Member profile question

[bustidwing]

I've seen a few posts with.   Inherited member  on the profile area.. what does this mean? That a lifetime membership was handed down or signifies a 2nd or 3rd generation member?

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

Well, When You Join You get a Number   ********     If Lifetime it is LM-********.
You don't Pick A Number You inherited that Number the club give You. Its Not Your Number You can remember.

[njpatera]

Regarding mine...my dad passed and I joined as his membership expired. I gratefully received his number and wrote “ inherited” on my profile. I am the 2nd owner of his originally purchased Kaiser.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

njpatera ,

 Wonderful...  I sometimes don't reed that Portion. We all Should. Learn More about the Members.

I inherited The Dragon List before K.F.O.C. put it on Computer. Now Mr. Hagen helps with the List's of everything but the Darrin's. Its Important for everyone to register their Vehicle . It helps Us count How Many of each Model that still exists & or a New one that Joined the Club.

 I'm into a lot of Hobbies & Clubs. So You may notice I'm into Vintage Electronics Home & Broadcasting as You can see below.

[Gordie]

You are not supposed to inherit a number.  When a member passes away the number is retired too and is not re-assigned.  That is true of all kinds of memberships.  Some members buy memberships for their children or spouses and some get associate memberships with no voting or publication rights.  Many people have now been a member for over fifty years and are very proud of their low numbers.  Njpatera, you have a unique situation that should not have happened.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

For many years prior to 2005 family members who joined the club when their grandfathers, fathers, etc. died were offered the opportunity to carry on the deceased's numnber.  The club also handed down Charter Member numbers when a Charter Member died and the surviving mnembers of the group voted on a replacement.  When this practice came to light among the general membership, the Charter Members were replaced as the governing group for the club by the Board of Directors.

[njpatera]

It's Just a Number
Hmmm...There I go causing problems as usual. Lol... Anyway, I've thought, typed, deleted, retyped, deleted a response multiple times. It's the teacher in me. So, here are the thoughts of a single member. Not much weight behind it or influence, but a reflection non-the-less. *and this is in no way meant in a mean way to any member!!! To the powers that be, maybe something for consideration...

With numbers in clubs dropping and children in families not willing, wanting, or knowing what to do with a parent(s)/grandparent(s) car when they pass...What happens? It's Just a Number!

Sometimes you have a family member; grandkid, brother/daughter, or son that continues the interest in our cars...but more importantly the cars they grew up with and grew up in regardless of make/model...It's Just a Number!

When you reach an age and you can no longer retain your beloved car or an unforseen event occurs and you are just no longer with us...wouldn't you appreciate or find comfort, that in the off chance, a family member has picked up and wants to continue the interest in the vehicle(s) and even reaches out to join a club you were once in...would you not feel some sense of relief, accomplishment, sense of pride? Well, on paper...Its Just a Number!

So, when the inevitable events unfold, and a vehicle stays in a family(regardless of what club), and a family member continues the interest and a membership. That, these days, are dwindling...so literally, It's Just a Number!

When you are going through the belongings and mulling over a vehicle(s), and the wiser, more knowledgeable one is gone...you find like-minded people of whom they were affiliated with. I'm Glad I Did! because they too, have a number. On paper though, It's Just a Number!

Joining a club to keep a little part of that person with you can be emotional enough...but when you get a small act of kindness, thoughtfulness and compassion, even when its just on a piece of paper, that number that all here have...It's Just a Number! ...to some, but when you open up that welcoming package when you joined...and you find that little card or piece of paper and you recognize That number! It's NOT Just a Number anymore... as trivial as it may be, If its not NORMAL for a family member to receive a previous member/fathers grandfathers number, then perhaps it should be! but then again to most....It's Just a Number! To me, at that time as-well-as now...it's more than...Just a Number!

By the way...I also joined the club I grew up in, going with my parents.  When I was sworn into the club, received my token window sticker and pin...guess what else I got?  It wasn't just Another number! It's those little things that can make ALL the difference...

[Gordie]

Good points!  Thanks

[ldladyvt]

Very Well put.  I understand.  We have three sons (two active in the club) (one's into Packards - we've considered having him tested) and several grandkids presently active.  I think it is a nice thought that one of them would feel just a little bit closer to us after the inevitable to switch numbers.  The charter membership, back in the day guided the club and we had grown enough to need a bigger voice for all members and passing a number preceded by LM would just require two keystrokes and a yearly dues check.  Bob and Char Dayton.

[Roadmaster49]

You are not supposed to inherit a number.  When a member passes away the number is retired too and is not re-assigned.  That is true of all kinds of memberships.  Some members buy memberships for their children or spouses and some get associate memberships with no voting or publication rights.  Many people have now been a member for over fifty years and are very proud of their low numbers.  Njpatera, you have a unique situation that should not have happened.

