Re: Clubs----Your Opinion on this!

Posted by Fritz Campbell on May 27, 2002 at 04:46:30 from (63.95.84.2):

In Reply to: Clubs----Your Opinion on this! posted by TNR on May 26, 2002 at 05:23:37:

The old adage, of "you can't please everybody" always rings true at Tractor / Machinery shows. It always seems like there is never a shortage of bosses around most groups. Don't get me wrong, any organization needs the proper rules, planning, fundraising and repair / improvement and participation of its membership or it would be utter chaos and not worth belonging to. You have some people that like to run things and some that don't. The ones that don't, end up heeding the ones that like to run things in order to "get along" and you end up with what I call the group organization authority chart.

Now for me that is OK - I do what I can - when I can, on my own and don't attend meetings or planned work parties. As a result, I also don't run my mouth at shows on how things should be done or what would be better if done a different way. I pay my dues and my whole family comes and supports the shows. I don't critize others, make comments on their tractors, how they look, run, how they pull and don't participate in the conversation when one member lower on the organization chart starts complaining about a higher ranking member. I speak to everyone, demand that my children show respect to others at the show grounds and don't litter. I also attend every local show I can -time permitting- to support them as well because I enjoy the tractors, the pulls and the vendor displays.

What I don't care for is the few leaders, that have assumed control, attempting to run the other members at will. You know these types, every show has them, most are retired - some may have held a position of authority in their "working" life, some never have and see this now as an opportunity to exert a little authority, they feel that they have paid their dues by starting the organization, being a charter member and attending every meeting and now should be able to sit back and relax. They invite their out-of-town "buddies" (met at other shows since they are retired and have lots of time to go to other shows)to camp where they want and spend their time at the show riding around in their "buddies" golf cart checking on everything and dictating as they see fit and letting the "younger members" do the work. Their wives work the kitchen and their offspring run the garden and pedal tractor pulls and they feel that if it wasn't for them - well we just wouldn't have a show at all - and they are probably right. No one forced me to join my organization and I can quit whenever I want and never go back - period - its always been my choice.

Most groups are just like life, it takes all types to make it work right. One of the greatest skills a person can have, in my opinion, is to be able to interact with everyone and still enjoy yourself. Many of us, myself included, struggle daily with the refining of this skill and some never reach it. The ones that don't end up being labeled as reclusive or get the reputation of just being an old crank or hardtail. Smaller clique type groups then form within the organization and membership in them is strictly limited and usually only granted if you are willingly to follow the leader without question - most of the time just fueling the fire.

I have been able to tiptoe through most of these pitfalls, considering them to be a part of life, and as a result have enjoyed myself at many shows with my family, my tractor and can still talk to everybody. I consider myself very lucky. I wouldn't sleep well at night if I worried what everyone else thought of me. That is my .02 cents - enjoy the summer - maybe I'll see you at a show and we can talk.

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