Joining Leap'n Lions

Trix · Post by **Trix** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:21 pm

Well, I would just love to join Leap'n Lions, but why oh why do I have to print out a form, fill it out and mail it in? With a paper check? Serious?

Why oh why can't I join online? I'm never gonna get around to joining if I have to do all the above.

Time to move this Club and website into the new millennium!

mockturtle · Post by **mockturtle** » Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:10 pm

Trix, I feel your pain but really, I did it last year and it didn't hurt all that much.

Hawkeye111 · Post by **Hawkeye111** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:20 pm

I am so sorry that the current enrollment process is considered onerous. We are a very small club, with limited resources, and putting up a web site that can accept credit cards and online enrollment is a non-trivial task for us "non-techie" people. Bill Hemme does a magnificent job of keeping what we have in operable condition and improving it within the club's available resource pool.
I would ask anyone who has the time, talent, and motivation to step forward and volunteer to help Bill (web site administrator), to allow us to avoid the fees we currently pay for the existing site maintenance and software and accomplish all that is wished to be.

Jay Clark
Secretary and Treasurer
Leap'n Lions RV Club

Post by **bfadmin** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 5:03 pm

I am really sorry that Trix finds it difficult to download and print out our Membership Application Form, fill it out and mail it along with a check to our secretary/treasurer Jay Clark.

I just checked the FMCA website and they do offer online membership application with credit card billing. However, I would estimate that the FMCA probably has 100 times the number of members and a yearly membership fee of $50 versus our $15 fee and approximately 500 members.

However, I could check with our ISP (Internet Service Provider) and get an estimate of what it would cost our club to offer online membership application and credit card billing services. This would require approval of our Executive Board.

EDIT: I have since determined that the FMCA current membership is almost 115,000 or 230 times more than our club - whatever that means.

Trix · Post by **Trix** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:17 pm

Take a pill, people! I'm not criticizing Jay Clark, Bill Hemme or Mel Wilbur. I think they do a great job moderating the site and sharing their technical knowledge with those of us not so gifted.

However, I'm not the first person to bemoan the deficiencies in the website, and the inability to sign up online is just another example.

How many coaches are in existence? Eight or nine thousand? Perhaps the question should be 'Why aren't there more owner-members?' What can be done to encourage them to join?

Or perhaps you don't value the opinions of 'non-members'?

Mel Wilbur · Post by **Mel Wilbur** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:34 pm

Trix, you remind me of my grandkids, they do not know what a telephone looks like, never driven a car with a stick shift or windows that went up and down with a little crank on the door panel, having to get up off their butt to change a channel on the TV and in the last few years have never used a postage stamp. Don't get me wrong I love my iphone, the internet. and of course the club website. However, sometimes all this technology is not a "fits all" answer.

As for our website my feeling is that it does a fine job doing what it was designed to do, namely an exchange of information, advertising rallies and caravans, buying and selling coaches plus the additional forums added as we go along. I agree with you that many of those registered on the website are not Leap'n Lions members but that is OK by me as they have their own reasons. Forty plus years of motorhoming has taught me that everyone is not a joiner, not interested in rallies and conventions and prefer to do their own thing, also an OK decision. Bottom line Trix, if you find our registration process to cumbersome and archaic you may want to consider joining the FMCA via the internet with your credit card. We have been members in that group since 1975 and they have a monthly magazine that is excellent and have special offers with various services and goods. Bill Hemme mentioned that FMCA was much larger than the Leap'n Lions and he was correct, the last count of their members was 80,000+ and growing.

As for encouraging folks to join the club I think we have "shot ourselves in the foot" by opening the website to anyone, shucks, even those that do not own a Born Free coach. This was the intent from the beginning in order to have dialogue from as many sources as possible. Those Born Free owners that have no interest in the locked members only areas have no incentive to join the Leap'n Lions unless they simply wish to contribute the fifteen bucks a year, which by the way, would always be appreciated.

Lastly, and not to soon. we always appreciate input from all those registered on the website either by a post or a personal email, no letters please (sorry, the devil made me say that}.

Trix, we luv ya, and wish you the best with your Born Free coach.

oliverpsmile · Post by **oliverpsmile** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:29 pm

Trix wrote: Time to move this Club and website into the new millennium!

The "move" would consume the entire yearly revenue of the club. Be reasonable, and just spend for a stamp and a membership and enjoy a good company. In big "clubs" you will be a member in our club you will be a friend.

It is up to you!

Trix · Post by **Trix** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:37 pm

Mel, you flatter me.

I retired in February after 35 years at the telephone company, so I am even familiar with rotary dial!

My daddy taught me to drive on a manual transmission, and I never drove an automatic or had electric windows until well into my 40's. I much prefer four on the floor or a screaming 5-speed to my sedate SUV, but oh well.

I learned one lesson very well in the telco business. Learn to be flexible, and learn to adapt, or die. Luckily I enjoy the process.

Hoping to meet you at a BF rally someday,

Mel Wilbur · Post by **Mel Wilbur** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:31 pm

Trix, I knew it, stick shift/screeming 5 speed, you are my kind of gal. Just wish WA was not such a long drive but who knows, maybe we will meet somewhere down the road.

stevek · Post by **stevek** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:39 pm

I don't know if this helps.
Most of this computer stuff is all new to me.

I belong to an other Forum where the annual dues are $10 mailed in.

But...They have an option where you can pay via the computer with PAYPAL.
The only thing, the charge an extra $1, to cover the PAYPAL expense, if one uses this option.

Mel Wilbur · Post by **Mel Wilbur** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:09 pm

Another important issue here is that if everyone would take an extra couple of minutes when paying their dues and complete the registration form it allows the club to keep up to date with correct information. You would be surprised at the number of changes each year such as phone number, email addresses and home addresses. In my case, I just check the info on the roster and if there are no changes I simply print a copy and write no changes on the form and mail it with my check, not very time consumming for me or the club secretary.

bcope01 · Post by **bcope01** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:53 am

Even though I thoroughly enjoy the Club rallies too, I would gladly pay the annual membership dues just to have access to this wonderful Bulletin Board.

Dont' forget that it is Club dues that make this very valuable asset available.

Bill

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:54 am

Sam Ryan wrote: I'm not a member because there is absolutely no value in doing so for me.

Yes Sam, you are a regular contributor on this Discussion Forum paid for with membership dues paid by other Leap'n Lions club members. Are your sure you are getting absolutely no value in doing so for me.

Trix · Post by **Trix** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:05 pm

I have to chime in again and say I thing $15 is a bargain...it's not the money believe me...it's the procedure...I too would be happy to pay a PayPal fee for the convenience alone.

Dallas Baillio · Post by **Dallas Baillio** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:23 pm

The Lady doth protest too much, methinks.

From Wikipedia,

"The quotation "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." comes from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III, scene II, where it is spoken by Queen Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. The phrase has come to mean that one can "insist so passionately about something not being true that people suspect the opposite of what one is saying."[1] The phrase is often misquoted as "Methinks the lady doth protest too much"[2] and is commonly used in the second person as "Methinks thou dost protest too much."

"Furthermore, the above meaning is based on a misunderstanding of the meaning of the word "protest" as it was used in Shakespeare's day, as the "protest" of the lady is not a protest in the modern sense of the word, but an affirmation or avowal.[3]

"The phrase's actual meaning implies the increasing likelihood of suppressed feelings for the contrary of that which is being argued. I.e., the more passionate and fervent the argument, the greater likelihood the cause is a suppression of belief for the contrary argument, and the subsequent confirmation that it is the (actual) truer statement."

So Trix does this mean you really favor printing out a form and mailing a check?

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