All,
As an avid amateur & model rocket hobbiest I am a member of a local club paying a yearly $25 dues, and I am a member of the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) paying $65 a year.
My question is, do many of you also support the AAFTA and a local club by paying your annual dues to both? Granted, my local clubs do not seem to collect dues, but do charge range/match fees...
AAFTA is an association of clubs. Clubs pay $25 per year dues under the current bylaws and only clubs have the ability to vote. The bylaws are on aafta.org if you want to take a look. Page 11.
There is an option for an individual to be an associate member and support AAFTA that way, but that does not convey any voting rights like the clubs have.
Scott
I'm not looking for voting rights, I just want to support the national org, much like I support the TRA as stated above... although I do get voting rights through support of the TRA when it comes time to elect the board of directors (BOD). The difference between the two orgs that I see is; I know what my money does for me & the TRA, but I do not know exactly what the money for the AAFTA does, or how it can benefit me as a shooter.
, but I do not know exactly what the money for the AAFTA does, or how it can benefit me as a shooter.
Club dues are $25 per year. If you're a club of two, then you're paying $12.50 a year. In a club of 25, each club member pays $1 per year.
For that AAFTA, through the actions of a 6 man elected Board of Govenors and other volunteers,
1.) Maintains the national website
2.) Attempts to maintain a standard set of competition rules that is as fair as possible to all clubs.
3.) Maintains an archive of submitted match reports.
4.) Keeps the running record of Grand Prix events each year and presents awards at the NATS
5.) Supports Team USA at the Worlds Competition.
6.) Arbitrates who will sponsor the NATS from bids submitted by various clubs.
Obviously, with the large spread in individual support per year ( up to $1.042 per month) it's up to each individual to decide if they're getting value for their club money.
I also pay annual dues to the Tar Heel Airgun Club. Since AAFTA doesn't dictate to any club how they handle their dues, I can't speak for other clubs.
Knobs
The difference between the two orgs that I see is; I know what my money does for me & the TRA, but I do not know exactly what the money for the AAFTA does, or how it can benefit me as a shooter.
Knobs pretty much covered it. We have a new and updated AAFTA website in the works.
The typical expenses for AAFTA are maintaining the web space, a financial contribution to the hosting club to help with trophies, buying additional AAFTA targets and associated things as needed to add to the AAFTA target inventory, assisting the Worlds team, dealing with rule clarification requests, and providing assistance to the Nationals host for rules issues that might arise during the national match.
The large part of AAFTA support actually comes from the nationals match, where the hosting club makes a contribution back to AAFTA. That typically has been half of the AAFTA auction proceeds.
I think there is a growing expectation that AAFTA needs to find a way to market and raise interest and exposure in and of the sport and we think that new website will be one of the keys to getting the message out.
AAFTA needs to help guide motivated people to form local clubs and be a resource for them and shooters. Ultimately I think that is what will grow the sport.
Scott
