Range Membership Sponsorship?

[sturmruger]

My wife and I lived in Western WI for several years. I was a member at the local gun club just outside of River Falls, WI. We moved to IA for 2 1/2 years, and now just moved back to WI. This last weekend I stopped by the club to renew my membership. I proved I was a NRA member, paid my $35, signed all the paperwork and then got stuck on the last requirement. They require all new members to be sponsored by another member. If you don't know any other members then you are required to appear before the board and plead your case as to why they should allow you as a member!

I think they had to start doing it this way because some antis were attempting to get on the board and change things around to their liking. If you have to be sponsored by a member or go before the board it should cut down on any antis from being voted in as a board member. Like many gun clubs this one is continuly fighting with the neighbors. They all would love to get on the board so they could limit the shooting hours to just a couple per day.

The question is, is this normal? Do other clubs, or organizations do the same thing? If so what has your expierence been?

 

[J Miller]

I don't belong to any club type range, but I have checked out several here in central IL. All of them have some sort of monthly meatings where prospective members have to introduce themselfs and get interviewed by the club officers.
I've not gone through it because I haven't had the funds to join. Every time I get the money together, it seems to go somewhere else.

Since you were a previous member I doubt you'll have any trouble. But in the couple years you were gone, did every one who knew you leave?

J

 

[The Reaper]

We require two sponsoring members and you must state your case at the general membership meeting. You are then voted on by the BoD and then the General membership. A majority vote from the BoD and a 2/3 vote from the general membership is required. If denied you must wait 12 months before you may reapply.

I'm not aware that we have ever denied an application and the process is seen more as a formality as applicants are presented en masse for the votes.

 

[sturmruger]

Members

I must admit that my favorite time to shoot is when there isn't anyone at the range. I have some free time during the day and like to head to the range during the week. Allot of times there are way too many people there on the weekend to make it enjoyable for me. Bottom line is I didn't really know anyone all that well. This time I am going to do my best to helpout more and attend all the board meetings.

 

[Peetmoss]

We have a similar requirment at the club I belong to. However it's just a formality there.

 

[Kamicosmos]

I'm not a big fan of the Gentleman's Club deal. Glad they don't do that around here. Seems mighty discriminatory to me. But, it's their business....

 

[cracked butt]

I faced a similar situation 5 or 6 years ago- I moved to a different city where I didn't know anyone. I took a ride out to the range and asked a member about membership and he referred me to a board member. I got an application in the mail, filled it out, and attached a check for the membership fee. I then wrote what amounted to an open letter to the board and membership of the club that was basicly a short biography of myself including my interests in shooting sports along with contacts of present or past board members of a former club I had belonged to along with a few personal references. That seemed to be acceptable enough to them to let me join their club.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

I've been going to my local range once a week for a few months now and the employees recognize me now. It's a nice safe range and I would join but in addition to the "need two members to sponser you" rule, there is also a seven year wait list! I haven't looked into the details because I figure what's the use with a hurdle like that. From what I understand they are quite proud of the waiting list since I guess it means more people want to join than they have room for (Bambam-31 quibbed "I guess someone has to die before they let a new member in"). There are a few homes about a mile away, FWIW.

There are two other ranges that I could join, but they are a little out of the way and I don't feel like switching ranges just because I can be a member.

 

[whoami]

There's a couple more private ranges near me that do the same thing. I end up going to a range 40 minutes away because the one 10 minutes from my house requires 250 a year for membership (not including hourly range fee of something like 8 bucks an hour) and you have to go through the whole rigamarole. I've got no problem with them doing that, but I'd rather spend 50 a year and 3 per hour at Ft. Dix, where I don't have to be vetted like a criminal.

 

[El Tejon]

sturm, one of my clubs here requires this. The motivation (as explained to me) is that the sponsors are "responsible" for the new member (club events, safety, key changes, work days, etc.) so as to form "triads" or "cells" inside the club.

My other club merely requires an annual fee and we can shoot and fish our heart's content. Different strokes for different folks.