RUSA Awards Survey

[Dan Driscoll]

Fellow Randos, Speaking as a fellow RUSA member, not necessarily as an RBA or RUSA Board member, with my thoughts on RUSA Awards, they are a really Good Thing!!! Would you please take the time to fill out the RUSA Awards Survey that was emailed to you?? And ask others to do so as well. 

Pasted below. 

There are 7 RUSA Board members for a good reason, we don’t always agree, which is actually a good thing, and when we vote there needs to be a final decision. The Board may disagree on what membership would want, thus this short survey, as every RUSA Board member should be voting for what they think memberships (their constituents) wants.  

For RUSA Awards, some of the Board thinks we have too many, some just enough and others (like me) feel that as long as any new Award promotes some aspect of RUSA and has a following, and helps engagement and growth, it’s a good thing. So, RUSA wants member input for guidance about RUSA Awards and their future, if any. 

Please, please take the time to fill out the attached survey if you have not already.

Not every RUSA member is motivated by every RUSA Award, and thus there are hopefully enough different RUSA Awards that at least one appeals to most. Some are geared to riders that would rather ride shorter rides, some to riders that like longer rides and others to everyone in-between. Even if Awards don’t Trip your Trigger, you may know others that are very motivated by RUSA Awards and enjoy them, and that alone, may be reason enough to keep them and have more of them to possibly promote other facets of RUSA, things like Gravel, Super Sixes, Audax, Team Events, Climbing……. 

I and most I know are actually extremely motivated by RUSA Awards and they do a great job to keep us engaged in RUSA and are Super Tools for us to use to lure in new recruits and keep existing members engaged.  

RUSA has a HUGE investment in terms of manpower (Board, Committees, Volunteers and Route Owners)  in several newer facets of Randonneuring including Audax, Gravel and SR 600km. Thoughts are, that some Awards could help theses newer facets of Randonneuring gain some traction. Sure only a fraction of our total membership may participate in any one Award, but traction can create more growth.

RUSA Awards sales actually nets RUSA a profit, so Awards actually help to keep RUSA membership dues down.

The ACP Randonneur 10,000 Award includes a climbing component requirement, that has really helped the SR 600 ridership grow, although those rules are changing, to drop the SR 600. We’d love to hear your thoughts on ideas for Climbing Awards, with PBP training starting now, for many of us, hills are on the menu ;=). 

Your Survey / Vote matters…….please make your opinion heard. If this works out the RUSA Board may offer up more Surveys. 

Thank You Very Much,
DanD

Randonneurs USA (RUSA) and other international randonneuring organizations recognize those who have achieved milestones in their randonneuring endeavors with awards. Some of these are published in our American Randonneur magazine and on our website. Most awards also have a corresponding medal, plaque or patch available for purchase. 

This brief three question survey is being administered to gain input from the membership at large about randonneuring awards and the type of awards that may be motivating to some members (ie. continuous riding, accumulated distance, short distance focused, geography specialty long-distance focused, etc...). We are also interested in getting your pulse on some possible other ideas for recognition as well.  

Additionally, we also recognize that awards may not be a motivating factor for everyone, but they may be for others. In this case, we hope you support them as part of our overall program. 

TAKE QUICK 3 QUESTIONS SURVEY ABOUT AWARDS HERE.

Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts on which awards may appeal to you to ride more kms, more places, more continuously. 

Bonne Route...

[Ronald Long]

sorry to spam the whole group, but don't find a working link to the survey, either here or on the RUSA page.

[Dan Driscoll]

Ronald, there is a “HERE" in the below doc that should have worked, but try this link below and let me know off list if it does not work for ya. The Constant Contact was sent out 5/19/22 at 4:00am if you’d like to search back and check through your old emails. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfICFqo5k8MMbfTVlSZXxXewh6Kt34Cb_vCvYFDOmosUqoQVw/viewform

Thanks Tons, DanD 

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[Ronald Long]

When I brought up the message in goggle groups, there was no visual indication that only the word "Here" is the actual link, not that whole line. I obviously finally figured it out, and have completed the survey.

thanks!

ronald

[Pat Leahy]

Hi Dan

Is there any evidence that adding more awards will encourage more new riders relative to other things that the volunteers could be doing with their time?

Pat

Pat Leahy

p...@patleahy.com

206 334 3219

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[Dan Driscoll]

Pat, as an RBA who’s hardest job is to recruit and keep Randos in our club, it is my first hand experience that RUSA Awards work Wonders and are my primary tool for this use.

When ever we get a new member out to ride with us for the first time, I work to sell them on the idea of a P-12, R-12 or Rouleur Award, in an effort to keep them coming back and not a “One and Done”, I’ve been a RUSA RBA since the beginning and can say without doubt this works and Awards are the best tool I have for recruitment and retainment. 

The new RUSA Rouleur Award has been a game changer. We have more riders showing up for Pops and Dart Pops than ever before, which in turn Breads more camaraderie, which in turns brings more riders back for a good time, which in turn builds a bigger better stronger club. I see you are a SIR Member and from what I hear and read the RUSA Rouleur Award is doing wonders for attendance in your neck of the woods. 

Many people see RUSA Awards as a Solo Effort, and that’s just not how it is around here. A Group of Randos commit to each other to go for an Award, supporting each other, and it becomes a team endeavor, again strengthening the core group, and inspiring others to join in. We have had large groups of our club travel to another state to do a ride to pick up that state for an American Explorer. Many of our riders will make a special effort to come out and do any new route that we offer to earn a Rando Scout point, which boosts attendance. We have had large groups commit to earning a K-hound Award and ride together to help the k’s go along with many more laughs. 

I can site many cases where we were about to loose a Rando, due to them aging out or other distractions, but having only 15 States left to earn an American Explorer Award, or lacking only 5,000 km to earning a Galaxy Award, kept them engaged for years to come, and then there was often just one more Award to finish up, and they kept it going. 

We are trying to get a Rando Gravel group going, as Gravel is very popular in our region. In fact we have lost quite a few Randos over the years to Gravel only riding. It’s my belief that with a couple of Gravel Awards, we can entice not only a few of those members back, but also some new members. The RUSA Website is an amazing attraction for many and having a personal results page and our new Trophy Case adds incentive to many. 

RUSA does not pay it’s volunteers, but I do understand your point, that we need to use our volunteers time to the best use possible for RUSA. For most new Awards the cost is mostly RUSA Web team time, and to a large degree if a new award replicates and existing award, the web work can be cloned to some large degree, to help reduce payback time to a minimum. If the Award has a trinket associated with it, RUSA actually makes some money off of those sales. 

If you have ideas that you’d like the RUSA Board to consider that you feel would benefit RUSA more, please feel free to shoot them to me on or off this list serve. We the RUSA Board are constantly looking at any and all ideas, and I guarantee that your ideas will receive thought. I can say unequivocally that your RUSA Board works extremely hard and takes their jobs extremely seriously. 

DanD  

Pasted below. 

Bonne Route...<IMG_3393.JPG>

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