Gypsy,

I started JPF because I didn't feel like the orgs I was a member of (including NSAI and the ISA) were doing the things I thought they could or should do. Rather than simply complain about what I was unhappy with and waiting for them to address it or do what I wanted, I stepped up and did it myself.

If someone wants a chapter to do something they aren't, if they aren't willing to step up to make those things possible, I am not sure how they can expect things to change for the better. It's sort of like voting. Half the US doesn't vote, but nearly everyone complains about what's happening at any given time. If you wanted Buffalo to be better or different, I know Michael and the folks running it would love to have had your support and work to make things better. But you have to offer it and get involved. Observing from a distance doesn't solve anything for anyone. I think you have to agree with that. Remember, everyone working with JPF is a volunteer. I think those who have stepped up to try and do SOMETHING deserve a lot of credit. If folks have chosen not to step up, it's hard to take their criticism as productive input.

People in this era are apathetic. There's many obvious reasons for this, but it's a problem than any volunteer org. has to deal with. One of the reason for my proposed change is that it's often easier to find 2-3 motivated folks than a room full. Some of our chapters have successfully kept people involved over several years. Buffalo has one of the longest running streaks of meetings/events of any city, even though they might be a bit down right now. Tampa has been the most successful in the last 2 years at keeping folks involved, but it's hard work and takes a community of people stepping up, rather than 1 or 2 people doing all the work. So the new format would take a lot of the monthly pressure off of a volunteer so they could focus on 1 showcase, 1 networking meeting, 1 workshop and then use the rest of their energy to communicate and do things that don't require a room full of people to accomplish.

When we do Roadtrips, we go to many chapter cities that can't get folks to come to events, but suddenly people come out of the woodwork to perform and attend. In cities where we average 5 people at a chapter meeting, a Roadtrip showcase will fill a venue with 150 people. The only difference is that I am there, but I refuse to believe that it requires me to be in the room for folks to get together. I think the more likely reason is that it's more of a special event rather than a monthly ho hum thing. So the new format should (hopefully) get folks together in the same room (which is really the goal here) at least a few times a year, and then free up a coordinator/rep to use their energy to do tangible productive things the rest of the time. The challenge, of course, will be to find people to volunteer and take the responsibility. It may be impossible. But if I want to make the program better, I have to put the effort into making it happen. We're not hypocritical here. So we'll step up to work to find the folks to get involved and work to provide some guidance and ideas and support and hope that people like you and others who are dissatisfied with the current options as they stand today will ALSO step up and personally get involved. Then we all win. And that's what we want in the first place I hope.

Brian


Brian Austin Whitney
Founder
Just Plain Folks
jpfolkspro@gmail.com
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"Don't sit around and wait for success to come to you... it doesn't know the way." -Brian Austin Whitney

"It's easier to be the bigger man when you actually are..." -Brian Austin Whitney

"Sometimes all you have to do to inspire humans to greatness is to give them a reason and opportunity to do something great." -Brian Austin Whitney