A thought

[Cholewa]

Don't thank me, thank the DC area SCCA.

[chuck schultz]

He said Ricky Bobby

This was not unintentional. . .

[farrout]

I have heard lately that trying to use your worker free days at a NASA event has become difficult to impossible.

We do offer RallyX/SOLO passes for time worked at TGPR. THis seems to appeal to the people who do those type events.

Offering workers track time seems to be wanted but then we only get ~6-8 workers driving in the free time. Do the numbers show that the workers really care?

The work/PDX option for a cheap PDX fee is not used by many either (~2). Same question is relevant -- Do the numbers show that the workers really care?

Offering a PDX pass might be possible but the return on time might not be worth the wait. What is the value of a PDX pass? A 2 day PDX rate is $250. One day is $150. We were paying workers $30 a day so the equivalency is 5 days working for one day free PDX. What is fair? Work 4 days and get a free PDX? You tell me!

While we are not trying to make a large profit (which funds other Region events), we are trying to break even. As someone already said, workers may get choices. Payment, free track time, credits toward a PDX, free SOLO/RallyX, etc. But not all.

We had enough PDX instructors for the # of students. The issue is that in TVR and AL, we do not have enough SCCA licensed instructors to support a large PDX. We also have never had a large PDX turnout. In fact, AL Region lost $$$ on some pure PDX events in the past.

The HPDE model is giving instructors free track time in their own group. HPDE expects 100-120 drivers and they run 4 run groups - Novice/Intermediate/Advanced/Instructor. An HPDE will charge 400-600 per driver out of which comes track expenses, corner workers and profit. THis is a successful model in many areas and it is run by entities who do it for a living (remember the profit motive). We have not approached those sorts of numbers - ever in TT or PDX.

We are trying to build a PDX program. Brett is working on improving what we did at TGPR. But, we need the support (drivers, workers, instructors, Administration, etc) of the two Regions to do this successfully. While a few work their arses off, it is only a few and not nearly enough people.

[farrout]

Chuck, you're right. Most groups do give free track time. BMWCCA charges instructors $25 to cover insurance.

I also understand having to pay more with SCCA due to the variety of run groups that limit track time and not having a dedicated "instructor" run group.

Also, I'm usually given two students with other groups. I would highly recommend not loading instructors down with multiple students if not offering a deep discount. (free)

Actually Casey, we had an instructor PDX run group at TGPR. It was not well used and most of the instructors were running in the TT groups. If we had a lot of solely PDX instructors, I could fashion an Instructor run group.

[Cholewa]

While a few work their arses off, it is only a few and not nearly enough people.

And therein lies the problem. if the 5 or 6 core workers are busy and don't show up, the event is pretty much a no-go. When the event is hedged on the ability to get workers cheaply (instead of paying FbF) and working is boring, you're not really going to bring in enough people and keep them coming back.

I think the only reason a lot of the people who do it do it, is because they are altruistic and they don't want to see the club fail. I think part of the problem with getting workers is just that our reach isn't that great, and part of it is that people either think they aren't qualified to do it, or would rather just not do it. Everybody wants to get, and very few people are willing to give to make that possible.

If you look at this club and who's faces are out there the most, helping put events on and make things happen, you'll see the same handful of faces. There will be a point when they burn out, and somebody will be left holding the bag with nobody who's ready and willing to do the work. Our club can't function like that, and figuring out how to keep fresh blood in the mix and get more of that type of people to join is going to be our biggest issue going forward.


As we sit right now, I can name 10 people who do pretty much 99% of the work, and I can name 100 people who just show up and take advantage of that work without really understanding the effort put forth to make events possible, and without really giving a damn. So the question we need to find a solution to is pretty much - how do we get more people to understand that this club doesn't function without its members. People want incentives to do the work, and there are none.

[JohnW8]

People want incentives to do the work, and there are none.

??? There seems to be a metric$hitTon of incentives but only a few that take advantage of them.

oh and...

As we sit right now, I can name 10 people who do pretty much 99% of the work, and I can name 100 people who just show up and take advantage of that work without really understanding the effort put forth to make events possible, and without really giving a damn. So the question we need to find a solution to is pretty much - how do we get more people to understand that this club doesn't function without its members.

I read this and thought you might be switching to the conservative side of politics.

[Cholewa]

??? There seems to be a metric$hitTon of incentives but only a few that take advantage of them.

oh and...


I read this and thought you might be switching to the conservative side of politics.

The incentives thing was just more general to the club, like board positions and doing setup for various events and all that.

I am a conservative. I compost food waste, reuse wood, unplug electronics when not in use...

[JohnW8]

The incentives thing was just more general to the club, like board positions and doing setup for various events and all that.

I am a conservative. I compost food waste, reuse wood, unplug electronics when not in use...

I thought that was being a conservationist?

There were incentives in place for board members with discounted entries and such but someone voted to take them away.
Sometime if no one steps up to help with the event, maybe we pull the plug on that event and cancel for lack of interest/support.