Cruiser804
SILVER Star
Just realized the monthy meeting is tonight. I am feeling realy lazy. Anyone one else going to be there?
Meeting
- Thread starter Cruiser804
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Devilmans Hand
TLCA #19517
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I doubt that I'd be able to make it in time. Getting to Alexandria around that time is a PITA from my direction. Just wondering, but is anyone interested in an alternate additional meeting place and/or time? I'd like to show up, but getting out there is proving difficult.
We had meetings in the Fairfax, Sterling and Tyson's area for years and years. At times, there would up to 60 people and dozens of trucks...we averaged around 30 people. The biggest meetings were in Tyson's were many people from Maryland could make it. We had a reserved room at the Fudruckers there.
Then, the meetings were moved to the current location to suit the core members of at the club at that time. They have moved on and are no longer active, but the club still meets there???
Move the meetings back to where people actually live?
I can relate to that. Also maybe a little earlier, or am I in the minority of the ones that is up at 3:30 in the morning going to work.
Devilmans Hand
TLCA #19517
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2008
- Threads
- 140
- Messages
- 3,476
- Location
- Commonwealth of N.VA
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- www.capitallandcruiserclub.org
agreed on the Sat/Sun.
Thornton, I'd think that you are in the minority...That is when I go to sleep. I'm not even getting off from work until 1830hrs in Manassas. Later is always better for me during the week. When school starts back up then the weekends will be the available time for me.
Thornton, I'd think that you are in the minority...That is when I go to sleep. I'm not even getting off from work until 1830hrs in Manassas. Later is always better for me during the week. When school starts back up then the weekends will be the available time for me.
We have looked at this repeatedly but always seem to come back to same location. The conference room at the dealership is ideal for doing business and I think we want to keep to this kind of environment (as opposed to bar and restaurant that get loud and there are many distractions.
If anyone is able to secure a similar type space at another dealership or community center, we could look at alternating: one month in Virginia, one month in Maryland. I don't think you want more than two locations since members will forget where to go when.
Alexandria works great for me. There are many groups that use it so it would be a good idea not to loose it...
If anyone is able to secure a similar type space at another dealership or community center, we could look at alternating: one month in Virginia, one month in Maryland. I don't think you want more than two locations since members will forget where to go when.
Alexandria works great for me. There are many groups that use it so it would be a good idea not to loose it...
H20
That is why I put the beating the dead horse in my post.
I can tell you, that since the meetings were moved to Alexandria the turnout has dropped by 50 percent or more.
I guess you guys really want to have a small club! My perspective is that this meeting location suits certain people in the club vs. the needs of the club in general.
Perhaps this the time to start an outside of the beltway land cruiser club that focuses on it members instead of it's officers and their club business!
That is why I put the beating the dead horse in my post.
I can tell you, that since the meetings were moved to Alexandria the turnout has dropped by 50 percent or more.
I guess you guys really want to have a small club! My perspective is that this meeting location suits certain people in the club vs. the needs of the club in general.
Perhaps this the time to start an outside of the beltway land cruiser club that focuses on it members instead of it's officers and their club business!
It would be interesting to print a map of the DC metro area and put a red pin where each paying CLCC member lives. Then put a blue pin every place somebody lives that says they would attended and be members if it were more convenient. Obviously the latter would have to be done with a 'MUD post. Just curious.
Dave, are you a pragmatist? Wise words.
I think this is wise, but you'd also have to consider folks like me who have given up membership because they are not going to drive to Alexandria after work on a Wednesday in DC traffic.
Oh yeah John, there are MANY factors involved with attendance (and commitment), but I figured it would be an interesting exercise.
As Seb. mentioned, we looked at moving the meeting a number of times because we realize it is not ideally located in alexandria. We may need to open it back up for discussion. Personally, I think tysons would be great but we need a space to do it. We decided a restaurant/bar was not ideal for the actually meeting each month so we'll need to look a other spaces. Admittedly, the bar selection for after the meeting is a good bit better in tysons and it would be easier for a larger number of members to attend.
We had a small turn out for the last meeting but it was very productive. There are a number of things we need to address in order to grow this club and the last couple months have been a bit slow in the growth/activity department. But we are looking to expand and take on some things that, quite frankly, should have been addressed long ago. These include marketing of the club, membership and a more active role with supporting TLCA.
We had a small turn out for the last meeting but it was very productive. There are a number of things we need to address in order to grow this club and the last couple months have been a bit slow in the growth/activity department. But we are looking to expand and take on some things that, quite frankly, should have been addressed long ago. These include marketing of the club, membership and a more active role with supporting TLCA.
FJ Man,
Fudruckers in Tyson's has a large meeting room in the back that they used to reserve for us, just for the asking. It's cool because there is no check to settle at the end of the night as each person pays separately when you order. It's a huge room and it's free for the asking.
Anita's in Vienna also has a large area they can set aside upstairs (the POG - Potomac Owners Group of the Porsche club, meets there once a month on Sunday mornings and they have a huge turnout). The Cobra Club meets Sunday AM's at the Vienna Inn and they have a HUGE turnout. Weekends are logical...people are off work...common sense.
The Model A Ford club and the Antique Tool Club (patinatools.org) both meet at the American Legion hall in Mclean.
Just my opinion, but I'd bet a Sunday AM/lunch thing would have a much bigger turn out.
Fudruckers in Tyson's has a large meeting room in the back that they used to reserve for us, just for the asking. It's cool because there is no check to settle at the end of the night as each person pays separately when you order. It's a huge room and it's free for the asking.
