[Ohio Skeptics] A Message about the Future of CORI

[Jen]

Unfortunately, we have a bit of a problem with the CORI group right
now. A lot of our beginning momentum has seemed, at least to me and a
few others I know, to have fizzled out. A large part of this is the
fact that I'm growing increasingly overwhelmed and burnt-out and I'm
coming to the point where we either have to radically restructure and
reenergize the group or I'm going to have to stop working with it.

First of all, I'd like to address what kind of group we're going to
have to be if we move forward. I think this is dictated by our
situation - we're not a nonprofit with any full-time staff, nor are we
a student organization. We're a community group made up of adults with
jobs and families and ten zillion different responsibilities. So the
only way I believe we'll be able to function, much less be successful,
is if we're all committed to a grassroots, up-from-the-bottom model.
One or two people cannot plan and organize and hand down events and
activities to every one else - we're going to have to be a group of
individuals on the same level who share responsibility for running the
group.

Which is a roundabout way of saying I need help. I really need all of
you to take initiative and step up to make things happen. Ideally, I
would like to work out a system where I am an organizer and
facilitator who can help people get things done, not do it myself or
just turn it over to one other person to do.

I think this is not only possible but the best way to go because some
of us have already done it, and have had accomplished some great
things. David, Chad and Mark have been producing a truly excellent
skeptic podcast for a long time now. This is a good example of
individual group members who had an idea, followed through on it, and
reached out to me for help supporting and facilitating it. Perfect.
Kim B, Kim C and Jeni have been organizing skeptic outings and
performing science experiments to record on their blog Negative
Entropy, and have used CORI's member base and platform to publicize
all of it. Also perfect.

What I would love to see is all of you thinking of something you would
like to see happen and then working with me and other group members to
make it happen - not waiting for someone else to make it happen.
Because we've got stuck like that, and it's way too much for one or
two people to do on their own. As a result, we're not doing anything,
and it sucks.

Another thing we have to improve is follow-through. I know we're all
busy and that things happen, but I know there's been some frustration
when we talk about or plan events or projects and get a lot of
enthusiasm - but when it's time to do it, not a lot of people are
there to actually do something. It's disheartening to those of us who
try to plan things to see it fail.

I will set up ohioskeptic.com email addresses, blog accounts,
Facebook, Meetup and Twitter admin access anyone who wants them to
spread the word about something, create events or push initiatives.
Know a doctor or scientist who would be willing to speak? Send him or
her an email. I can help set up a library room reservation and we
immediately have a speaking event. Know an organization you'd like to
volunteer for with other skeptics? Contact them, find out what the
details are, and tell the group. Hear about a movie you think we'd all
enjoy? Create a Meetup.com event for it, and we're in business. We can
do this.

Personally, I'm not interested in big-name speakers or publicity
stunts. I want to promote education and critical thinking at the
grassroots level and focus on making real changes in our community.
One of our members has begun a working relationship with a local
vaccine advocacy group. I think this is awesome. We can also set up
information workshops about vaccination, psychic scams and similar
topics that are of real use to people, and not necessarily just
skeptics. But we all have to really work together to make it happen. I
know no one of us has the time to do this kind of stuff all the time.
So if enough of us chip in with the little bit we can do, we'll be in
good shape.

On a little bit of a personal note, I am planning to take a little bit
of a break from organized skepticism after SkeptiCamp Ohio. In
addition to pausing locally, I'm also scaling back my online skeptic
activities for the time being. I have many other things in my life I
need to focus on right now, and, as I mentioned, I'm really just burnt-
out on all of this. I need some time to re-energize and feel motivated
again. I'm hoping in the meantime, other CORI members will come up
with some brilliant ideas and that maybe we can attract new blood and
charge forward.

I wasn't going to bring up this topic until after SkeptiCamp, but then
I thought it was worth suggesting beforehand so we maybe can talk
about it at the event. I know many of you are preparing for that, so I
certainly don't intend you drop that and start planning for CORI long-
term. This is just getting some things off of my mind and out to the
group so we can start a discussion. I'm also very grateful to those of
who have been active and supportive. We have an amazing group of
people here, and all I want is that we live up to our potential and
figure out a way to make this work.

Please speak up with any comments, questions, suggestions, ideas -
anything!

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