"KenF" wrote:
a lot of stuff

When you join TU, you get assigned to a local chapter according to your zip
code. The idea is to get you hooked up with a local group so you can find
opportunities to interact and/or get involved with local projects that
interest you. The Chapter is bound by their charter to publish a newsletter
several times a year (I think Scott has said two a year, I think it's three,
but I'm not sure). I have been helping with my chapter's newsletter for 5
years - I did it myself for 4 years and help with the mailing still. The
newsletter is our second biggest expense - about $6 per year per member. We
publish 9 newsletters (4 pages) and send out several additional mailings in
the form of postcards and banquet flyers. Our board considers this a
necessary expense to keep people informed.

Compare this expense to the $1.50 a year we get from that $35 a year
membership fee ($1 directly from TU and a fraction paid as a rebate from our
Council). I can see why some chapters try to recoup the expense by charging
a fee, but I personally think it's a horrible way to handle things - your
response seems typical.

The real solution to your problem is: you can assign your membership to any
chapter you want to belong to. TU will make the assignment when you join,
but you can call their 800 number or visit the web site and change your
chapter whenever you want. I would be happy to have you join Pioneer Valley
Chapter 276 (every $1.50 helps). We will never dun you for money, we will
probably never send you a newsletter (we filter out-of-state address from
the mailing list - we started doing that after a mistake at TU gave us all
the members from outside the 50 States for several years - we had members
from Japan, Hong Kong, the Virgin Islands, and Jamaica).

--
Stan Gula