Starting/reviving a club ... New Orleans

[andregurov]

I know that just about

everyone in the ACA is a member of a local club. And these clubs didn't just spontaneously

happen. The south Louisiana area has many hobbyists of all levels of commitment and interest. The

problem is in organizing a club. There was apparently a cichlid club for south LA but it appears

defunct. Any advice on how to resuscitate it? Or are any of its members/former members around

here?

J

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=1979:date=Aug 3 2006, 01:29 PM:name=andregurov)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

(andregurov @ Aug 3 2006, 01:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1979"><

{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I know that just about everyone in

the ACA is a member of a local club. And these clubs didn't just spontaneously happen. The

south Louisiana area has many hobbyists of all levels of commitment and interest. The problem is

in organizing a club. There was apparently a cichlid club for south LA but it appears defunct.

Any advice on how to resuscitate it? Or are any of its members/former members around here?

J</div>
I've heard that most of the local fish

stores have just left with no intent to reopen. Have you seen anything different?

I met

a guy, several years ago, that has the visibility to help. Jack Dunn, lived on the lake. He used to

have a fishhouse called "marineland of the backyard." He also owned "Sharkey's

Reef." Dan

[andregurov]

Whilst Orleans Parish

suffered grievous losses from Katrina, particularly in the east, the suburbs came out relatively

unblemished. There were scant few stores in Orleans proper that were open before the storm, so

they didn't lose "much". In fact, it would appear that interest in fish-keeping has

actually grown since the storm. That obviously isn't the case everywhere in South LA ... but a

dearth of potential members doesn't seem the problem, just a lack of organization/leadership.



I was really hoping that some other LA members of the ACA would see this posting - any

recommendations for alerting them? I have some ideas, but I'm not certain I have the energy or

commitment to spur it.

How did other clubs get started?

J

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=2075:date=Aug 5 2006, 12:07 PM:name=andregurov)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

(andregurov @ Aug 5 2006, 12:07 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2075"><

{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Whilst Orleans Parish suffered

grievous losses from Katrina, particularly in the east, the suburbs came out relatively

unblemished. There were scant few stores in Orleans proper that were open before the storm, so

they didn't lose "much". In fact, it would appear that interest in fish-keeping has

actually grown since the storm. That obviously isn't the case everywhere in South LA ... but a

dearth of potential members doesn't seem the problem, just a lack of organization/leadership.



I was really hoping that some other LA members of the ACA would see this posting - any

recommendations for alerting them? I have some ideas, but I'm not certain I have the energy or

commitment to spur it.

How did other clubs get started?

J<!--QuoteEnd--

></div>
I'd consider what you really want to do. Do you want a fish club

or a cichlid club. Not everyone here is a member of a local club. When the club no longer offers

the things you want or your interests have progressed beyond the limits of the organization, unless

you just want to hand out membership fees, you let your membership lapse and move on.

TCA tried to have area chapters (Austin, San Antonio and Houston), it didn't work out. The

core in Dallas/Ft Worth thrives at the expense of the small group of individuals that do all the

work while the other members enjoy the benefits. General clubs are still active within those

communities.

2 organizations that I know of offer info bundles to prospective clubs on

how to organize, FAAS and FOTAS. Do a Google or Yahoo search.

I understand what

you're trying to do. The guy i previously mentioned could have been the curator of the aquarium

in N.O. but created his own little world faster and with less hassle than dealing with the city or

parish. While I don't have the contacts you're looking for... he may. Possibly, and

here's another time a roster would have been handy, Claudia or another officer could provide

you with a list of Louisiana members. Dan

[fishfarm]

Clubs start small, and grow

slowly, It took about 5 years before our club had more than 10-15 members, Now we have 125 after 10

years. Having a web page and someone willing to monitor it and keep discussions going seems to

work. A new club in Charlotte is really growing now due to their forum and will be having their

first big auction in September. Cichlid only culbs are harder to grow than all species cluds. Our

club is an all species freshwater club, Most members keep some cichlids and a majority that's

all they keep, But we also have the President of the IFGA and several big name killie guys in our

club. It boils down to a few dedicated people who want tos ee it happen. To me the local club is

where it's at, Good folks, rare fish and having good speakers each month keeps the club

growing. We stared with two members who put up flyers in pet shops. Ken

[Patrick Kelly]

My club started from a

group of people at an ACA convention. They belonged to an all species club and decided to start a

cichlid club. When I joined a year later there were only about 10 or 12 members. The club visited

members houses and held small meetings. The club had some bumper stickers printed up and thats how

I found out about it. Saw a bumper sticker on the back of a van sitting at a fish store. The web

site helped, we printed up flyers and put them into stores. The forum helped helped even more.

After about 2 years the President at the time put us into a regular meeting place. From

there the membership has grown. We sit around 58 at this point and are still growing about 3 years

later. (Ken, I hope we can grow like yours at 10 years, that would be great)

Another

thing that I think really helps is having your club web address in your signature on other forums.

When I post pictures on a forum, people have visited my club site to see more pictures. You are

putting it out there. When I go to an auction somewhere else, I put club stickers on my styros

sitting there. We started sponsoring classes at other club shows. Put an add in TFH and other

publications, its free.

There are a lot of things that can be done. It just takes a

lot of work with a few dedicated people.
Local clubs are the foundation for national clubs and

I have learned a lot from being in them.

