Help bettering my gun club!

Status
Not open for further replies.
ohihunter2014 said:
+70 for dues and an NRA membership.
Click to expand...
In that case.
I would suggest writing down your points. Think of their arguments to this and come up with a good response to their arguments. If you do this you won't get slayed when you try to bring it up.
This is my procedure at work when I talk to our engineers. It either gets an I didn't think of it like that or this is how it is deal with it.
Be kind but not timid when you bring it up.
 
Hokkmike said:
Unless my options were SEVERELY limited I wouldn't waste time with these people.
Click to expand...
All the other clubs are over 30min away and $300 a year. The closest one is the worst because they make you sell $50 in gun tickets and if you don't sell you have to buy them, show to meetings, work parties, etc and they bill for missed work also. This place has a clubhouse, range, pond, archery and a few farms to hunt. The second other option does a lot of police range time so its always hit or miss and a little further at 45min away. You must attend meetings but no work and they are like $275-yr. I almost walked away last year but I figured maybe I could help changing some things.
 
Thank you for your interest and commitment to improving your gun club. It looks as if you have the club's best interest in mind. However.... it's been my experience that if the folks in charge don't come up with the idea to do something, it won't get done and the person who suggests it will often be ostracized or even booted out! I tried to do much the same with the folks over in Friendship, Indiana, even offered them the money to carry out my suggestions. As a result, I'm no longer a member. If you're really going ahead with all of your ideas, you might also look at the requirement of becoming a member. I mention this issue because all of the gun clubs around me have at least 5 to 7 year waiting lists.... unless you're the friend of one of the folks in charge, then you go to the front of the line. One club says that you can go to the front of the line by performing work, but then there is no way to learn about the work projects unless you're a member or a friend of one of the folks in charge. Consider putting forward a cash option for joining. Personally, I'd be willing to pay up to $1000 as a one time fee to join a good club. If the club really needs work done, that money could be used to hire professionals (plumbers, electricians, etc) rather than have one of the do-it-yourselfer member jury rig something. Just a thought. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.
 
My local club was/is a clique for a bunch of old guys who shoot whenever they want, are all on the club committee, never open up of an evening or attend work parties. Meetings are rarely advertised and new rules appear as if on a whim. But, its only £40 per year to join.
A bunch of us did eventually write an open letter to the Chairman and got 100+ signatures. Things have got a but better but not much. At the end of the day you pays your money and makes your choice ...
 
Bring your ideas to the table In a positive forward thinking way. Do not focus on the wrongs of the past but what you and some others that agree with you see as a reasonable path forward. Gush with your enthusiasm to get some work in. ;)
 
I usually do the grounds keeping every other week so I'm good on hours but there is like no structure.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are covered. I’d let the others take care of themselves.
 
drk1 said:
Thank you for your interest and commitment to improving your gun club. It looks as if you have the club's best interest in mind. However.... it's been my experience that if the folks in charge don't come up with the idea to do something, it won't get done and the person who suggests it will often be ostracized or even booted out! I tried to do much the same with the folks over in Friendship, Indiana, even offered them the money to carry out my suggestions. As a result, I'm no longer a member. If you're really going ahead with all of your ideas, you might also look at the requirement of becoming a member. I mention this issue because all of the gun clubs around me have at least 5 to 7 year waiting lists.... unless you're the friend of one of the folks in charge, then you go to the front of the line. One club says that you can go to the front of the line by performing work, but then there is no way to learn about the work projects unless you're a member or a friend of one of the folks in charge. Consider putting forward a cash option for joining. Personally, I'd be willing to pay up to $1000 as a one time fee to join a good club. If the club really needs work done, that money could be used to hire professionals (plumbers, electricians, etc) rather than have one of the do-it-yourselfer member jury rig something. Just a thought. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...
I'm already a member and have been for about 4yrs. :) It did take me about a year to get in and every year we lose probably 20+ members and i'm guessing with dues being so cheap its guys who cant seem to get the work hours in and just leave. We have 2 electricians, plumbers, tree guy, etc. Bringing this up brought something up the other night that i didn't like. We voted in new members and they read their "skills" one person says oh ive know such n such for 30yrs and he's got a lot of equipment like dozers and excavators so i think its a good idea incase we need something done. I pickup on little things like that and it tells me its all a clique. I would like change some of that.
 
