Your local club

[katie333]

Do many of you also belong to a local stamp club?

I do, and it seems that every month I get an email from our club secretary that yet another member has passed away.  I confess I don't even know everyone's names but likely would recognize them from meetings.  I'm still comparatively young but I wonder if these 'in-person' clubs will continue to flourish?  I'm glad to have online resources and opportunity for dialogue, but of course can't help but feel sad every time I get one of these emails.

[Butterfly]

I also belong to a local club which is, however, quite small (about 12) so we know each other pretty well. So far we have been losing and gaining at close to the same rate.

[khj]

Oh, I'm trying my best to keep from ranting...

OK, at least in the US...

-- local stamp clubs have always (and will continue) to serve an important purpose
-- yes, the average attendance age continues to go up while most clubs continue to shrink in size
-- this is NOT due to a decreasing number of collectors, despite what many people think and clubs use as an excuse
-- there are still plenty of collectors in each city that DON'T belong to a local stamp club
-- collectors don't go or don't continue to go for good reasons (including me, but don't ask, because I'll end up ranting...)
-- online resources and communities have grown, and have done a pretty good job of filling in significant voids
-- likewise, problems associated with some local stamp clubs spill into online communities (there are some forums that I don't participate in, or have reduced my participation significantly for this exact reason)

Knowledgeable collectors are a great asset to the philatelic community. But knowledge isn't everything. I know some exceptionally knowledgeable collectors who probably have been more effective at turning collectors off than attracting new collectors.

Friendliness, humility, and the occasional good-natured ribbing go a long way, and helps to keep us all in proper perspective. (my opinion).

I hope the local stamp clubs will revive. But like the APS, they need to make the necessary adjustments. The future of any organization/club depends in part on future members. Not only do they have to be able to attract future members, they also need to avoid the things that turn off new members if possible. Something for us Stamp Bears to think about as well...

[MikeC99]

katie333,I have been a member of our local stamp club since I retired and a member of the executive for most of that time. Before retiring, life was too hectic and furthermore, I traveled a lot with my job so I couldn't commit to attending meetings midweek. I'm sure that most stamp collectors have similar reasons for not becoming members of local clubs before they retire.

In the past decade, I think the number of members attending meetings has been between 15 and 19. We loose a few members and gain a few members. Unfortunately, one member has died each year for the past few years but that is to be expected with a largely elderly membership. We have tried to encourage members to attend meetings by sending reminder emails before each meeting and we started a club newsletter a few years ago that is distributed quarterly. Over the summer, we hope to start a new website that will be updated regularly.

I think our club membership really enjoys the socialization that takes place before each meeting as well as the Powerpoint presentations and the auctions. I anticipate that local club will continue to exist into the foreseeable future.

Mike

[katie333]

Jun 2, 2016 16:48:26 GMT -5 khj said:

Oh, I'm trying my best to keep from ranting...

OK, at least in the US...

-- local stamp clubs have always (and will continue) to serve an important purpose
-- yes, the average attendance age continues to go up while most clubs continue to shrink in size
-- this is NOT due to a decreasing number of collectors, despite what many people think and clubs use as an excuse
-- there are still plenty of collectors in each city that DON'T belong to a local stamp club
-- collectors don't go or don't continue to go for good reasons (including me, but don't ask, because I'll end up ranting...)
-- online resources and communities have grown, and have done a pretty good job of filling in significant voids
-- likewise, problems associated with some local stamp clubs spill into online communities (there are some forums that I don't participate in, or have reduced my participation significantly for this exact reason)

Knowledgeable collectors are a great asset to the philatelic community. But knowledge isn't everything. I know some exceptionally knowledgeable collectors who probably have been more effective at turning collectors off than attracting new collectors.

Friendliness, humility, and the occasional good-natured ribbing go a long way, and helps to keep us all in proper perspective. (my opinion).

I hope the local stamp clubs will revive. But like the APS, they need to make the necessary adjustments. The future of any organization/club depends in part on future members. Not only do they have to be able to attract future members, they also need to avoid the things that turn off new members if possible. Something for us Stamp Bears to think about as well...

I have to agree with the lack of humility in some folks.  Being corrected in a blunt manner (something I've seen online and offline) really turns me off.  There is one gentleman at my local club who is quite a 'know-it-all' but at least he isn't usually mean spirited about it.  It's true that not all collectors are members of a club.  I see a lot of folks I've never seen before at local shows and auctions.

[katie333]

Jun 2, 2016 17:15:48 GMT -5 MikeC99 said:

katie333 ,I have been a member of our local stamp club since I retired and a member of the executive for most of that time. Before retiring, life was too hectic and furthermore, I traveled a lot with my job so I couldn't commit to attending meetings midweek. I'm sure that most stamp collectors have similar reasons for not becoming members of local clubs before they retire.

In the past decade, I think the number of members attending meetings has been between 15 and 19. We loose a few members and gain a few members. Unfortunately, one member has died each year for the past few years but that is to be expected with a largely elderly membership. We have tried to encourage members to attend meetings by sending reminder emails before each meeting and we started a club newsletter a few years ago that is distributed quarterly. Over the summer, we hope to start a new website that will be updated regularly.

I think our club membership really enjoys the socialization that takes place before each meeting as well as the Powerpoint presentations and the auctions. I anticipate that local club will continue to exist into the foreseeable future.