[jfazande]

Count me in. There was a NO

club because I have the phone #. I got it out of a fish magazine. Oh, in retrospect, the # is now

defunct. New Orleans did host an ACA convention. andregurov, this is tunafish from Mojo. The

Mags are starting to pair off. See ya at Rose Garden.

[bobrfish]

<!--quoteo(post=3220:date=Dec

4 2006, 11:23 PM:name=jfazande)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jfazande @ Dec 4 2006,

11:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=3220)</div><div

class='quotemain'>Count me in. There was a NO club because I have the phone #. I

got it out of a fish magazine. Oh, in retrospect, the # is now defunct. New Orleans did host an

ACA convention. andregurov, this is tunafish from Mojo. The Mags are starting to pair off. See

ya at Rose Garden.</div>
It is my understanding that the ACA

convention held in New Orleans was hosted by ACA itself not a New Orleans club. It is also my

understanding that this convention lost money despite not having to share profits (losses) with a

host club.

Perhaps not having a New Orleans host club was the problem in the first place

???


Regarding starting a club. I have participatied but was not the driving force

behind two clubs in Iowa. In both cases there were one or perhaps two individuals that spent hours

each day working to build this organizations. Both used internet forums as a tool. It was not the

internet that resulted in a club though, it was giving time and energy from one or more folks that

attracted subsequent members. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for at least one

person to dedicate themselves to building a club for next five years.

[Tim]

<!--quoteo(post=3225:date=Dec 5

2006, 11:35 AM:name=bobrfish)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobrfish @ Dec 5 2006,

11:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=3225)</div><div

class='quotemain'>I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for at least one

person to dedicate themselves to building a club for next five years.</div><!--

QuoteEEnd-->

Here I was hoping that someone would jump in and share the burden for the

NECA. I have little free time, and what time I have, I have dedicated to building the club.

It's only been two and a half months so far. Looks like a long four years ahead of me. http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif In the end, I'm sure it'll all be

worth it.
Tim

[andregurov]

Bringing this thread

back around about 1 1/2 years later ... South Louisiana does now have a club structure in place,

and we are moving forward. Please visit the Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society at http://www.selas.us/portal/ for more

information!

[Mrfiremouth]

Great to see you

moving to your first meeting!

It was siad earlier in this thread...<div

class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The core in Dallas/Ft Worth

thrives at the expense of the small group of individuals that do all the work while the other

members enjoy the benefits.</div>

Always remember that

your club is what you make of it! The more time and work you can put into it the better it will

be!
It takes work, dedication, and time. Appoint a leadership team of at least 3 people to

share in the duties to make the club function.

Good luck, and keep promoting!

Passing flyers at the LFS in the area will lead to many more interested members.

[andregurov]

Cycling an OLD thread back around: the Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society will be having its Christmas social on December 10, check http://www.selas.us/ for more information.

4 SELAS members were proud to attend the FOTAS CARES convention just a few weekends ago, and we hope to have more attend next year, and *perhaps* make it to the ACA convention in 2012. While our forum shows 650+ unique members (which sounds impressive) only about 40 or so are regular attendees at events. Which is still a pretty damn good number, I think!

It is hard work, but well worth it for the camaraderie and fun we get to spend together.

[paddysdaddy]

Cycling an OLD thread back around: the Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society will be having its Christmas social on December 10, check http://www.selas.us/ for more information.

4 SELAS members were proud to attend the FOTAS CARES convention just a few weekends ago, and we hope to have more attend next year, and *perhaps* make it to the ACA convention in 2012. While our forum shows 650+ unique members (which sounds impressive) only about 40 or so are regular attendees at events. Which is still a pretty damn good number, I think!

It is hard work, but well worth it for the camaraderie and fun we get to spend together.

Vive la St Rose! Make the drive to Indy for the convention, it will be worth it!

[gas]

It was great to see you In San Antonio James. We are all very excited at the prospect of SELAS joining FOTAS. If I can be of help with anything, just ask.

[andregurov]

Joining FOTAS in on our list of things to discuss ... as is who is going to drive to Indy (hint: not me!). :D

[leisure_man]

Most of us probably knew what happened to the Southern CA club. It takes alot of effort from many to build that club from the ground up and only one to bring it all down.

[verbal]

Glad to hear your club is having success. It was interesting seeing the post about CCA(Capital Cichlid Association) from 5 years ago.

Cycling an OLD thread back around: the Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society will be having its Christmas social on December 10, check http://www.selas.us/ for more information.

4 SELAS members were proud to attend the FOTAS CARES convention just a few weekends ago, and we hope to have more attend next year, and *perhaps* make it to the ACA convention in 2012. While our forum shows 650+ unique members (which sounds impressive) only about 40 or so are regular attendees at events. Which is still a pretty damn good number, I think!

It is hard work, but well worth it for the camaraderie and fun we get to spend together.

[Dean Hougen]

Most of us probably knew what happened to the Southern CA club. It takes alot of effort from many to build that club from the ground up and only one to bring it all down.

It is stunning how damaging a single person can be to an organization.


Dean

[Matt Quinn]

I'm not familiar with what happened in the SoCal club...what happened?

Matt

Most of us probably knew what happened to the Southern CA club. It takes alot of effort from many to build that club from the ground up and only one to bring it all down.