jmorris said:
Sounds like you are covered. I’d let the others take care of themselves.
Click to expand...
I agree with you but last year out of the 4yrs was the worst with showing up to the work already being done. I would ask around and told oh, such n such cut it this morning when he came here to shoot or got bored. I look at the work hour list and he's got like 30hrs and only required 12hrs. The Evening crew can sometimes go from the foreman and one other guy to 5 guys it all depends on who's got time. I felt bad for the foreman guy because i quit showing up because 3-4 times of everything being done and told to go home or having 10 people trying to cut the grass with 3 mowers and one weed whacker and several times i said i got my hours i'm done! I found out the foreman had to cut the grass several times alone cause no one showed up. A lot of people aren't aware we cut during the evening so i figured i maybe able to change that. I am a little worried this year about reaching my 12hrs for the year and the evening foreman who i consider a friend being screwed over.
 
ohihunter2014 said:
So i'm going on about 3-4yrs of being in a sportsman club and i really like it for the most part but some things are getting under my skin and i'm thinking of a way to bring things to light but not get in the lets lynch and mess with this guy for the next 20yrs either.

We are required to perform 12 work hours a year and they are split up into halves of the year. If a member does not complete 6hrs by end of June you will not get a new gate code and owe $15 per hour you didn't work. The member also gets 30min per monthly meeting we attend and these meeting sometimes go 45min-1hr if not longer but you still only get 30min of work hours. The club puts on work parties several times from spring cleanup until the first of the year but it seems that its a giant click of the retirees and their friends/family who keep the parties a secret and then a lot of people get screwed out of work hours and have to pay. The issue we are running into is they plan these weekdays during the morning or at lunch time or 4pm on a weekday which screws most out of hours. I am debating on sending a couple emails and a letter to the club voicing some concerns myself and a few others have but don't know how to go about it. I know for sure if i bring this up during a meeting all hell will break loose and i will make some enemies so i figure the letter/email would be the best? Below is what i'm thinking but open to advice.

1) Lower the work hours cost from $15hr to $10hr because heck the economy in my area sucks and that might be someone's hourly wage at their fulltime job or even over their hourly wage and this makes it a burden on people when it comes time to pay up 2 times a year. I think $15 is a little extreme. I know a lot of guys there with kids and single income and end up quitting cause they cant afford it or attend certain meetings/work.

2) Lower work hours from 12hr to 10hr and keep the $15 rate.

3) If a meeting runs 1hr you should get one hour of work hours. Most the meetings are a big arguing match so now your wasting 20-30min hearing several people argue.

4) Members should receive a letter or an email stating when a work party will be present and agree on a date and time to do it instead of 3-4 retirees saying we are doing these 10 things on a Wednesday at 11am in the morning. I have shown up a few times to cut the grass and someone else cut it during the day while i was at work. This is not allowed. If work is assigned for a specific time/date its not allowed to be completed before that time.

5) Put a board in the clubhouse that all members have access too and we can see what work needs to be done and if we are there using the facilities and have some free time we can do a few items for our hours. This way its equal for everyone to get hours. Kind of hard though cause the mowers, trimmers, etc are locked up and only committee members can unlock them. Maybe leave a key in the clubhouse this way its not restricting members working.

6) Leave a board in the clubhouse members can write on if they see something that needs attention and then work parties can be planned accordingly to tackle the work. I know i see several things i think need addressed when im there but no equipment or help to do it and when you bring it up at a meeting the retirees have it done before the weekend so your out of hours!

I'm still playing with the idea of just bringing it up and if guys hate me they hate me or just sending an anonymous letter. I really like this place and have nothing against the retirees but its kind of crazy that you have to pay $15 for 12 work hours because everyone wants to do the work during the week and sit around and drink coffee but then meeting time chew us working guys out for not doing work hours.

Any advice is much appreciated guys!
Click to expand...


Find out if they are non-profit organization, such as a 501c3 corporation.
 
Does the club really need 12 a year from each member? If guys can come and sit around and do nothing and gain hours, then maybe you could cut the number of hours required for each member.

If things are brought up at meetings and ignored, maybe it's time for new leadership via an election.
 
After a couple threads about this club, I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb when I say this club is ridiculously unprofessional and run very sloppily.

Coming from a rural area where clubs are $25ish a year with no other requirements and the ranges are nice and well kept, I’m baffled how people have to join clubs that are such a pain. When I lived near a bigger city, the rates were much, much higher (hundreds a year) and there were waiting lists, and some had twice a year work days, but for the most part it was just really, very nice and easy and expensive.

It sounds like the club in this thread needs a leadership overhaul. Use the existing governing structure to make it better, or get out. Or pay more and stop dealing with the insanity.

Nice, close and cheap - pick two I guess and just enjoy shooting.

