Trout Unlimited

I got another "Join Now" junk mail from Trout Unlimited in today's
post. I used to belong to Trout Unlimited, I think they do some good
work both locally on some Wisconsin streams of my acquaintance and in
the lobbying world of Washington D.C. But I quit in a snit many years
ago over a stupid policy that I hope has been changed by now and I'd
like to hear from some roffians familiar with Trout Unlimited as to
whether this is the case or not.

My snit was with the national policy requiring every TU member to
belong to a local chapter and requiring the local chapter to send
mailings to every person in the chapter. The closest TU chapter to me
is in Oakbrook, Illinois, a tony suburb of Chicago full of lawyers and
dentists about 130 miles from Urbana. When I belonged to TU I received
the Oakbrook newsletter six or so times a year along with a bill. So I
called one of the officers listed in the newsletter and told him I live
130 miles away and I'm not interested in your chapter or your
newsletter so please remove me from your membership roll. No can do. I
had to belong to their chapter and they had to send me their
newsletter. They probably could have quit sending me rude dunning
letters suggesting that I must be a deadbeat for not contributing
towards my fair share of the newsletter and its postage but like I said
they were a bunch of lawyers and dentists.

So has this stupid policy been changed ? Can I safely send TU $35 a
year without getting nasty letters from a bunch of rich, cheap-assed
lawyers and dentists from Oakbrook ?

--
Ken Fortenberry

"KenF" wrote in
ups.com:

I got another "Join Now" junk mail from Trout Unlimited in today's
post. I used to belong to Trout Unlimited, I think they do some good
work both locally on some Wisconsin streams of my acquaintance and in
the lobbying world of Washington D.C. But I quit in a snit many years
ago over a stupid policy that I hope has been changed by now and I'd
like to hear from some roffians familiar with Trout Unlimited as to
whether this is the case or not.

My snit was with the national policy requiring every TU member to
belong to a local chapter and requiring the local chapter to send
mailings to every person in the chapter. The closest TU chapter to me
is in Oakbrook, Illinois, a tony suburb of Chicago full of lawyers and
dentists about 130 miles from Urbana. When I belonged to TU I received
the Oakbrook newsletter six or so times a year along with a bill. So I
called one of the officers listed in the newsletter and told him I live
130 miles away and I'm not interested in your chapter or your
newsletter so please remove me from your membership roll. No can do. I
had to belong to their chapter and they had to send me their
newsletter. They probably could have quit sending me rude dunning
letters suggesting that I must be a deadbeat for not contributing
towards my fair share of the newsletter and its postage but like I said
they were a bunch of lawyers and dentists.

So has this stupid policy been changed ? Can I safely send TU $35 a
year without getting nasty letters from a bunch of rich, cheap-assed
lawyers and dentists from Oakbrook ?


Every member must belong to a Chapter, and every chapter must publish at
least two newsletters a year. These days, many chapters seem to be
fulfilling this requirement electronically.

Chapters are not supposed to bill for the newsletter mailings, but I can
understand why some feel compelled to do so. If they bill, they damn well
should take your name off the mailing list if you don't want to pay. In
the old days, it was tough, as National sent mailing labels to the
chapters. Now they send an electronic list, so it might be easier to
take a name off.

My chapter does not bill, and will not if they expect my affiliation to
continue.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

"KenF" wrote

they were a bunch of lawyers and dentists.

So has this stupid policy been changed ? Can I safely send TU $35 a
year without getting nasty letters from a bunch of rich, cheap-assed
lawyers and dentists from Oakbrook ?




I have found that I feel best about donated dollars when I narrow the scope
of the donation. By that I mean I pick groups focused on specific places
and issues important to me, investigate those groups in an effort to
determine their efficiency and avoid possible hidden agendas, and then
donate a few bucks to "my" river or cause. So I've given money to the $3
Bridge Project even though I don't fish there, but I don't give money to
"all streams everywhere" groups ... that stategy seems as thin and vague as
"Bush's Plan," in my mind .... add lawyers and dentists and I'd run and lock
up my wallet G

"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

KenF wrote:

I got another "Join Now" junk mail from Trout Unlimited in today's
post. I used to belong to Trout Unlimited, I think they do some good
work both locally on some Wisconsin streams of my acquaintance and in
the lobbying world of Washington D.C. But I quit in a snit many years
ago over a stupid policy that I hope has been changed by now and I'd
like to hear from some roffians familiar with Trout Unlimited as to
whether this is the case or not.

My snit was with the national policy requiring every TU member to
belong to a local chapter and requiring the local chapter to send
mailings to every person in the chapter. The closest TU chapter to me
is in Oakbrook, Illinois, a tony suburb of Chicago full of lawyers and
dentists about 130 miles from Urbana. When I belonged to TU I received
the Oakbrook newsletter six or so times a year along with a bill. So I
called one of the officers listed in the newsletter and told him I live
130 miles away and I'm not interested in your chapter or your
newsletter so please remove me from your membership roll. No can do. I
had to belong to their chapter and they had to send me their
newsletter. They probably could have quit sending me rude dunning
letters suggesting that I must be a deadbeat for not contributing
towards my fair share of the newsletter and its postage but like I said
they were a bunch of lawyers and dentists.

So has this stupid policy been changed ? Can I safely send TU $35 a
year without getting nasty letters from a bunch of rich, cheap-assed
lawyers and dentists from Oakbrook ?


no

Scott Seidman wrote:


Every member must belong to a Chapter, and every chapter must publish at
least two newsletters a year. These days, many chapters seem to be
fulfilling this requirement electronically.

Chapters are not supposed to bill for the newsletter mailings, but I can
understand why some feel compelled to do so. If they bill, they damn well
should take your name off the mailing list if you don't want to pay. In
the old days, it was tough, as National sent mailing labels to the
chapters. Now they send an electronic list, so it might be easier to
take a name off.

My chapter does not bill, and will not if they expect my affiliation to
continue.


....at one time, in nc at least, one could select which chapter they
wanted their name attached to. if one isn't chosen, the nat'l org just
attached the membership to the nearest chapter.

jeff

"Stan Gula" wrote in
news:IFKph.5891$3L1.1252@trndny03:

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).


The State Councils actually decide where the rebates go. NY State Council
keeps it!! Local chapters don't get a dime of it, except in the form of
conservation or education grants from State Council


--
Scott
Reverse name to reply

Stan Gula wrote:
snip
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 ...

The perfect solution, thanks Stan. This place never ceases to amaze.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Ken Fortenberry typed:
Stan Gula wrote:
snip
I would be happy to
have you join Pioneer Valley Chapter 276

The perfect solution, thanks Stan. This place never ceases to amaze.

There goes the neighborhood.
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/pics/shoot_me.jpg
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
The State Councils actually decide where the rebates go. NY State Council
keeps it!! Local chapters don't get a dime of it, except in the form of
conservation or education grants from State Council

Yes, I know. I'm pretty active in the state council - almost signed up to
be chairman this year except I'm going back to school and figured I would be
too busy. Probably will do that in 4 or 5 years. Mass. council gives all
the money back to the chapters because we have several poor chapters.