The ATC -- [Was: Re: [at-l] Re: A Walk in the Woods]

[wdlists at optonline.net (Walt Daniels)]

I am always happy to accept money from members who do nothing other than
donate. They are very low maintenance. Send them a letter, they donate. Most
of them are barely even trail users. On the otherhand I also support
"payback time" in either dollars or hours. When we last analysed our donors
vs volunteers they was a strong tendency to either donate money or volunteer
hours and rarely both. Both are needed and I really don't care if they come
from disjoint sets of people. We actually turn volunteer hours into money by
using the hours as in kind services for matching grants. None of the above
effectively addresses the issue that a number of volunteers are absolutely
needed to do the on the ground work. For some clubs this is a problem and
for others it is not. But it is not an ATC issue unless they have to fire a
club for lack of work. ATC's role in many ways is supporting the clubs,
either with training, sometimes money, or fighting the battles of the bigger
picture which many clubs just do not get. The ATC crews are another form of
club support for getting big projects done. Their ability to attract
volunteers from outside the clubs region is crutial.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Hicks [mailto:daveh@psknet.com] 
> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 11:22 AM
> To: Walt Daniels
> Cc: ~~ AT-L List
> Subject: Re: The ATC -- [Was: Re: [at-l] Re: A Walk in the Woods]
> 
> Walt
> 
> I have read the rest.  None of which has changed my opinion.
> 
> As you said, "there is a difference between words and 
> actions. That takes time to evaluate."
> 
> I'm waiting.
> 
> As I wait, I would still love to see a goal set by the ATC 
> for a percent (or as a ratio) of volunteer hours to total 
> membership.  Bureaucratic/staff types tend to focus on the 
> goals for which they are held accountable.  Establish a 
> percentage, or a ratio, based on the current relationship --  
> take the number of volunteer work hours reported (both club 
> and volunteers on seasonal crews) divided those numbers by  
> the current total membership.  Then charge the "paid staff" 
> with a goal of increasing that percent or ratio (whichever "sells" 
> best, in the opinion of the number crunchers).  OIOW, put a 
> "tighter focus" on recruiting folk who will actually work 
> and/or energizing the membership to do so.
> 
> Again as you said, "The trail side of ATC has always been 
> very volunteer oriented.... Other than volunteers working in 
> the information office, the rest of headquarters has always 
> been fairly staff driven...."
> 
> What I long for is a staff driven to increase the volunteer 
> work as much as (or more than) they are driven to increase 
> the membership and money intake.
> 
> I am confounded by the hikers who are not members of the ATC, 
> or of a club. 
> More so by long time maintainers and local club members who 
> are not ATC members and conversely by ATC members who never volunteer.
> 
> I fear that I see that gap widening.
> 
> Chainsaw
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Walt Daniels" <wdlists@optonline.net>
> To: "'David Hicks'" <daveh@psknet.com>
> Cc: "ATL" <at-l@backcountry.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 11:43 PM
> Subject: RE: The ATC -- [Was: Re: [at-l] Re: A Walk in the Woods]
> 
> >>
> 
> I suggest you read the rest of the recent discussion before replying.
> << 
> 
>