As my MIL likes to say, "not my circus, not my monkies", but as an observer who has an interest in how this discussion progresses, and as someone who is looking at a similar scenario here are my thoughts.
We haven't had an STLCA meeting in Nashville in months, maybe not since GSMTR. We have tried, but as someone who is only part of a name on bookface, I generally rely on MUD to try and round up folks. The last attempt we made we got little interest so we called it off. Even though we have members hours apart, we have enough on the rooster locally that we could have 4-8 regulars easily, but don't.
I have a few thoughts on why and the most likely is that people just don't care enough to make it a priority. I'm guilty, but like Ted and Aidan mentioned, there comes a point after the phone rings with no answer that you hang up and find something else to do. If folks don't care you can't make them. I try and fail with regularity, but I try. I work long hours, am building a house and have too many projects to even keep up with, life gets in the way and I understand that better than most, but I try to make time. I struggle to get to events and rides, but my problem there is a good one, my better half loves it too. That's great, but that means little bit has to come too, that's cool, for a few hours, then somebody has to watch her and since Erin likes beer and bullshitting it ain't fair to make her go to bed early, we have no family within a hundred miles so nobody to watch her, plus we have an antisocial dog who hates most people and pet's and can't be left in a 900 SF apt, so for us, a trip is a major deal that requires some planning. Saying all that to just illustrate the point that I know how it goes, but we typically try to make 3 or 4 trips a year (this year being an exception, moving, kindergarten and building a barn, literally, and house have cut into spare time)
I also think a huge part of it is people and personalities. Back in the day, if you liked Cruisers or Toyotas, you found this group and you all hung out together. If the first time you met someone you didn't jive, but you wanted to be in the sport, you worked it out and eventually you became friends probably very good friends. These days if personalities clash, you get on FB and "unfriend" them and you find another group that you want to try on. People have pretty much lost the ability to tolerate pretty much anything. Political correctness has run wild and people seem to look for a reason to be offended on someone else's behalf, just because they can. Feelings are like porcelain and seem to get hurt too damn easy, and on the other side, folks seem to think they can say whatever they want and figure if you don't like it, E'f you, almost like they try to pissed folks off, peoples are more polarized now than ever and I think that crap is bleeding over into places we never thought we'd see it.
Anyway, I digress, the question at hand is how do we move forward with these clubs? MUD is the extent of my social media, so I'm not gonna be much help there. I am not sure, but I believe the TLCA membership has been dropping as well, or it at least isn't growing any. So where DO we go from here?
Sorry for the rant/ opinion interjection, but I want to see the clubs grow, I want to meet folks and make new friends, but I don't know how and am genuinely looking for some insight.
I know I'm a redneck lol