If it was me, I’d factor in the cost of just paying cash and not participating. There’s no amount of money worth dealing with some people...
 
Speedo66 said:
Does the club really need 12 a year from each member? If guys can come and sit around and do nothing and gain hours, then maybe you could cut the number of hours required for each member.

If things are brought up at meetings and ignored, maybe it's time for new leadership via an election.
Click to expand...
There is work like grass, pond, range and wood splitting when we cut trees but i don't think its enough for 150 members to get 12hrs unless things are planned. They need to do a lot more stuff but anytime spending money is brought up its shot down. We need benches and they say how much is wood well $1k nope not going to happen. I could spend a day with 2-3 guys building benches. I brought it up and was told well such n such is a carpenter he will take care of them. I good with my hands so why cant me and 2-3 other guys i know need hours do it?

This last election i found pretty funny they had the old president who now is an officer nominated for president, the current president nominated for VP, president and several other officer positions, the VP nominated for President and other positions i think maybe 2-3 people not on the board were nominated or running and we were told the VP and the others stepped down from presidency which left our current president which i like and the 2 people running against him never showed so they canceled out. the other officers all stepped down from the other spots which kept everyone right where they were previously. My buddy said yeah that's rigged!!!
 
Ohi, really, You have been complaining about this club since you joined, less than 2 years ago, not 4. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/new-to-gun-club.800783/ .You complained about the work hours before you even joined. You have complained about the people https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/new-to-gun-club-2.802977/ . I think for all the stress it causes you it is time to get out and find another place to shoot, or maybe take up shooting pool.
I will add, I have been amember of my gun club for about 15 years. http://www.tacomarifle.org/ . We have about 1400 members now, no RO but weekends,no requirement to work but they do have work groups you can work for 10.00 an hour off renewals, 154.00 a year, and none of the problems you seem to have.
 
Last edited:
2bfree said:
Ohi, really, You have been complaining about this club since you joined, less than 2 years ago, not 4. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/new-to-gun-club.800783/ .You complained about the work hours before you even joined. You have complained about the people https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/new-to-gun-club-2.802977/ . I think for all the stress it causes you it is time to get out and find another place to shoot, or maybe take up shooting pool.
Click to expand...
Not to be condescending but this will be season #3 :) Your right i thought it was 4yrs cause i just hit 4yrs at my current job and thought it was the same time frame but checking the thread you pulled looks like it wasn't. I started going there about 4yrs ago when my buddy got in. My bad!

I looked into every club within an hour of me and they are all either 2-3yr wait, $300yr or way to far for the same amenities. I figured deal with their b.s. a little and see if we can make some changes. One guy with the same thoughts as me got on a committee the other night so im going to talk with him and see what we can do if anything. I figured if i cant beat em i will try and fix it a little.
 
Last edited:
All I can say Ohi is just do a search for club and Ohihunter and you will see that you posted just a couple months before that first one I linked to that you were looking for a club to join. As far as grass cutting seasons, if you joined early 2016 we would just be coming up on a third season. Really, really the stress will end up killing you.
 
To the OP - I don't think you'll get anywhere with your complaints and concerns. You say the economy sucks and then say every gun range in the area, that is even more expensive than yours, all have waiting lists. If so many guys can't afford their memberships, then it will all take care of itself and they will start losing members and then the club will be forced to do something. Until that happens, you really don't have an argument.

It sounds like the club realizes that there isn't enough work for all members to accomplish. That's why they have the option to just pay for those that don't have the time. Seems perfectly reasonable.

Be careful going in and telling them they need to take less money and change rules to make it convenient for you and one other member. I doubt they share that opinion and think the process is as broke as you do. As long as people are paying, all work is getting done, and people are still wanting to me members, I have no idea what you will argue to advocate any changes.

I would either attempt to become involved in the leadership of the club, or get out.
 
2bfree said:
All I can say Ohi is just do a search for club and Ohihunter and you will see that you posted just a couple months before that first one I linked to that you were looking for a club to join. As far as grass cutting seasons, if you joined early 2016 we would just be coming up on a third season. Really, really the stress will end up killing you.
Click to expand...
I'm not really stressed about it like i was. Yeah before it hat me pretty hot but I couldn't care less about their bullcrap anymore. I figured this out within the last year and that's why instead of getting mad about the grass already being cut i just quit going and then when someone says well why didn't anyone show up to help the foreman i'm going to say because i'm not wasting my gas and time when someone else cut it in the morning and had no decency to notify us or play the game of lets cut the grass to piss people off. I did notice it was making me upset and said you know what its not worth it i came here because i wanted a place to shoot and maybe make some friends but noticed people don't want to make friends cause they already have them.
 
mgresh said:
To the OP - I don't think you'll get anywhere with your complaints and concerns. You say the economy sucks and then say every gun range in the area, that is even more expensive than yours, all have waiting lists. If so many guys can't afford their memberships, then it will all take care of itself and they will start losing members and then the club will be forced to do something. Until that happens, you really don't have an argument.