Anita's in Vienna also has a large area they can set aside upstairs (the POG - Potomac Owners Group of the Porsche club, meets there once a month on Sunday mornings and they have a huge turnout). The Cobra Club meets Sunday AM's at the Vienna Inn and they have a HUGE turnout. Weekends are logical...people are off work...common sense.
The Model A Ford club and the Antique Tool Club (patinatools.org) both meet at the American Legion hall in Mclean.
Just my opinion, but I'd bet a Sunday AM/lunch thing would have a much bigger turn out.
I like to be offroading on weekends, so I'm rarely around the area to go to a board meeting on a Saturday or Sunday. Also, I live 1 1/2 blocks from Jack Taylor's, so I'm definitely biased, but I like things the way they are now.
My two cents is that the goal of the meetings should be to facilitate offroading and wrenching events, where we socialize on the trail or in the garage. I feel like the monthly meetings should be administrative in nature, with the other, fun events being the guts of the club's get-togethers. Maybe that's not how everybody else feels - I don't know.
I'm not trying to change minds, or throw down or anything - just articulating my thoughts on the subject.
My two cents is that the goal of the meetings should be to facilitate offroading and wrenching events, where we socialize on the trail or in the garage. I feel like the monthly meetings should be administrative in nature, with the other, fun events being the guts of the club's get-togethers. Maybe that's not how everybody else feels - I don't know.
I'm not trying to change minds, or throw down or anything - just articulating my thoughts on the subject.
I like you approach to responding and I think an open and level headed approach to this is ideal.
You wheel 52 weekends a year? Respect.
Not all of us are into wheeling, I used to go every weekend, heck sometimes every day as a teenager and in my 20's, but after 10 years of that I'm not into it anymore but I still love the trucks and turning wrenches.
Idea, have your "club business" board meetings at the board room and then have a "club meeting" somewhere else more central and fun.
There are far more people in the area who have a Land Cruiser, love it and are into it for camping, hunting, fishing and access to the outdoors (the trucks purpose) than there are Hard Core four wheelers. The Land Cruiser is something that transcends that and bring us all together so perhaps there should be a focus of meeting the needs of the local community vs a few specific people, whomever they might be.
To clarify, I too am not saying that I am right, or anyone else is wrong - this is my opinion. However, I remember how much bigger and more active the club was when we had a more central meeting location. With all of the guys in FJ Cruisers around I'd have a hard time understanding why there would be less people. I see a well setup FJ almost every day roaming around the area.
You wheel 52 weekends a year? Respect.
Not all of us are into wheeling, I used to go every weekend, heck sometimes every day as a teenager and in my 20's, but after 10 years of that I'm not into it anymore but I still love the trucks and turning wrenches.
Idea, have your "club business" board meetings at the board room and then have a "club meeting" somewhere else more central and fun.
There are far more people in the area who have a Land Cruiser, love it and are into it for camping, hunting, fishing and access to the outdoors (the trucks purpose) than there are Hard Core four wheelers. The Land Cruiser is something that transcends that and bring us all together so perhaps there should be a focus of meeting the needs of the local community vs a few specific people, whomever they might be.
To clarify, I too am not saying that I am right, or anyone else is wrong - this is my opinion. However, I remember how much bigger and more active the club was when we had a more central meeting location. With all of the guys in FJ Cruisers around I'd have a hard time understanding why there would be less people. I see a well setup FJ almost every day roaming around the area.
I feel the same way about the weekends... I am always out and about and would rather keep it to the week. If people want to try a couple of weekend meetings, we can...
But I have found that people always complain about Alexandria, but no one ever puts up the effort to find an alternative location. We had decided to keep the meetings in Alexandria, but do happy hours at various locations around DC in between meetings as more of a social networking thing. We even did a BBQ in MD, Great falls park; attendance was always about the same if not weaker.
We need to look at things in perspective... There are other clubs out there, including new clubs like the FJ Bruisers, and the internet as a means of people networking has made the club a little obsolete.
If we want to increase membership/participation, we need to get a little organized... marketing, updating website, specialized events, etc... We have been a little flaky with all of this (myself included in the tech days).
But I have found that people always complain about Alexandria, but no one ever puts up the effort to find an alternative location. We had decided to keep the meetings in Alexandria, but do happy hours at various locations around DC in between meetings as more of a social networking thing. We even did a BBQ in MD, Great falls park; attendance was always about the same if not weaker.
We need to look at things in perspective... There are other clubs out there, including new clubs like the FJ Bruisers, and the internet as a means of people networking has made the club a little obsolete.
If we want to increase membership/participation, we need to get a little organized... marketing, updating website, specialized events, etc... We have been a little flaky with all of this (myself included in the tech days).
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Personally, I like the map pin idea. Let's plot out where the current paying members live, then have pins for the people who aren't current paying members but would be if the meeting location was closer. This, of course, would take a significant polling effort to ID that second group, along with a trust that the folks that say they'd be in with a better meeting location actually would be.
I used to be on the side of folks that preferred the quiet board room to the noisy restaurant, but now I'm not so sure. Our larger meetings these days have a dozen or more people. If even half the legends are true, the meetings in the "good old days" regularly drew 30-40. I'd be willing to try whatever it took if it meant getting back to that kind of attendance.
I'm going to copy some of this thread over to the listserv to try to get more input from folks that don't surf MUD.
I used to be on the side of folks that preferred the quiet board room to the noisy restaurant, but now I'm not so sure. Our larger meetings these days have a dozen or more people. If even half the legends are true, the meetings in the "good old days" regularly drew 30-40. I'd be willing to try whatever it took if it meant getting back to that kind of attendance.
I'm going to copy some of this thread over to the listserv to try to get more input from folks that don't surf MUD.
