Done, I started a " Show us your face thread" like the one in Off-Topic, here on the STL forum

Mark

 

DCMM has/is going through this as well. Some of the things we do during Winter:

• Bowling
• Dinners/Lunches
• House get togethers

Now, only the bowling and dinners are "official", but we try to get new members to these to get to know the membership without having to go on a run. We also do alot of last minute get togethers like coffee and meet somewhere.

Good luck to your club in the future.

 

Hi to everyone,
I read everyone's responses and I have problems getting time to go to some of the events also.Much love to all the people who have organized the events--- I know I've had fun at every single one I've attended. They are not all on weekends, for instance... the Happy Hours. I personally have more trouble making some events during the week because I have a small child in school and I work. I work every other weekend too.
I don't know why people aren't turning up as much, I know on some runs... like Balducci we do seperate out into more spirited and more conservative drivers.

One question I always have is are children going to be there or not. I usually just ask if it's appropriate if it isn't already provided in the invitation.

Maybe more Illinois events would be helpful. I wouldn't mind organizing an event if someone would help me... I would have no idea what I'm doing.
I know its too late now, but I would totally do a Halloween party next year.

I know we give the proceeds from raffles to charity sometimes. Maybe we could get more people to be knowledgable about our cars and our club if we organized some sort of event to benefit charity and we could get some advertising out to car places and any media possible--- maybe a charity car show, or car wash, or bar-bque or something.

I know when I've talked to some people when I was out and about & asked if they were members- sometimes they didn't even know we had a club. I think these might help, and some people don't get to see MINIs up close very often... I've been stopped in the parking lot just for people to ask if they could see inside and they said " oh, its so cute and I've never seen one up close". I hope this helps, I love the club and I want us to be active and get better too!

 

I guess I need to put my 2 cents in, I live all the way over in Belleville, as most Missouri people say and do not attend most event because they are on the theorectical other side of the the world in west county. I would guess most of the officers are from out there.

I do look forward to attending events on the weekend when I do not have other pressing events. One thing that may make first timers feel more welcome is name tags.... My wife and I do talk to those people we eat with at events but notice several others who come by theirselves, do not talk to anyone, eat their meal and then leave.

I have watched the DC mini club messages.... they seem to have events almost every weekend. How they do this I do not know nor do I expect anyone to try to plan for every weekend. I would assume the members put out an invite to anyone who's interested when they themselves plan to do something.

I have been watching for mini's in Belleville and have noticed our numbers are growing across the river in Illinois. Maybe the answer is for the Belleville clan to start another chapter and try to plan event closer to downtown St. Louis and the Metro East.

This may enble more people to attend events on one side of the river or the other. I do not know what the answer is but do feel something needs to change to get the members to participate more.

Dennis

 

Dennis,

The last I checked at least 4 of our summer events were held on the "East side of the river". The Fall Rallye started on the West side but ended in Illinois not too far from Belleville We have tried over the years to have events on both sides of the river as we have quite a few members from Illinois. And quite the contrary, the board members & officers are from all over the St Louis area not just West County. As far as starting a new Club for the East side, it's been considered before but what the heck if you are up to the job go for it.

I would be glad to help you plan an event in the Belleville area. Just let me know.

Lois
lois@stlmini.com

 

I respect the heck out of any of you who volunteer time for this -- THANK YOU. With work, family and many other things coming before hobbies, plus balancing other hobbies, we all want to find time to do Mini stuff but you can't always make as many events as you'd like. I agree with what Adam said, plan an event that you'd enjoy and if a few people show, be happy, but don't worry the club is in decline or that people have good reasons if they don't show up -- this club is casual. It's to be enjoyed, when time permits. I enjoy my Mini every day and sometimes I get to see you guys and enjoy yours, so I'm very happy.

Personally, I have little kids, so I can't get up and leave for a long rallye very often, even the 3-4 hour morning one we had down near DeSoto a few months ago did cost me some family points, but it was a blast. I'm up for something similar every say 3-4 months. However, anything more than an hour or so drive from st. louis is probably going to be too far, Cape Girardeau, KC etc. When it's a weekday, a trip to Illinois for a happy hour is also really unlikely for me as I live in maryland heights, and you have to consider rush hour and other things people schedule weekly. If it's in O'Fallon MO, I don't expect many of you Illinois folks to come all the way out there either-- I think we should all appreciate that our coordinators plan stuff all over and that caters to lots of us having different schedules and ranges we can drive. Some happy hours are way west, some are way south, some are way north, some are way east. Ideally, they're in the middle, but what do you consider mid-town anyway? It's being done well, don't change a thing.

Run to see the Eagles -- great idea.

Detail party -- great idea. I want to see BradB's Garage and other cars!

Mod Party in the spring! Let's sit and talk mods and watch while someone installs something. Mechanicgeeks, Minis and beverages, sounds great.

I am a casual clubmember and you guys are doing everything right. More of same please!

 

Well for me ever since school started, I haven't able to go to anything. I was really looking forward to the holiday lights run, but I had no one to ride with me and it was yucky out. I wish I could go to things it was always nice to do things to get out of the daily rut. And the mention of the no shows for the picnic, I tried, but ended up missing everyone. It looks like this is more of a make a complaint thread than a constructive lets see what we can do to change things. The making sure events are everywhere is a great attempt but it never works. You can't please everyone. I for one always have to drive a long way for every event except for the winery run. The only other reason that I sometimes don't go, tother than conflicting schedules is that I'm just getting tired of doing everything alone. Well that is my input, I hope you all have a Merry Chistmas!!

Shannah

 

Lois, Great point!

Also, at one point, didn't the club have an East Side Representative that would be part of all the decision making processes? I've been out of the management of the club for a while so I'm not sure.

Mike

 

i know i am kinda late here on this thread but i figure what the hell, here is my input. I am still a member in the stlsrt commune and they don't have very many members but they usually have something going on once or twice a month. They also have a couple install days and a BBQ or 2 a year also. There is a few different things to consider.

About the "drives," I live in Columbia so I don't get to the stl area much but if i would attend I would want it to be spirited, not some slow enjoy the scenery backroad tour. Something that does make me not want to come is going to happy hour. I am a motorcycle rider and going to happy hour sounds just like 90% of the idiots i ride around, they have to always stop and have a "drink." I and I am sure a few other are the types that when you are out for a drive lets drive, not sit around.

Your idea tho about the detailing day is a very good idea. I would make the trip out for something like that forsure. I would also make a trip out for a set date for a good river road cruise up to Grafton and then up thru Illinois and cross over at Winfield on the ferry. I would then most likely head back towards home on 47 but there is good roads back to stl to have fun on.

I think I have thrown in my .02 now lol

 

At some point, the Board was reorganized to just have "at large" members rather than regional, due to lack of interest from certain geographical areas. I'm pretty sure this change was done formally in the bylaws, but don't quote me.

Being as I have resigned my seat, and I think there are others who may do so at the next election, I'm sure if someone wanted to be "IL" rep this would be no problem. It's not like people are fighting each other for board spots.

Amanda

 

I had this long post typed out and deleted it!

I'm new, so take this with a grain of salt. The other car club events I choose to go to seem to always be short notice cruises, mod installs, etc. A detailing group would be cool. I really like car-centric events. I want to be driving, modifying, cleaning, or the like.

Wish I could help more...