Bulletin awareness/Financial thoughts

[njpatera]

Just received the October bulletin today and was taken aback after reading about the budget short fall. Obviously there’s a number of factors that brought about the situation. It was great to see the donations made to try and somewhat offset the numbers. That said, it is what it is and suggestions have been asked for...my 2¢...

I’ve read many times in past posts people saying, “what do I get?” if I join the club. You can’t really put a price on the help and assistance in answering questions but individuals simply like “things,”or as I’ve asked myself...does the club have any official SWAG? Stuff We All Get! Would it be possible for the powers that be look into offering official T-shirts, hats, key chains, hoodies with the club logos or KF and Willy’s pics on them. We buy, club makes money on the purchases. Many of us can’t make it to National meets, but would love to buy Swag and help advertise KF when not able to get the cars out there...

[Gordie]

That is a good idea and the club does sell nice cloth patches for jackets or hats and one group sells license plate frames with your year car and name on them.  Another chapter sells key chains and belt buckles.  T shirts are available at each National Meet but none are sold by the club.  Maybe jackets and t shirts would be good sellers.  Different chapters have sold  them in the past.  How many of you would be interested in having a club jacket or t shirt?

[njpatera]

I’d be interested in a couple shirts and hats😎

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The patches are advertised in the KFOCI MONTHLY BULLETIN.  They are a fund raiser for the National level. 

[Kory Fox]

I'd definitely be interested.

[Bulletin Editor]

I’ve read many times in past posts people saying, “what do I get?” if I join the club.

You get award-winning publications: the Monthly News Bulletin and the Quarterly, which includes a beautiful full-color calendar. You also get the CD Handbook, with nearly 1400 pages of photos and data on the vehicles built after 1945 by Kaiser-Frazer, Graham-Paige, Willys Motors, Kaiser Motors, Kaiser-Willys, Willys Overland, IKA, and Kaiser Jeep ~ which was highly praised in Old Cars as a valuable feature they had not seen offered by any other car club.

[Gordie]

You also get full access to this fine forum that constantly answers your questions about your Kaiser, the KFOCI or any other Kaiser Frazer Willy history questione answered by qualified people who have been in the hobby for many years and also jim Betts circleKf website with copies of nearly every piece of Kaiser Frazer literature ever published.  No other car club offers the help that this club does and all for a very reasonably priced annual membership fee.  Give it a try!

[njpatera]

Going to steer this thread back to its original intention...SWAG...

[Bulletin Editor]

Going to steer this thread back to its original intention...SWAG...

SWAG stands for "Stuff We All Get"... typically the free promotional items (pens, prizes, etc) one gets when attending an event.

SWAG items in the Welcome bags at the National this year included 2 very nice stylus pens: one with the club name/logo, and one from Kaiser Bill, along with a CD of his Restoration book. Bags also included a tape measure or flashlight, and back-scratchers with Kaiser or Frazer decal logos were also distributed.

I wouldn't consider items (shirts/hats/jackets/hoodees/keychains/cup cozy/etc) that you must purchase as SWAG, so what specifically are you asking for the club to provide you for free - without attending a club event?

Over the years there have been no less than 3 members selling clothing items - either screen-printed or embroidered - with prices ranging from $15 (hat) to $55 (sweatshirt) plus shipping.  Are you willing to pay those prices? I don't know if they stopped advertising because they ran out of stock, or because the response was poor. I could contact them for feedback to see if it's worth the club doing as a fund-raiser. If it looks viable, it might be something to try but only IF we could get sufficient paid pre-orders to cover the cost.  What would you order? 

[njpatera]

Hmmm... I made sure that was clear in the initial post! I made NO mention of the club providing anything free! I’ve no idea where that was interpreted. FYI: swag is just another word for merch. All swag is not free! As I made clear in the initial post. Many members don’t/can’t go to a National meet for whatever reason, so therefore it would be nice to support the club with “official” (since that’s the new buzz word)items to purchase. Where did I mention free? This is not the way to address ideas to help the club...it’s clear it’s needed. As others have mentioned, I’ll just observe as things decline. Again...where did I say free? Smdh🤦‍♂️

[Terry T]

Hmmm... I made sure that was clear in the initial post! I made NO mention of the club providing anything free! I’ve no idea where that was interpreted. FYI: swag is just another word for merch. All swag is not free! As I made clear in the initial post. Many members don’t/can’t go to a National meet for whatever reason, so therefore it would be nice to support the club with “official” (since that’s the new buzz word)items to purchase. Where did I mention free? This is not the way to address ideas to help the club...it’s clear it’s needed. As others have mentioned, I’ll just observe as things decline. Again...where did I say free? Smdh🤦‍♂️

I saw "buy" in your initial post twice.