While I understand that a club needs rules to operate, this one and the insistence that this member skirted a rule made me cringe as it did some others.  Your response here is unnecessary, and in fact looking at Barbara's response, may not be valid. 

In a club that is in free fall membership wise, and forum activity wise, I would have left this one alone.  Who really cares if an old membership number is retained by a successive generation member?   

And no I am not a KFOCI member, so perhaps my comments are not valid.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

I liked it to find if You leave the club & come back You could Your Old number back.

Not going to happen to Me with Lifetime. If discharged You wont have to worry about it.

 I'm not going anywhere but Here for the K.F.O.C. This is the Best Club I'm a Member of in Antique Auto or Any Club.

I pay for Everything for National or Regional Shows. Lifetime Used to Mean You loved the Club. I did it because Did not want to forget My Dues. I did it in My Local Vintage Vehicle Club.

This said I recommend for Lifetime Members the Club send Out an Donation Letter. If some one wants start a forum on this subject, Please Do.
If You come to Our Shows one Time National - Regional, You will know This is a Great  Club. Some will say this is the Most Fun of any show I did this Year. Now I know why I joined.....

I think Donation & Don't need to be Lifetime, & Say Thanks in the News Letter would do It.

Forum Folk , If You have Not Joined the Club Your not getting on Ounce of what I'm Talking about.
 I know some joined & was selling Antique Vehicle K.F. Product & decided to Keep it & Joined. Nobody Twisted their Arm...

[pjkaiser]

 I initially  signing up in 1975 when I owned a 1953 Manhattan and a 1953 Green Dragon.   I sold them before moving from the Chicago suburbs to Anaheim CA in 1977.   I appreciated having my old number returned after I rejoined in the 90's when I was in earnest looking for a Darrin, dropped out again until I finally was able to purchase my Darrin in 2012.   It gave me a sense of continuity and I believe a tighter bond to the club.   I do enjoy the club and it's members!

[HJ-ETEX]

Back when The Club had been in operation for a number of years, there was a problem. The Club was governed by the Charter Members, but several of the Charter Members had lost interest and dropped out. In order to continue functioning, the Club President took the solution of designating NEW Charter Members. These were not people that had been at the Palmer House Meeting or otherwise been involved in organizing The Club like George Domer #1.
When I became involved in making a yearly membership roster, I had the idea of making a list of all the members by membership number whether they were still active or only 1 year members that had dropped out. The regular membership numbers began at 100; less than 100 were Charter Members. I immediately ran into problems when membership numbers more than 14 and less than 100 turned up. Those numbers were members that were the later designated Charter members. They essentially had 2 membership numbers.
I now know why it was done, but my opinion is there was a problem that should - and could have - have been corrected in a better manner.
That leads to my opinion that membership numbers apply to 1 individual and can not be changed or passed on. 

I had to drop my project because of these record keeping conflicts.

[Roadmaster49]

I'm not going anywhere but Here for the K.F.O.C. This is the Best Club I'm a Member of in Antique Auto or Any Club.

I pay for Everything for National or Regional Shows. Lifetime Used to Mean You loved the Club. I did it because Did not want to forget My Dues. This said I recommend for Lifetime Members the Club send Out an Donation Letter. If some one wants start a forum on this subject, Please Do.
I think Donation & Don't need to be Lifetime, & Say Thanks in the News Letter would do It.

Forum Folk , If You have Not Joined the Club Your not getting on Ounce of what I'm Talking about.
 I know some joined & was selling Antique Vehicle K.F. Product & decided to Keep it & Joined. Nobody Twisted their Arm...

You have a very good idea here.  Look, lifetime membership when the club was at it's height was one thing. Now, when the club is struggling, the folks that have been in for 40 years need to 'donate' to keep the club going.  This likely means households in their 70's and 80's age wise any way, and I might add, I have no proof they don't already donate, which many probably do. 

I started a post in the Cadillac LaSalle Club regarding their lifetime membership rules.  They require a 10 year normal membership at $40 per month for printed magazine before applying for lifetime membership at $750 cost.  At my age of nearly 55, I would not get as much value.

I bring this up because the KFOCI as I understand it is a club of passionate loyalists who mostly joined "young" and have now been life members for decades.  The club has spent that money, like those on social security are now!  We can't cover their fortune for being in the right place at the right time.   Who is going to pay for social security?  We are, those under age 50 will pay for the baby boomers or the system will go broke. 

For KFOCI, a volunteer not for profit club, the club will go broke without donations.  Or dues (taxes for Social Security) increases.