How to Get the CHC Self Sufficient

[Roy]

I would like to know the members answers to the poll to help find a way to make the site self sufficient.
Any question can be answered by emailing myself    roy@canadianhummerclub.com
Site would be free to view all but events.
 
If anyone knows of a business that would like to sponsor the club by advertizing here,please forward me a message.
 
Stats:
 
Almost 1800 members
 
of these
416 have more than 1 post
355 have more than 2 posts
96 have more than 50 posts
37 have more than 200 posts

[GreenMeanie]

I cant imagine having to pay to post on a forum. I am on many very informative forums and none of them charge for forum usage. Being an active member of a club is an entirely different story in which a member fee should be charged so that collective club costs are shared among the active participating members.
Depending on what the club offers would determine the value therein. We all paid to be Alpha members at one point so we could go to the AMG event and there was significant value in that expieriece so people singed up. Not too many Apha member sign ups since!!
For me, being a member of a club serves little purpose as i can never make it to events so my primary interests center around information about vehicle servicing /customization, other owner expieriences and popular mods which there is an abundance of info on the net for free.
Using Flash off road as a model, they provide technical info and a forum for free but market parts and accessories etc for the money making end of things.
Were i the owner of this site i would tie it to my business or a group of busineses that share the same common goals.

[humybby]

I like this site.  I don't have a ton of posts but I do post from time to time.
 
If it has value to me - I'll pay for that value.  $10 seems like a fair number, I'm in.
 
Green makes a good point, there are free sites that offer similar services but I love that this site is Canadian.  CANADA ROCKS!
 
Something else that matters - many sites are just loaded with keyboard jerks that don't own Hummers, don't like Hummers and just want to disrupt things.  This site is clear of that.  Charging a $10 membership fee will keep those idiots away.
 
Thanks for the work you do here Roy!  You've made the world a better place.
 
Greg

[Roy]

I have only picked a number of $10 for an example. If all 400 posting members would  say yes, then with 2 paying sponsors the price tag would be around $4. to keep the site self sufficient .But if all pay the $10, then there is enough funds to donate to a few charites. I feel it better for all to have all involved than to have a couple pay for everyone else. I plan on keeping a set of books for the costs and keeping the profits in the club for future expenses...
 
Another way to look at it is, you pay 5 timmies coffee, or 2 gals of fuel a year .  
 
 
 
Trail passes make it legal to drive on crown lands in Ontario and Quebec and help put lawyers on staff to keep lands open for off roaders
 
Quebec Federation $250 for the club, $110/yr or $40/3 day pass, for each trail pass.
Ontario Federation $150 for the club , $30 for ea member  or $40 individual 
Tread Lightly
Great Lakes 4WD Club
 
This is just a thought right now, so do not get your fur ruffled. Still looking for sponsors to help out.

[Boeing Jet]

I have no issue in keeping this site up and if that means it costs me $10, $20 or $30 so be it. I'll just cut down on my coffee intake. Don't be cheap folks. We all met great people through this site and friendships that will last.

[yevych]

<div>I don't think there should be any fee for regular club members. I think the previous model will make sense if Alpha members will get incentives in form of membership in Provincial Offroad federation. I don't mind to continue paying for Alpha membership if I get OF4WD membership with it. It's win-win-win-win situation…</div>
<div> </div>
<div>1. Alpha members will get Provincial membership saving on 2 fees;</div>
<div>2. CHC will get funds to register club with Provincial federation and funds to sponsor this site; </div>
<div>3. CHC will keep members who are not willing or interested in paying any fee;</div>
<div>4. CHC will officially support our sport across Canada ...</div>

[Archngel]

[quote="humman"]
 
<div>I don't think there should be any fee for regular club members. I think the previous model will make sense if Alpha members will get incentives in form of membership in Provincial Offroad federation. I don't mind to continue paying for Alpha membership if I get OF4WD membership with it. It's win-win-win-win situation…</div>
<div> </div>
<div>1. Alpha members will get Provincial membership saving on 2 fees;</div>
<div>2. CHC will get funds to register club with Provincial federation and funds to sponsor this site; </div>
<div>3. CHC will keep members who are not willing or interested in paying any fee;</div>
<div>4. CHC will officially support our sport across Canada ...</div>
 
[/quote]
 
The idea is not bad, but for this we need to get more people on the Alpha team, since it not with a dozen of Alpha that we will reach that goal.
if if everyone pay a little instead of a few paying more, would be easier.
There is also the problem of administering the different Provincial membership fees, Im paying Alpha my fees for Off Road Association in Quebec are lot more than the one in Ontario, or other provinces,
Human being Human there is always someone that will argue about the portion he should have participated in the CHC funds vs what he thinks what is owed to them. 
 
Personally Mike's idea for the Alpha to have some sort of Annual provincial off road association rebate ( not necessarily a full subscription since they are not the same all across Canada ) is a good one, the regular paying member member ( small fees ) may get a week end passe, and the non paying maybe just access to forum and participate in the sharing of the information, because that too is valuable. If no one make some sort of input there is not much to share and nothing to see. 
 
So it might be an avenue to look into. 

[Roy]

You all have made good points about this. Even a paper trail for a $2 fee for all is a lot of book keeping.( taking in that a few will not want to pay) I will try to put something together soon and have all comment on it.
Thanks
 
Just checked old stats
 
Almost 1800 members.
 
of these
416 have more than 1 post
355 have more than 2 posts
96 have more than 50 posts
37 have more than 200 posts
 
and worse yet....
 
600 have visited site since Jan 1 2013
 
1200 members whom have not been on the site since before Jan 1 2013
 
We have to wake a few of them up.

[Archngel]

So +- 600 semi active to active member,, that is a drop
 
out of the 1200 missing,, many probably dont have HUMMER anymore, one come ti mind is jean Luc ( Victan ) Yellow H3 if im not wrong he sold it a year or two ago.
from the DB can you tell how many member by provinces, I think that the biggest groups is from Ontario and 2nd Alberta maybe. 
Quebec, we are not many,i've seen about a dozen,

[Roy]

even worse,
 
220 posted in the last 2 yrs
only 117 have posted this year !
 
With these numbers, it will be very tough to get this site self sufficient.
Who would sponsor on this many truck??
Going to have to chat with the IT about this.
Site will be safe for at least 2015 by me.
 
If count goes down, I will have to see how to reduce costs.