[Bulletin Editor]

Hmmm... I made sure that was clear in the initial post! I made NO mention of the club providing anything free! I’ve no idea where that was interpreted. FYI: swag is just another word for merch. All swag is not free! As I made clear in the initial post. Many members don’t/can’t go to a National meet for whatever reason, so therefore it would be nice to support the club with “official” (since that’s the new buzz word)items to purchase. Where did I mention free? This is not the way to address ideas to help the club...it’s clear it’s needed. As others have mentioned, I’ll just observe as things decline. Again...where did I say free? Smdh‍♂️

You asked "what do I get" from the club when I join which, to me, implied "what comes with" paid membership. You also defined SWAG as Stuff We All Get which (again to me) implies items that "come with membership and we all get." At this point, the answer is: award-winning publications, the CD Handbook, and the support of fellow members. More than some clubs provide, less than others.

Yes, you asked about "merch" to buy. There have been some in the past - different items by different people in different styles, costing $15-$55 + $5 average shipping. That was 2006-2008. Obviously prices have gone up since then, especially postage. I checked online for a cost estimate on a simple, good quality single color T-shirt, both screen-printed and embroidered. Assuming a quantity of 100, in a mix of sizes, using a first-time promotional code (25% discount + free shipping), and adding $ for club profit, the cost per shirt would be $25 for screen printed and $30 for embroidered, plus another $8 per item for insured shipping to you. How many of you are willing to pay that? 

As for not getting a Convention T-shirt because you couldn't attend ... there have been some that we could not attend, but we were able to get a shirt by contacting the hosts to ask if they would mail one, sending in the Registration form, paying for the item and adding for postage. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Often members want the club to do something for them without considering it may have been tried before or doesn't seem to have enough other support or is not in the realm of what is possible at this time.  The club has to weigh the risk and reward, and judge whether we have the resources - financial, as well as manpower - for each venture. Personally (not speaking on behalf of the club) I don't think this is the right time for the club to take this on ... but if you are serious about wanting it, and willing to help, step up and send a detailed proposal to club management.

[Roadmaster49]

Noah
You can refer to SWAG however you want but the common usage of the term is as Barbara has already stated - free stuff you get by going to a convention or joining a club as an incentive.   It does not mean to encompass buying anything. That term would be fund raiser.   

I thought this topic heading might lead to a discussion of the club finances but it has not.  There are very few interested members on this forum.  As a member of 2 other old car clubs, I know one of them had to raise dues 11 years ago to $50.   They also recognize donors. 

For that club - the Buick Club if America - the national meet is now a cash cow.  They can make money even on a small meet.  A small National meet equals 135 cars and 300 participants.   I helped run a local festival car show for a few years and we always cleared hundreds of dollars after trophies. I have to believe the KFOCI National meet can make some money.  But I am not in the know on that subject.  I donated a small amount to be dedicated to this website. I can donate some more. 

I would look into mergers with other clubs but that idea has been knocked down several times. 

[njpatera]

1)You need to Read the initial post! I did NOT say what do “I” get! If there was any reading comprehension I clearly stated I’ve read other people stating it!!! I then proceeded to give a suggestion to help the club create, “SELL, swag to help with the remarkable financial problem...if thats not clear, sorry, that is on the reader as it is clear. I’ve been a teacher for over 20 years and it amazes me the how people distort things...wow, just wow!

2)As for swag “only” meaning free... try again. And stating again, as written in the initial posting, I made that clear with examples to be purchased. You are flat wrong. There are more sources than Wikipedia...lol. Sorry, I’ve dealt in swag for over 20 years with touring bands in the music industry....and nothing is free! Also, in the right circles back in the day it also means bad pot.😂 I’ll just chalk this up to a generational gap!

The sad thing I learned is when you try to help, you get attacked, reading comprehension has declined even when the text evidence is clearly stated, there probably will not be any apologies after pointing out multiple times the examples and nothing will change. My dads club i was excited to be a part of is nothing like it was and for that it’ll be tough to continue.

[Bulletin Editor]

Noah, please take a breath and calm down. You gave your opinion, we gave ours. Just because we differ does NOT mean you were "attacked"

ps: my definition of SWAG did not come from Wikipedia, and my reading comprehension is excellent.