During the past few days I received a few PMs from folks concerned about the club. I think we, faithful members of HMMC, want a successful and dynamic club so I can understand everyone's concern on what appears to be the stalling of the club.

So how many of you have received the updated HMMC newsletter today? A particular part of the newsletter that caught my attention was the "Volunteer Search" section. I talked to Keiki today and she really needs help. Many of the folks PMing me knew that Keiki needed help and I am hoping those folks, along with many more, are willing to step-up with me and relieve some of the club's tasks and assignments from Keiki. Although the newsletter does not ask for any definitive help (like this task or that), if you have a particular talent, specialty, or passion, I would like to ask you, as a fellow concerned member, to step up and post on this thread about what you can do to volunteer/help/chair. Please be as detailed as possible.

I'll go first..............well, I am kind of the DIY guy anyway, so I'll volunteer as the DIY Guy (whatever Keiki wants to call it) if everyone still thinks they are worth having. It seems that maybe some of the Board members may not be able to offer as much time to the club as they originally planned; therefore, since I really have a passion for this club, I would like to offer to fill any seat that a Board member would like to step-down from.

I am hoping that Keiki might be able to give us a clear understanding and/or list of what she needs help with. From my talks with her, I think she at least needs help with the following :
1) Someone in charge of the monthly (first Saturday morning) brunch get together (west side) - I can do this if no one else wants to do it but it's still open
2) Someone in charge of the monthly (third Wednesday evening) dinner get together (east side)
3) Sticker coordinator - I think cwlouis has volunteered for this [CWLouis volunteered]
4) Event coordinator - the bigger events (MAX, picnics, etc.)
5) HMMC Webmaster - c'mon all you webmasters [Feedback volunteered]
6) T-shirt coordinator - who's got experience with this?
7) NAM events poster - this could be the club Secretary's job

I hope it's not TOO late!

 

I hope you guys don't mind me butting in eventhough I'm not a club member.

Keiki, Dirk, Erik, Teresa and I spent lots of time brainstorming on getting the club off the ground a few years ago. Teresa and I moved on as we do not own MINIs any longer. However, the basis for the club was laid with enthusiasts at it's core.

A club relies on its volunteers for help in all events as the officers cannot do it alone. In every club there is a small group of hardcore members willing to volunteer as officers and to help out at events. This is what Dirk has been doing with the DIYs and Barry with the upcoming DIY at his house on Sunday.

This club belongs to all of you in the MINI community and if you want it to retain its identity you need to help out. Without your help, it may go away and if you guys want another club, you will have to start from scratch. If you so desire, you may also join BMW CCA as dealers do offer discounts to its members.

In conclusion, please volunteer your help as Keiki cannot do everything by herself. If not, who knows what will happen to the club.

 

--Hmm why do people think the club is stalling? Does it sputter a little in the morning? That's normal for MINI's! Nah but seriously I thought we had a great Valentines turnout? Haven't the last few DIY been pretty full? Seems like every big MINI (heehee get it? ) event has been pretty good, so what's the concern?

I've noticed that we're shifted into overachiever mode and have been trying to get together twice a month in addition to our special meets. I've been wondering about those dual meets because saturday mornings and wednesday nights are kinda rough to make. I mean when I go drinking with my friends I usually do it on a Friday night. And well Saturday mornings is the first day of the week I get to sleep in on regardless of alcohol injections on the prior night. Wednesday nights if the day has been rough is when I usually want to hide with a bottle of wine at home. I'm just wondering if we're trying to do too many things per month is all. I mean if the extra stuff is easy then that's cool. But if we're turning the duties for this club into a full scale 40 hours a week job, then maybe we might want to throttle down? I was pretty happy with 1 event a month.

Just my opinion on that.

Are there concerns that our projects like the t-shirts and stickers aren't moving along as planned? Hmm in those cases I don't think we should assign one person per project. At least two people should be assigned per project so that if one person gets sucked into asia for 5 weeks or another person is suddenly struck with bird flu, then the other can carry the torch and save th day! Ahem! Sorry I've been watching too many cartoons. Anyhoo...

and that's all i have to say about that...

Gosh I really shouldn't post past 3a.m......

 

But oh yeah, I'll help out for whatevers the club needs. I can help with web stuff if you want. I'm also good with computer repair or networking.

 

Here I am climbing on my soapbox.... (hard to do with one leg!)

1st.. The Sweetheart Rally last month was put on by the the good folks at MINI of Hawaii, not the club. It was a great event.

2nd.. The last major event of the Club's was the Holiday Food drive and annual meeting held back in November '05. As a new member the event was the first I attended as a member. To be honest, it was pretty weak. I honestly believe that any success that it had, was due to promotion that was done at and by the dealer as well as by a now former salesman at the dealer who tries to keep this club moving along. At that meeting I was introduced to a not so encouraging dose of political discord over club leadership that actually kept me from volunteering to take on club responsibilites that day. I made a decision on the spot to wait and see how the leadership issues "shook out".

3rd... Everyone who agrees to take on (especially as volunteers) positions of responsibility in a club like ours needs and deserves the thanks and appreciation of the members. Its the only thing that will provide them with the encouragement to keep on.

4th... Leasdership should ask for help! If there is an idea knocking around in your head.... toss it out to the membership for comments and offers of help. That way, the load of carrying through on projects won't become an embarrassing burden.

5th... Use the technology that the club already has in place!!! Set up a maillist in conjunction with the website. Set up phone trees for promoting events. [Btw... I actually did offer to assist with the website back in November, but Keiki had just initiated the new design and I assumed she would ask for help when she was ready... ]
Ask the membership to suggest new events. The two events that I attended last year as guest were great, the MINI at the Moana event and the October Halloween Rally. What's happened?

6th... Actually hold events!