Mike

I myself am in the group that finds trouble attending meetings during the week.  I do enjoy myself though but getting to a meeting at 6:45 is very difficult unless I am working at home which is definitely not every day.

[khj]

One really huge advantage of online communities is that it's essentially a 24/7 meeting.

But it's always nice to be able to meet stamp buddies in person. And seeing the physical stamp is more enjoyable then seeing a pic (but I'm happy to see just the pic!).

[belti]

I am a member of a local stamp club but to be honest I do not attend the monthly meetings due to work commitments. However, I enjoy reading the quarterly journal issued by the club which is usually full of interesting information.

[samb]

I've been a member of a local club for a few years now. We meet twice a month, with an auction on the first monthly meeting. We also have a joint meeting with two other clubs in the Atlanta area 3 times a year. I agree with the changes needed in order to keep clubs active and attractive to new members. Me being 35, im the youngest member... but their are plenty of members in their 50s so not too far off. Most of the members in my club are still hard working people with busy schedules so we can relate to each other about the little time available for stamps.

[madbaker]

Gotta vouch for mikec99 - he does a good job at our club and the entire executive crew do a good job in setting a program for the year.

In all honesty, I never find our club meetings to be a place to get good knowledge about the hobby. That's what forums like these are for. But I learn something every single time I go to a meeting.

Our presentations tend towards discussing history through stamps (ie, political changes, the rise and fall of the prairie grain elevator,or even the voyage of Captain Cook.)

I've been a member for years and am having more fun than ever. We've lost some very interesting and colourful members due to age, which is sad but is also the way of life.

But I have met some very, very interesting people over the years that had one hell of a more interesting youth than I did (WW2 will do that!) and lived to tell about it. I never would've met them without the stamp club.

If anything, the new collectors who have joined (or have come back) over the years are bringing a wider and more varied set of interests to our club. 10 years ago, 80% of the talk was about Canada Post, Canadian new issues, or Canadian stamps. It's much more varied now.

I really look forward to the meetings, even though it's usually bloody cold and dark on meeting nights during our Canadian winters.

And hey, our club auction, which we hold at the end of every meeting, is a pile of fun. Where else can you have so much fun for under $2?

PS. At 49, I've been the youngest member (or one of the youngest) for 15+ years now. But the people who are joining are closer to my age now. Nobody's joining at age 35 like I did.

[katie333]

My sincere hope is that the local club continues to thrive! We've got our last meeting coming up next week (until fall) so it is sure to be packed. I'll try to grab a snapshot if I remember.

[katie333]

Just got an email from my club - and thankfully no more ill news about losing a member. Instead they are letting us know about a large lot that was donated to the club and will be up for grabs at the meeting on Tuesday. All I need is more temptation!

[ChickasawStampMan]

The gulf coast stamp club has about 25 active members. I was elected president six months ago. We meet monthly. My challenge is to keep the meeting under 30 ,minutes so we can do other things for the rest of the time. I need help with things to do, etc to keep the meeting interesting.

[madbaker]

Congratulations on your election ChickasawStampMan! Was it contested? Typically it would be better if I said "Thank you for stepping up"

A question for you: How often do you discuss the business side of the club? Minutes from past meetings, financial reports, etc?

Our club meets twice per month and one meeting per month is the 'business meeting' where we do all the Robert's Rules stuff, make sure the minutes have a seconder, etc. Etc.

When I was club president years back I felt it was crazy for a stamp club with $10 annual dues took that much time dealing with business, when we really didn't have any business. But the pull of tradition was too strong to allow any change. It worked in the 50's so it would work in the 2000's.

Our current president (the illustrious and knowledgable Mikec99!) does a really good job of getting through the 'business' quickly but I still wonder why we do it more than, say, twice per year.

How do your clubs deal manage the business of the club? How much meeting time do your take with topics like finances and minutes and the like?

[katie333]

Jun 17, 2016 22:05:41 GMT -5 ChickasawStampMan said:

The gulf coast stamp club has about 25 active members. I was elected president six months ago. We meet monthly. My challenge is to keep the meeting under 30 ,minutes so we can do other things for the rest of the time. I need help with things to do, etc to keep the meeting interesting.

I agree with madbaker, the formality of old school 'business meetings' is not appealing in this day and age.  I think the most of our members come out for the social aspect and the opportunity to buy or trade stamps.  After all, we are collectors!  We like to accumulate, get more, there is nothing wrong with commerce during a stamp club meeting.  Our club sets up the yearly program and tries (sometimes in vain) to get a few topics for presentations, and people wiling to speak about their collections or exhibits.   

Things I think our club does well:  1) part of a larger philatelic society (Grand River Valley Philatelic Society) which affords us the opportunity to have communal events and sales with other clubs in the area 2) sends out email communications as reminders about key meetings, changes and special events  3) has a simple website that is easy to navigate and creates an online precense  4) isn't too formal or fancy about meeting cadence

Things I think could be improved  1) our venue isn't the greatest and if it's costing us a lot (I'm not sure) then I have some alternative ideas I would pitch out  2)  I wish meetings started a little later in the evening, I find it hard to be there at 6:30 though I can arrive at 7:30 if I choose and still participate  3)  it can be tough to get participation for group events and talks - not sure of a way to fix this other than accepting the limitation and planning well in advance for special topics