- Member since
February 2006
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Posted by Neptune48
on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 12:59 PM
dkmacin wrote: |
Who implied anyone got a free ride? Nothing is free. And though the national officers can be a bit touchy when a free ride, once offered is accepted, they are not fools. You left out the part that any club that wishes to become an IPMS charter must not only pay the $10 charter fee per year, but they must have officers that are members of the IPMS in good standing, i.e. dues paid up. That is at a cost of $19 for the minimum of three officers, one of which may be the "IPMS contact." |
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What part of my post, stating, "...you must be a national member to be an officer in a local chapter or region" leaves out the part that you must be a national member to be an officer in a local chapter or region?
dkmacin wrote: |
The insurance offered is a great deal and well worth the price of admission. . .if it is needed. As I pointed out, I live in a rural area, the local club mets at the library for half the year, and at members housed the other half. We do not have contests, shows or meets.We are just some older guys who get together and look at each others stuff, discuss the world of plastic, and solve the worlds problems. Sometimes we run into each other at the local hobby shop, where the owner gives us 10% off all purchases.
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That's a nice setup. But what would happen if one of your club members, or a new prospective member, is injured at one of your meetings? They might wish to sue. If your club has no charter or insurance, each individual member might be held personally liable. Homeowners insurance might work, but what about the library? It might not be very likely among a small group of friends, but it is possible. Flagstaff chartered an IPMS chapter with only five members.
The price of admission to a local or regional contest does not contribute to the national insurance policy. It stays with the club. The individual members' out-of-pocket national dues go toward the insurance, and they are not reimbursed by chapter or regional funds. So non-member entrants to our local contest benefit from the dues paid by members. That's a free ride, and we are happy to provide it, because it advances the hobby.
dkmacin wrote: |
IPMS is not ideal for every club or group of modelers, The membership fee, that some see as the price of a decent kit, that doesn't get them anything they will use, ever [emphasis added], doesn't justify joining. It is up to each individual club to weigh it out for themselves.
Don
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If you believe membership is such a bad deal, then by all means, don't join. If you never attend any IPMS function at any level, or are unable to learn anything from reading the Journal, only then is this argument valid. But if you participate in any IPMS local, regional or national event as a non-member, which your are most welcome to do, it is only because national members dues helped provide the insurance underwriting that made that event possible. If you want to give back a little to the hobby and to the community, then for some of us, that is justification enough. And yet, we gladly welcome non-members to our events.
dkmacin wrote: |
" src="/FSM/CS/emoticons/icon_smile_censored.gif"> Means I cannot write out what it means or I will be banned! IPMS, and yes I was a member for several years, didn't do much for me. Like Scott, I live in a rural area. I attempted to get an IPMS chapter going and was not given much assistance or encouragement. If I could hand over the $$ fine, if not, the IPMS was not interested in a chapter where I live. If, IF, I ever enter a national contest, or am able to attend one, the few dollars off admission or entering fee isn't enough to justify the yearly dues. The IPMS Journal cannot hold a candle to FSM, that is not suckin' up, that is my opinion.
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I agree, Don, Fine Scale Modeler is a superior publication to the IPMS Journal. I would expect that from a for-profit publisher compared to a non-profit society publication. However, that does not mean the Journal is without merit, and we are not constrained to choose between the two. IPMS members are able enjoy both.
My last paragraph addressed the censorable part of your response. I don't know what you expected IMPS-USA to do for you in forming a local chapter, but clearly you were not satisfied. That is unfortunate. But if your opinion is so virulent as to be censorable, it most certainly implies that overall the IPMS is a bad thing, and by implication it disparages those of us who support it. Be that as it may, you are still welcome and encouraged to attend IPMS events. Perhaps we could even persuade you to soften your opinion.
And by the way, IMPS-USA membership does not entitle you to a discount on general admission to the Nationals, but it is mandatory if you want to attend seminars or tours, or enter a contest.
"You can't have everything--where would you put it?"
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