[at-l] RE: The ATC

[wdlists at optonline.net (Walt Daniels)]

I don't have exact numbers or dates, which I am sure the ATC staff knows,
but the growth has been dramatic in the last decade, from 20K to over 30K
clearly more than population growth. Most of this has been achieved through
aggressive use of direct mail (buying names and addresses from other
hiking/environmental organizations, Backpacker Mag., etc.). This is a good
approach for adding to the choir but not for picking up non-traditional
members. Direct mail gets about 1% return making the total cost of a new
member about breakeven for the first year. The payoff comes with retension
for multiple years.
 
However we do not have a very good choir, all singing with one voice or even
in harmony. This is not necessarily bad, but it does impede progress toward
a common goal., or even defining a common goal.


  _____  

From: Robert [mailto:infinity1plus1@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 9:54 AM
To: greyowl@rcn.com; Bob C; Walt Daniels; ATL
Subject: Re: [at-l] RE: The ATC


Curiouser and curiouser. Does anyone have the figures on how many people are
in the ATC now as opposed to 10 years ago? What about 20 years ago? Has
membership increased or decreased? If it has increased, what is the ratio
for growth in comparison to the growth of the nation? I would very
interested to see these numbers.

greyowl@rcn.com wrote: 

I will speak from personal experiences. I had my college 
career intrupted by the milatary, I went for a Ph.D., I started 
my family late in life, and it wasn't until my late 40's that I 
rediscovered the outdoors and it has only been in the past 
few years that I have had time to realy give back to the trail. 
Additionally I also give back to my local community and I am 
very active in several human rights groups and the peace 
movement. I wish I had more time for all of the activities, but 
I still have to work to support all of my habits and besides I 
have one foot in the grave and another on a banana. Hope I 
can keep going for anothe 15 yrs.

So younger people don't join such activites, but when they 
have more time and money they do jump in. This is true of 
any organization.

Grey Owl
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