7th... The DIY sessions are the perfect "common interst, member driven" events. They stem from people looking for assistance (pricing and know-how) and those willing to help.

8th... Please put my email address on the list for newsletters....

Boom...Crash... I just fell off my soapbox.

 

"I'll help out for whatevers the club needs"......this is what Keiki hears/heard from a LOT of folks but no one (except for Bill) ever really followed through. That's why I was hoping that folks would be detailed as possible. Did you step-up for the Webmaster task? Since it was a 3 am post, I'll wait and see.

Could be we are asking too much but maybe not - that's what this thread is trying to find out by gauging how much help we can get. But Keith please remember that we really don't have one event a month.

 

Ah yes, way-back-when.

It's true though - that's why I was hoping we could lighten the load and help turn things around.

Bryan, thanks for chiming in. I've been watching your efforts with BMWCCA of Hawaii and am glad to see that things are starting to happen with your new board and staff.

 

How many members are there in the HMMC?

 

I don't know the actual membership but I think it's in the 120 area. Bill (nt2sml) is the membership chair so he should know.

I actually think only a fraction of the club members are on NAM so it'd be nice to somehow reach out to the full group to request for volunteers.

 

Whoa, easy there tripod!

Pete, thanks for chiming in. Lot of good points.


So how do you feel now? Are you still offering to be webmaster?

Yes, that is what I am hoping starts to happen. The DIY and our track get togethers are only one or two hand-fulls of us and we need to meet the needs/wants of the 120 or so members somehow.

 

I really don't know much about your club, but I am sure if you need some ideas, our President Jen would help out or I could help out with the ideas. Our club organizes the MOTD. Good Luck.

 

It's great to see this discussion and we can all do better to help HMMC.

Let's rally (literally) around events that we already have planned. Each of us can and should make the effort to attend if we are interested whether it be a car rally, DIY event, or service event.

Different people like different things, there isn't one activity that will suit everyone.

Harness the power of your membership- you have plenty (120) to work with. Maybe get a few volunteers to work as a group to contact members directly by phone or email and ask the membership what they liked in the past, what they would like to have done with the club actitivities, and what they will volunteer to do in the future to help the club. We'd encourage active participation if at all possible.

Work with the dealership to coordinate activities and spread them out during the year so there are less conflicts and re-work. The dealership recently has a program to recognize those MINI owners that offer support to service groups or activities.

HMMC has planned to participate in the Arthritis Foundation Walk at Pearlridge about 8am on may 6th saturday. This was well attended last year and we should try to attend this year but with a new twist. We can drive our cars from the walk to Central Oahu Park after 9am when the arthritis walk is done (refreshments are served, last time there was ice cream!). Also MINI of HI is in support of this service event and encourages everyone to participate.

I'm sorry that I have not been able to do more. I've been off island nearly every week this year. Sometimes twice weekly. It doesn't look like it is going to be any better but with the raceway park closing after April 2nd at least that is one less thing.

Our HMMC officers need help and support. Our members can provide that. We all need to work together to make the most out of our club. There are good things happening already this year. It can be that much stronger if we coordinate our energy.

Many thanks to our HMMC officers for bringing us this far. Thank you Keiki, Dirk, Barry, eastsidemini and others for your efforts. Thanks Beastmaster for your comments and support.

 

Absolutely!

 

Peter! Thanks!

 

--Webmaster, web-peon, web slave, you name it I'm cool wit it! The frame work is already done so updating with new information or sections should be cake. As everyone has seen I'm really Niele when it comes to all things MINI and HMMC. Although I'm constantly travelling all over the globe I always have a little down time every day to read up on NAM or post like crazy especially when I can't sleep in my hotel. So access to the web is not a problem for me.

During the last MIN2daMax meet I was asked if I wanted to take an official position in the club but I knew that because I travelled so much that I wouldn't be able to make a lot of meets and or be able to call everyone or organize things on island. I really didn't want to let people down when I'm off in Asia for months at a time. However if the club wanted me to update the "what's new" page or work on additional pages I am totally down with it. Just be advised I'll need graphic artists if you guys are looking for a total page redesign.

So however much or however little you want me to do I'm down with it. Sign me up swear me in. I'll do it.

~pyratio

 

I'd love to see more get togethers. Once a month would be nice - even if it's just to meet at "X" place to BS for a bit. Nice to see people again and talk about cars with like-minded people.

DIY sessions are good. We could also arrange club dinners at fun places...somethin like that?

My Mini is going to be down for the restoration probably throught the end of this year (after this weekends event that is!) but I'd still be up for doing Mini stuff!

 

Duly noted. We will announce a few things at the upcoming cruise but yes, our club will get rolling again.

 

--Those ARE some great ideas Latka! I think a lot of newcomers to the club and even prospective new members just want to check out the cars and talk to the owners.

Just hanging out would be cool. Maybe we could conduct more polls in the forums too, to pick upcoming events.

~pyratio

 

What plans are in place to notify the non NAM people in the club about upcoming events? Do we have a monthly e-mail or anything like that?

 

As you know NAM folks makes up only maybe 10% of the HMMC membership so yes we have a mass mailing system that Feedback has created with our membership addresses; however, our first two attempts to get the notice out regarding our cruise has hit two snags (first time it stopped after the first thirty members and the second time it stopped after the first fifty members - I have not received a third e-mailing so I will have to confirm if the mailings went out to only the remaining members or if we are still having problems). We are also creating a new form of club communication method based on our club website (if you don't mind, we'd like to announce this right before or at the cruise; as I eluded to when I responded to you a few posts ago).

 

hey guys,

since i am a graphic designer by trade, i can provide help in that area including front end for the webpage (lmk peter) . HMMC is great source for all MINI and Mini motors'...hate to see it desolve.