a modest proposal....

[Jim Chamberlin]

Dear Fellow Cap 1 Officers,  

It's been interesting to see the emails about lists of our members and distribution to our members.  We have such a large and dynamic membership (read transient) that it's been hard to keep track of them all.  It's been a mystery to me throughout the year, who was a member and who wasn't, and how the distribution list was updated.  Now I see that Cara is keeping her own list as Treasurer.  And changes are made, but don't appear, and its confusing, and so it goes.

Since some of you may not be aware of it, but there is a simple solution.  It's one that I have advocated from time and time, and this seems like a good opportunity to suggest it again. 

One word:  FreeToastHost

Let me say at the outset that I am not ragging on anyone.  I am also not advocating getting rid of our current website.  It is one of the strengths of the club, and is responsible for most of our many guests.  What I am advocating is utilizing the FreeToastHost template for a second club website, for the sole purpose of easy and transparent communication among our members.  My goal is to make the Executive Committee aware that there might be a better way to set things up.

One of the finer points of the FreeToastHost template is that it allows you to see all members at all times, which can include not only their email, but their phone, joining date, even their photo and a short bio.

This information is only available to our members.  The public cannot access it. 

One of the features is that a member who wants to email all the other members of the club, can do so with one email address.  Similarly, if a member wants to email just the officers of the club, they may do so with another email address.

I have seen FreeToastHost revolutionize and facilitate intra-club communication at several clubs.  I have personally set up the FreeToastHost website for Capital Toastmasters 2, and run it for the last five years.  If I can do it, anybody can do it.  It takes a little set up time, but than it's easy for the webmaster to run.  We could easily have Dick continue to do just www.capitaltoastmasters1.org, and have someone else, or perhaps one of the other officers, do the FreeToastHost website.

The site has lots of bells and whistles.  But you can pick and choose.  Personally I've never used more than about 10% of the functionality, but have found it very helpful for what it does.  (Many clubs use it to schedule all roles for the next meeting, something I think would be a bad idea.)

Here are some real world examples of how FreeToastHost could help Cap 1:

Let's say I'm a member and want to know who the other members are.  Currently we've updated the printed roster maybe twice in the last year, and they have been out-of-date within 2 weeks of being printed (if not immediately).  With FTH, any member would have access to all this information all the time, and it would be current.

Let's say that the Treasurer and wants to know if any given member is getting the club emails.  Currently the only way to check is to ask the person who keeps that email list, and Cara has been frustrated to the point where she is now keeping her own separate email list, which only compounds the problem.  With FTH, she could look at the real roster in real time and check to see if a member has been added or a resigned member deleted.

Let's say that you can't place a face.  Currently the only way to place a face is to show up at meetings and look at the face behind a nameplate (assuming they show up).  With FTH, we could add all faces to the member roster so that it would be a lot easier for the whole club to get to know each other better and easier.  

Let's say that you're a member and you want to reach the Treasurer, but you don't know who the Treasurer is.  Currently it would take some time to figure that out.  With FTH, that information would be available 24-7 on the website, with all officers clearly noted.

Let's say that you're the TMOD and you need information about Joe Blow, who is speaking next Tuesday.  Currently you have to ask him, and you're lucky if he responds.  With FTH, much of that information can be posted in a short personal bio that accompanies the person's basic information on the roster.

I hear the voices:  "Yikes!  We don't need two websites!"  and  "If it's not broke, don't fix it!"  To that I'd say that having two websites for two distinctly different purposes would be a good idea.  Dick's current site for purposes of recruitment and outreach, which it is doing astoundingly well.  And the FreeToastHost website for communication within the club.  As for the current reality, I'd say that what we have now is broken and is not serving the club, and by its very nature will continue to be a source of frustration into the foreseeable future.

Last, let me say that the individuals on the current Executive Committee are hard-working, conscientious and dedicated.  I'm not knocking anybody.  I'm just suggesting a system which would make it easier for the club to continue to thrive with much less effort and frustration.

Just a suggestion.....  

Jim Chamberlin, SAA    (two-time former Cap1 president and former VP-E)

[RCJA...@aol.com]

It sounds like an excellent idea to me.  Jim - are you willing to set this up?  I will be happy to provide you with a complete list of our members, and give you regular updates as the membership changes.  It would be useful for all the members to have the telephone numbers of fellow members, as well as the e-mails. 

 

I also think it would be useful to send out member lists several times a year by e-mail.  I am willing to do that.

 

Cara

[Elisabeth Frost]

I will work on this tonight. I set up an account a few years ago and started tinkering with it again a few weeks ago to reacquaint myself with it and see how it could help solve the constant issue of keeping an up to date roster and communicating with members. 

Sent from my iPhone

[RCJA...@aol.com]

Elisabeth, Crystal, and Ron - I have received several changes to the e-mails on the list I sent out.  Can you make the following changes:

 

Sunita Kosaraju's telephone number is now 202-368-1869 (home).

 

Soye Kim's e-mail address is ski...@yahoo.com.

 

John Venezia's e-mail address is now venezi...@gmail.com.

 

Thanks.

 

Cara