It sounds like the club realizes that there isn't enough work for all members to accomplish. That's why they have the option to just pay for those that don't have the time. Seems perfectly reasonable.

Be careful going in and telling them they need to take less money and change rules to make it convenient for you and one other member. I doubt they share that opinion and think the process is as broke as you do. As long as people are paying, all work is getting done, and people are still wanting to me members, I have no idea what you will argue to advocate any changes.

I would either attempt to become involved in the leadership of the club, or get out.
Click to expand...

Its more than just myself and my buddy. With me shooting a lot i meet a lot of different guys and they always ask when a work party is and i tell them i have no idea i cut the grass and that's it. Oh what time do you cut the grass and i say every other Thursday or whatever at 4pm and 99% says have to pick kids up or still at work. I want them to make it convenient for everyone. They are treating this place like a business to rake in as much money as possible to pay their end of year bonuses and whatever else they are getting away with. Telling a guy that he has to pay an extra $150 a year because they schedule the work in secret during the weekdays when people are at work is a little obsurde IMO. I know about 5 guys i see on a regular basis with one being my friend who say if they did work parties on weekends and announced them they would be all for it and probably help more than the 12hrs. We have people that want to help, complain just like me about things needing fixed and told yeah well we will set up a party and call you. They start calling people at 9am during the week the day of like we can just drop our lives. I'm sorry but $15 is a little high but all i hear from the treasure is we don't mind taking your money, we don't mind taking your money. I guess its okay to be convenient when your a life member who's not required to do work or pay dues or on a committee and your work hours are exempt you just have to show to all the meetings and one spring cleanup but yet you feel the need to have 60 work hours a year while others are told you either pay $300 or take a hike and then we will find someone else to replace you who will be in the same boat as you. Things need changed. I hear oh such n such quit and left in bad standing cause they owe us $150 in work hours. Every meeting guys ask about work hours and told they will let them know and a few meetings later that persons gone and told left in bad standing owe work hours. If i asked several times about work and actually wanted to work or brought things up like hey the gutters have been falling off the buildings for 6 months ill come put them back up and they tell that member sure we appreciate it we will get some material and something together and then 2 days later 5 guys show up and get it done in an hour and sit and b.s. for 5hrs and got their 6 hours in and the other guy is now out and when it came time for that 6 month mark to pay $75 i would tell them pound sand also! I'm really wishing ODNR builds a public rifle range somewhere close because its like $30 a year. I would quit this place in a minute.
 
None of that changes the bottom line - which is they aren't hurting for members or work getting done. You're just going in telling them they need to charge less and/or require less work for members. That's going to go over like a turd in a punch bowl.

I can understand trying to coordinate work or get a schedule. You may be able to get somewhere with that, and that only. But your attitude seems to be they are all conspiring to screw you over. If that's true, they ain't gonna listen to you anyway.

This club clearly does not work for you. You don't like the rules and the majority of the members. Go elsewhere.
 
I've belonged to a couple of private gun clubs, and both were nice ranges, but a pain to deal with. One had the "required work hours" or pay for the hours. I mostly paid. It also failed to update the online schedule when events were going on. They actually listened to a suggestion I had and put up warning lights and horns when calling the range hot/cold. The other was an indoor range that had a requirement to attend a certain number of monthly meetings a year to stay a member. I quickly went to bringing a book and earphones to the meetings, as they were a complete waste of time. They also rented out the facility to non-gun groups on a regular basis, until there was an incident that ended up on the local news. Both were run by cliques, mostly of old guys who wouldn't let anyone else become officers of the organization. That was OK by me, I was just there for the shooting.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
Gun range/Club rates
2 3
Replies
57
Views
2K
BRatigan
BRatigan
A
  • Locked
When do you walk away?
2 3 4 5
Replies
108
Views
7K
Robert
Robert
R
  • Locked
Beer at Gun Club
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
138
Views
6K
texas bulldog
T
A
  • Locked
gun club or social club?
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
4K
Ignition Override
I
Mastrogiacomo
  • Locked
Gun clubs and guests...
Replies
13
Views
1K
dleong
D
Back
Top