Starting Clubs???

[Russ]

Is there much to starting/running a club and is there more good than bad points to starting one?

[RET]

There's sure as hell no short answer to that one!

The FE-FC Holden Car Club of WA is only a few years old - the number of participants here from WA was part of what provided the impetus to start a local club.  You might find it useful to get some thoughts from those guys, since they have the same 'tyranny of distance' issues that you would have in NT, I guess.

Starting and/or running a club can be as much or as little work as the committee and the members are willing to chip in and/or accept.  It doesn't have to be a lot of work, but it does require commitment on both sides.

It's most certainly worthwhile if you can bring together people with a common interest they can share, of course.  It can be a fantastic community that everyone gets a lot out of.  Like everything else, you get out of something what you put in.

I guess you have to look at what clubs already exist in NT, and what overlap there is between the charters of those clubs and what you're considering.  Starting a club that directly competes with ones already in existence doesn't seem a great idea.  You have to consider what it is about your club that differentiates itself from any others in the same "space".  Typical considerations here are:
- Existing clubs only cater to stockies, or only hotties and turn away the others
- Existing clubs perhaps cater to all models, none with focus on early Holdens
- Existing clubs that are locality-based rather than model or theme, ie Katherine Street Machine Assoc or something.

There's so much that could be said here.  Hopefully that's just some food for thought.

cheers
RET

[Russ]

thanks, definatly food for thought

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Make sure there is a "real" need and enthusiastic participants. Nothing kills a club quicker than people with only good intentions and no follow through.

[4hammers]

Hi.
Also, be sure that someone who is really wanting to be part of the club Committee side of things, is going to do it for the right reasons. Too many times have I seen the enthusiest that turns into the "Hey, that was MY idea" & "This club would be naught without me"! attitude.

Just remember the Golden Rule. The club is for the members, NOT the Committee alone. Make sure all get to have input. You will get all types joining, so be prepared for a lot of different ideas.

Rob J