A Suggestion for our ALRA National Gathering.
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:25 am
Greetings, Captain Ty, National Officers, William, and ALRA Patriot members,
A while back, I decided to take a poll of all of our ALRA Western Patriot membership, to see if they might be more interested in attending our National Gathering, if we changed the way we offer it. My question was simple: "Would you be more, or less inclined to attend our ALRA National Gathering, if we moved the dates to coincide with the Fort DeChartres Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic?"
I know that our regular event at Fort D is not always well attended by our membership in the West, and previous queries on my part have found that it has to do with the high cost of making such a long trip to Illinois for the National, and the short time that the event is offered. For our Western membership, the distance to our National is far greater than it is for our membership in the East, for the most part. So, I decided to ask my question to see if our Western members might be more inclined to attend our National Gathering, if there was more "bang for the buck", so to speak, with our ALRA members competing against other groups in shooting contests, being able to visit and support a wide variety of great Traders, and having our own encampment within the scope of the Spring Trade Faire. Of our Patriot membership in the West, an overwhelming number of them, 92%, answered "yes", that they would be more likely to attend our National Gathering if we joined it up with the Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic.
Gentleman, I believe we should move the National Gathering to coincide with the other Spring DeChartres event for several reasons, not the least is that more of our membership in the West, and I'm surmising the East, too, would very probably be more interested in investing the time and money to attend our event if we did so. I believe that, if we had our own encampment, and Darrel has already told us that we could have a nice chunk of Fort D. real estate to use, we could then have a nice jewel to show off to the other groups in attendance. We could field a large group of skilled ALRA shooters, which should do well in the various shooting contests that are part of the Rifle Frolic. Our members would also be able to frequent and support a wide variety of top notch venders, which is a win-win situation for both our membership, and those fine Traders, too. Additionally, because we would be doing what we do, we could very possibly attract some great new members into our ranks, taken from those who are already on a similar path as we, which is a great boost to the ALRA membership rolls, without having to winnow through the chaff to get to the wheat.
I truly think that this is a good idea, and many others have joined me in supporting it. Of course, the proof is in the pudding, and if we did happen to give this a shot, we could then see, very conclusively, if it would accomplish the goals I have laid out in this note. I believe that it would. Personally, I do not care about having to give up the Great Room, or the Captain's Quarters, and think that an ALRA encampment would be a great thing to see at the De Chartres event. I would very probably drive to this event, and would offer my marquee tent for our meetings, and such, if there was interest in that.
In any case, if we are wanting to improve the ALRA, and to attract more of our Patriot members to attend out Gathering, and new interest from other like-minded folks in becoming members of the ALRA, I believe that joining our event up with the Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic would accomplish both of those goals. Let us give this a try, and see if my research and inquiries will bear fruit. What have we have to lose, my Friends? I believe that we stand to gain far more positive outcome than any small losses that might occur. Thank you for giving this request some serious consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you all at your convenience. Take care, and God Bless!
Every Good Wish,
Doc Mark Rutledge
ALRA #224
Western Partisan
A while back, I decided to take a poll of all of our ALRA Western Patriot membership, to see if they might be more interested in attending our National Gathering, if we changed the way we offer it. My question was simple: "Would you be more, or less inclined to attend our ALRA National Gathering, if we moved the dates to coincide with the Fort DeChartres Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic?"
I know that our regular event at Fort D is not always well attended by our membership in the West, and previous queries on my part have found that it has to do with the high cost of making such a long trip to Illinois for the National, and the short time that the event is offered. For our Western membership, the distance to our National is far greater than it is for our membership in the East, for the most part. So, I decided to ask my question to see if our Western members might be more inclined to attend our National Gathering, if there was more "bang for the buck", so to speak, with our ALRA members competing against other groups in shooting contests, being able to visit and support a wide variety of great Traders, and having our own encampment within the scope of the Spring Trade Faire. Of our Patriot membership in the West, an overwhelming number of them, 92%, answered "yes", that they would be more likely to attend our National Gathering if we joined it up with the Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic.
Gentleman, I believe we should move the National Gathering to coincide with the other Spring DeChartres event for several reasons, not the least is that more of our membership in the West, and I'm surmising the East, too, would very probably be more interested in investing the time and money to attend our event if we did so. I believe that, if we had our own encampment, and Darrel has already told us that we could have a nice chunk of Fort D. real estate to use, we could then have a nice jewel to show off to the other groups in attendance. We could field a large group of skilled ALRA shooters, which should do well in the various shooting contests that are part of the Rifle Frolic. Our members would also be able to frequent and support a wide variety of top notch venders, which is a win-win situation for both our membership, and those fine Traders, too. Additionally, because we would be doing what we do, we could very possibly attract some great new members into our ranks, taken from those who are already on a similar path as we, which is a great boost to the ALRA membership rolls, without having to winnow through the chaff to get to the wheat.
I truly think that this is a good idea, and many others have joined me in supporting it. Of course, the proof is in the pudding, and if we did happen to give this a shot, we could then see, very conclusively, if it would accomplish the goals I have laid out in this note. I believe that it would. Personally, I do not care about having to give up the Great Room, or the Captain's Quarters, and think that an ALRA encampment would be a great thing to see at the De Chartres event. I would very probably drive to this event, and would offer my marquee tent for our meetings, and such, if there was interest in that.
In any case, if we are wanting to improve the ALRA, and to attract more of our Patriot members to attend out Gathering, and new interest from other like-minded folks in becoming members of the ALRA, I believe that joining our event up with the Spring Trade Faire and Rifle Frolic would accomplish both of those goals. Let us give this a try, and see if my research and inquiries will bear fruit. What have we have to lose, my Friends? I believe that we stand to gain far more positive outcome than any small losses that might occur. Thank you for giving this request some serious consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you all at your convenience. Take care, and God Bless!
Every Good Wish,
Doc Mark Rutledge
ALRA #224
Western Partisan