>The editor, Neil Frank, has had the position for almost 10 years, and is 
>close to burning out.  (I think there are a couple of good possibilities for 
>replacements, but we're still in the "talking" stage.
>
>>I would imagine that the real reason I didn't rejoin was that I was never
>>reminded that my subscription was about to run out. Just to be sure that I
>>hadn't signed up for three years and forgotten about it, I emailed the AGA
>>to ask if I was still a member. After hearing nothing, I contacted Karen R.
>>and was able to find out that I was no longer a member. The AGA person who
>>responded, told me that he only has membership records going back as far as
>>last month???? I am sure this person is a volunteer and I believe he is new
>>as well. So, I was not too disturbed by this. Should I have been?
>
>It is always hard when you have a changing of the guard, even more, when the 
>same person (in a different country) has been doing the job very well, but 
>her way for YEARS, and then the torch gets passed to someone else.  Add to 
>the difficulty of having these records change hands physically, the fact 
>that Jack's computer had a major crash shortly after the change-over, and 
>you can see how things got quite messed up for a while.
>
>>One of this list's members commented that she thought she was a member
>>because she sent in her membership fees in January. However, she added that
>>she had never heard anything back from them. So, she was not really sure if
>>she was a member.  
>
>Normally, people know their membership has been received because they start 
>getting the magazine.  When there are glitches in magazine production, the 
>system breaks down.  This spring, Neil had a number of family "crises".  He 
>was very ill with pneumonia, followed by his son, away at school ALSO 
>getting pneumonia and getting sick enough that he spent several  weeks in 
>the hospital, these illnesses were followed quickly, by business in Alaska, 
>and another son's wedding.  
>
>Even if that were all not happening in Neil's life, there is the ongoing 
>problem of getting people to write material for the magazine.  If he doesn't 
>get enough material, it's hard to put an issue together. 
>
>We are now discussing the possibility of adding a second publication to the 
>AGA line-up.  This would be a short "newsletter" that would go out during 
>the months opposite TAG to keep members up to date on AGA news and business 
>matters.  We are currently seeking a person to act as editor of this second 
>publication, and Neil just asked me to post a message on APD asking for 
>volunteers.   I'll do that if and when I finish wading through all this 
>stuff!<g>
>
>> have heard others wondering out loud if the
>>organization really existed, or whether it just a phantom organization .
>>Does anyone know for sure? Karen, if you are back in town now, could you
>>give us some information that might ease some of our fears here? How about
>>you Erik? 
>
>There is no doubt that the organization exists.  Our membership is growing 
>at a tremendous rate, and the state of the treasury is very good.  
>Enthusiasm for planted tanks and the AGA is high.  Some things that we are 
>_trying_ to get organized are an education committee, chaired by Paul 
>Krombholz.  Olga is working on an extensive member survey for this 
>committee.  I owe her a response on that, but have been too busy trying to 
>keep up to date on this.  Erik has done an outstanding job as our technology 
>wizard, taking care of our web site and mailing lists.  Merrill Cohen is 
>chair of a committee trying to get local representatives willing to share 
>information to and from aquarists in their local areas. (we have very active 
>"pockets" of membership in Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver and New 
>England.  Sound familiar?  It _really_ helps to have AGA people active in 
>their "home" communities)  We try to arrange AGA meetings within the context 
>of larger conventions.  We've had as many as 30 AGA'ers get together at NEC 
>conventions, but it requires local AGA'ers to get things like that 
>organized.  We  had a group of 9 AGA'ers (and some spouses) who went to the 
>Amazon together last spring!  We do a lot of fun stuff!
>
>There are other committees as well, and we are _always_ happy to entertain 
>new ideas.  I think that James has found, it's pretty easy to get the "ear" 
>of AGA MC members.  We are also _always_ looking for people who want to get 
>further involved in helping make AGA an even better, stronger organization.  
>We _want_ to be a _great_ organization, but we will never be better than the 
>core group of workers can make us.  The more workers we have, the better the 
>organization will work.  Wanna help?  James is!
>
>>>From all that James has written about the AGA sponsoring the
>>Showcase/Contest, I have the feeling that the AGA is alive and well with a
>>wonderful reputation in the industry. 
>
>I think that is true.  Amano paid to fly Neil Frank to his Aquatic Plant 
>Summit in Japan a couple of years ago as the representative of AGA.  Amano 
>takes us seriously, so does Tropica and Dupla.  I think people in the 
>industry take us seriously.
>
>>However, from what I have heard on
>>this list, I am beginning to wonder about it. 
>
>I find it interesting that most of the complainers are not even members.  
>When they _were_ members, did they try to help out?  Or did they only 
>complain, or as we've seen on this list, stamp their feet and leave if 
>things didn't go their way?  
>
>George is a different story.  Don't get me wrong, I _LIKE_  George, and I 
>_think_ the feeling is mutual.  But George has an axe to grind with one 
>specific member of AGA who _not_ even a member of the Management Committee.
>
>>If no one else is concerned, and the little rumblings I have been detecting
>>don't really mean anything, so be it. I think I can live with it.
>
>I willingly admit that there are things about the AGA that could be better, 
>especially if we had more help.  But it's a _good_ group of people, and I 
>believe it's a worthy cause.  You can join us in trying to make it even 
>better, or not, as you see fit.  I hope you are the type who'd rather work 
>to improve something than to sit around grumbling, complaining and doing 
>absolutely nothing.
>
>Karen