Bigjohn
05-19-2007, 03:21 AM
This is a rant and nothing but a rant. I just feel that I have to talk (type) to someone who does not know anything about what's happening, so I can un-burden myself. No names will be mentioned.
For the last thirteen (13) years, I have held, amongst other positions on the committee, the position of Secretary of my local shooting club. With very few members who are prepared to take up any position on these committees, only a few end up doing the work.
My issue is; in the 24 years of existence the club has always maintained its own insurance policy. This has given us the freedom to promote any and all disciplines of shooting for which we could get the range approved. The club has never FORCED its members to join any national shooting body but allowed them to choose the one they felt would support their chosen discipline.
We have had some disciplines start and then fail but we continue to offer the members the options they want. Our club has one strong discipline which most of the members compete in with some overlap, as many compete in other disciplines also.
I enjoy my shooting and attempt to try as many disciplines as I can.
All this may change by the end of next month, and we may be reliant upon the good nature of the Executive of a Singular Discipline Shooting Body. How come, you ask?
Well, A member who holds a position on our clubs Executive and competes in the strongest discipline amongst our membership has placed a 'Notice of Motion', before our upcoming Annual General Meeting.
His proposal says that all of our membership should be signed up to 'this' National Body and be covered by their Insurance Policy. Our club would then drop its Insurance Policy. Members who refuse to join this National body would have no insurance cover and hence would be liable to lose everything if the club was sued.
As their Insurance policy is from the same Insurance Company as our present policy, our club would then become bound by the rules of the Singular Discipline National Shooting Body. For us to hold any of the other Discipline Shoots, as we do now, our club would require annual written approval from this body to hold these shoots. They also need to advise the Insurer that they wish to approve these events.
If someone along the line decides that this does not fit the policy then we are S!^&&2d.
The constitution of our club indicates we are a multi-discipline shooting club and the proposal goes against all principles we have built up over the years. I thought that this proposal would have died a death at the hands of the members at the last meeting but several who have spoken out against this proposal prior to the meeting, supported it and helped it through to the AGM.
I am currently spending many hours attempting to 'counter' the effect acceptance of this proposal would have on our membership. I have tried to sway the member who is moving the motion but he is unmovable from his postion. He feels so confident that it will be accepted that he will be on holidays at the time of the AGM.
If this succeeds, this will seriously dent my shooting activities to the extent that I may have to surrend or sell some handguns. This I do not wish to do.
I would like to thank all of you for letting me have my rant, RANT Mode off!
John.
For the last thirteen (13) years, I have held, amongst other positions on the committee, the position of Secretary of my local shooting club. With very few members who are prepared to take up any position on these committees, only a few end up doing the work.
My issue is; in the 24 years of existence the club has always maintained its own insurance policy. This has given us the freedom to promote any and all disciplines of shooting for which we could get the range approved. The club has never FORCED its members to join any national shooting body but allowed them to choose the one they felt would support their chosen discipline.
We have had some disciplines start and then fail but we continue to offer the members the options they want. Our club has one strong discipline which most of the members compete in with some overlap, as many compete in other disciplines also.
I enjoy my shooting and attempt to try as many disciplines as I can.
All this may change by the end of next month, and we may be reliant upon the good nature of the Executive of a Singular Discipline Shooting Body. How come, you ask?
Well, A member who holds a position on our clubs Executive and competes in the strongest discipline amongst our membership has placed a 'Notice of Motion', before our upcoming Annual General Meeting.
His proposal says that all of our membership should be signed up to 'this' National Body and be covered by their Insurance Policy. Our club would then drop its Insurance Policy. Members who refuse to join this National body would have no insurance cover and hence would be liable to lose everything if the club was sued.
As their Insurance policy is from the same Insurance Company as our present policy, our club would then become bound by the rules of the Singular Discipline National Shooting Body. For us to hold any of the other Discipline Shoots, as we do now, our club would require annual written approval from this body to hold these shoots. They also need to advise the Insurer that they wish to approve these events.
If someone along the line decides that this does not fit the policy then we are S!^&&2d.
The constitution of our club indicates we are a multi-discipline shooting club and the proposal goes against all principles we have built up over the years. I thought that this proposal would have died a death at the hands of the members at the last meeting but several who have spoken out against this proposal prior to the meeting, supported it and helped it through to the AGM.
I am currently spending many hours attempting to 'counter' the effect acceptance of this proposal would have on our membership. I have tried to sway the member who is moving the motion but he is unmovable from his postion. He feels so confident that it will be accepted that he will be on holidays at the time of the AGM.
If this succeeds, this will seriously dent my shooting activities to the extent that I may have to surrend or sell some handguns. This I do not wish to do.
I would like to thank all of you for letting me have my rant, RANT Mode off!
John.