This past year has given us as an executive some challenges that we had to work out as a group, with differences in opinions, wants and vision. We run our club so that everyone on the boards opinion matters, we have ideas tossed around, debates and votes. Not sure if you are aware, but as a president, I don't vote unless there is a tie in our voting. We strive to meet once a month and with everyone's different schedules that becomes hard at times. Each of us has our roles in the group but I am thankful that each of us is willing to step in and help out where extra help is needed, when it is needed. In the four years that I have been President each year we have had change in the board... This year was the biggest. With me being the old person on board and pretty much all new executives. I can say that it was a good year with the learning to work together, challenges, excitement and we did have disappointments this year as well.
Past/Cancelled Events - A Snapshot
Events this year, were just two big ones comedy night and Christmas...and I am sure many are wondering why? Let me explain that is was not a lack of wanting to or planning on the boards behalf. We had three events in various points of planning - two where our posters were about to go up in garages, that we had to cancel. All out of control of the boards hands. We know that from the outside looking at we did is seems little was done. We did some major housekeeping, within the club with regards to how the membership lists are kept, and then our website. Events that were planned but had to be cancelled are as follows:
- June 24 - Pembina River float/beach day, this was cancelled due to the river being too fast and the rental place closed, as well as warnings from the gov't to stay off the river.
- Aug.10-12 - Camping Trip, this was cancelled as the campground we had it reserved at, cancelled our reservations, and chose to go a different route with their business.
- Sept. 8 or 15 - Family day/movie night, we as the board had to cancel this for lack of volunteers and weather forecast as it was intended to be an outdoor event.
Website Update
We did though get our web site a huge new face lift, modernized, and more user and mobile device friendly. We have a great company working with us, if you have not been to the site lately please head on over there and see what is new. We are trying very hard to encourage everyone to use the site for communication, signing up members, as well as emails, etc. Going forward, the only way to join ETSC will be through the website, no paper forms will be accepted. Here is our web site address (it hasn't changed) myetsc.org
Garage Entertainment
Another item that was brought to us in the spring was the team that was working within ETS to get our entertainment tables in each garage updated. Have you notice there are new pool tables and ping pong tables? There was a great need for this and we were approached by this group to help with the cost. The board debated this extensively as it has never been done before to support and give money to another group in ETS. With knowing that our membership enjoys these tables and that we were one of many groups that were asked, so the cost was not huge. We voted yes to helping out with a $1000.00 one time donation.
Christmas Party 2018
We want to touch on a few concerns that have popped up since the Christmas party...why change venues? There are a number of reasons that venues are changed. COST is one of the biggest next to availability to the date we have in mind. Every year our cost of holding an event go up by a typical 10-15% at the venue level. This meaning the cost for the hall, food and it is usually the food where these costs are noticed.
Another one of them is the alcohol - why? This is a complaint that we have every year - usually the complaint is that it is TOO expensive. This year it has been why is it free? Well because of the cancellation of the smaller events, as well as the executive trying to give you more bang for your ticket. We shopped around for a venue that could do this for us at a reasonable price. When we looked at the average cost last year to gauge what we were to stay under, we kept this in mind looking for our new venue. With our venue we picked this was right on par for last years cost per person. Or so we thought... What we didn't understand/know was that the average cost had all aspects of the event cost not just the food/hall costs. This was a huge oversight by myself, and I take 100% of the mistake on me.
The other concern that I am hearing is that we spent too much money on the gifts this year. The executive has not increased the amount of money they had for gifts for the last 5 years at least. The question every year for the executive is how to do the gifts for the event. Do we give everyone a gift at a lower cost, do we give gifts that are items, do we do gift certificates, do we do combined gifts, believe us that we debate this issue every year. This year is was decided to do a combination of gift items and certificates. The shopping was done with great care and planning to get our members some really great gifts at some really great costs. I know that it is disappointing when one walks away from the evening with nothing, and other have something. We do try to stack the member gifts so there are more members getting gifts then nonmembers. I also know that I had announced that I would be putting the list of who got what and what the gifts were. I myself screwed up on this one, and will have this done before the AGM and posted on our web site, asap.
Want to get involved? Or run for the Executive Team?
Volunteers, our club is run solely by volunteers... We volunteer because we enjoy planning, and making events happen. Without volunteers on many levels we would not be successful. With saying that I challenge and wholeheartedly would love to see anyone with concerns or passion for this to volunteer at some level for the club. Every year there is opportunity to get on the executive board. Come out to the AGM and make your desire known, get yourself nominated for a position. Spread the word among your friends to come support you getting elected. Sign up to be a garage rep, this gets you selling tickets, chatting up people and getting to know the workings of the club. Come out to meetings, listen and learn. I will tell you that there are a few openings on the executive coming up this year. One of them is President, I have enjoyed being in this role for 4 years now, but feel that it is time for me to resign. It has been a pleasure and great joy to be on the executive, and I truly hope that I have sparked some of you to come out and take a more active role in the club.
For now and till the AGM,
The Executive of ETSC
By Tammy van Slageren
