Let me clarify this...
The club was doing great for the longest time... and I think the problems started when we did the "Autos for Animals" car show in April of 05.
Near the middle of the year in 04, everyone showed interest in doing a car show. I, and I think a few more members had cited concern for the cost in putting on a car show, and the VERY limited funds available. I mentioned that doing a car show for a non-profit organization would severely limit costs, as we could solicit businesses for donations to help with trophies and such, being that donating for a non-profit organization is tax deductible. At the time I was working for Easter Seals, which was a non-profit for mentally challenged kids. the President of the local Easter Seals backed out, citing time constraints, and we voted (and we did) on the SPCA. I believe only one person objected because they "hated animals". Everyone was psyched about it, or at least acted like it, but when push came to shove I (and I'm not tooting my own horn here) ended up doing the majority of the work around my work schedule, securing the location, dj and food, trophy donations, etc. The only people I recall helping were our events coordinator at the time Nick, and Steve (customsunfire97 or something like that... doesn't post anymore). Nick got a few places to donate for the raffle as well as Steve, and when the biggest trophy sponsors backed out Steve and his mom fronted the money for the trophies, it rained on teh day of the show and was held on the raindate (which i think really hurt us). We made enough to basically pay back Steve and not much more.
Some club members b*tched about the show, saying it was a joke, b*tched about how the judging went (since people showed up wayyyy too early for the show adn were complaining because we weren't judging yet and got hurried along), and we lost a member or three. My personal opinion, the show could have gone a lot better if more people pitched in putting it together than what did. Yeah there were a few members who helped ON the day, but a car show's success rides on the preparation more than anything else.
After that, the b*tching started. People opening their mouths to complain we didn't do anything but sit at Denny's, yet it was truely a rare occasion when someone would actually open their mouths to say "hey let's go bowling" or whatever. Before Nick left, we even tried to set up a specific day of the month where we were to plan doing an activity other than going to Denny's... that didnt' work either. People would open their mouths to complain, but not take action. When somoene would say something like "let's go bowling", and not everyone went bowling, they'd complain about that... despite it being pointed out numerous times that "not everyone is going to want to/be able to participate in EVERYTHING all the time.
People complained about not everyone going to every local car show. Not everyone can go to everything all the time.
People complained after I got my 911 job that I was only there twice a month... sorry... I had to work. I even offered someone else to be President, no one wanted the job.
Then, people started talking sh*t about me, behind my back, and not addressing me to my face. When I confronted (peacefully at first) those who were smack talking, amazingly still no one would address me to my face. I never gave anyone any reason to feel uncomfortable talking to me about anything. Only one person actually "confronted" me "face to face" (well on the site) criticizing me, most of it based on false information, and when they did I even said to him (who wasn't even a club member) "Thank you for actually letting me know, I don't agree with what you said because the information is false, but I respect you for actually telling ME instead of talking crap behind my back". One member in particular started all that crap, someone who I thought was a friend... saying stuff like I needed mental help blah blah blah, after I'd been ASSAULTED. Duh... I wasn't around as much... a traumatic event such as that is hard for anyone to deal with, I still came around for a while, but after I found out about all the things people were saying based on ONE person's false accusations and such, I lost interest because I felt as if everyone (almost everyone) was stabbing me in the back. And before anyone says "well leave your personal life out of the club", I did... someone ELSE brought my personal business into the club, which started the @!#$ talking, etc...
People started going to HBG Tuned meets instead of our own, attendance died out, thus here we are.
To be frank, after the backstabbing I stopped caring as much. We were a successful club for many years, but that stopped when people stopped working TOGETHER as a club, and started caring more for themselves, instead of the club. It was like everyone wanted the club to still work, but only if they didnt' have to do anything themselves to pitch in... and instead would hang out with clubs in which other people were taking care of things instead of them having to do any work. There was also (like Chris#5 said) that said they'd show and then didn't.
That of course, is speaking generally. There are a few members who really gave it their all and tried to do their part in making things work, but those are few.
We had a good run, clubs TYPICALLY don't make it past the year mark, things with ours didn't start to get really bad until around the 4 year mark.
So, I wouldn't mind still hanging out with everyone and such now and then, but if anyone wants to save the club someone else is going to have to take action. I personally got tired of trying and trying to make things work to only get stabbed in the back. that doesn't go toward everyone, just a few in particular. A club should act like a club, work TOGETHER with everyone pitching in, and not b*tching and complaining instead of doing their part. A club should be friends and stick/work together... not stab each other in the back (again, not everyone, only a few).
I still have everyone's applications with screen names, so if anyone wants to put together a myspace page and contact people and move them to action, let me know and I'll give you the info. If anyone wants to meet on Saturday let me know, I'll try to stop by for a bite to eat at least, but I may have a friend coming out from Indiana... so that'll be up to them if they make it out here this weekend if they want to stop by for food for a few. If they don't want to, I probably won't be there for obvious reasons. the weekend after this coming weekend I MIGHT have a tattoo party to do in Virginia, and the weekend after that probably one in Indiana, so if they don't fall through I'll be out of state. There's some members I consider to still be friends and would like to see again, so let me know if anyone's going to be there FOR SURE then.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Tuesday, January 15, 2008 8:11 AM
You're the last person I've hung out with in a while. Just wondering where my SI peoples are. That, and if I can keep my game flowing, I might start seeing this chick who goes to Millersville Univ so I'd be down that way on the weekends to hang out with her anyway.
