It's no wonder.....

[Oregongirl]

The SAWS thread asking for volunteers has had 64 views since 9/29. Jim's Thunderstruck thread has had 105 (!!) since 10/5.

P A T H E T I C ! ! !

 

[Racer220]

I can't speak for anyone else, but neither of those shows are anywhere on my radar right now which is why I haven't clicked on that thread. I can probably say a lot of folks on here only view threads with titles that draw them in for input, but I will try harder to make my presence known even if it's not something I can commit to. Hope that thread gets more views after this

racer

 

[Dogmeat]

what thread...?

 

[Oregongirl]

Yeah - I realized that some peeps on here aren't looking at it because of the locations. We aren't being over run with volunteers though, so I was feeling a bit testy. I fricken' lose sleep over this sh*t and sometimes I have to wonder why I'm doing it. However.....I doubt I could stop now.

 

[TIM]

I see that saws has no intention of coming to the spokane snowshow. To far for the chairman to travel? It is in his home state.

 

[SledsWest]

Yeah - I realized that some peeps on here aren't looking at it because of the locations. We aren't being over run with volunteers though, so I was feeling a bit testy. I fricken' lose sleep over this sh*t and sometimes I have to wonder why I'm doing it. However.....I doubt I could stop now.

Why the low count??

1. I might venture to bet that the majority of the Pacific NW group went to the other site, I don't see as many from that region on here as I used to.

2. Thunderstruck and SAWS don't do their thing out here in Denver so there isn't any interest to see what these threads are about.

3. Are these posts in the right category. maybe most of your target audience isn't looking at the category that these posts are in.

 

[Oregongirl]

Why the low count??

1. I might venture to bet that the majority of the Pacific NW group went to the other site, I don't see as many from that region on here as I used to.

Yeah - we aren't getting much support on the other sites either.
2. Thunderstruck and SAWS don't do their thing out here in Denver so there isn't any interest to see what these threads are about.

We are always looking for a SAWS Rep for Colorado......if we had one, we might be at the show in Denver.
3. Are these posts in the right category. maybe most of your target audience isn't looking at the category that these posts are in.

General....seems pretty "general" to me.

Tim - SAWS is still reviewing availability and schedules regarding Spokane. We were there last year.

 

[SledsWest]

The Blue Ribbon Coalition is the big dawg out here....whats the difference between the two groups and what they're trying to accomplish? Isn't having two groups like that and jockying for donations from sledders on both sides kinda against the "united we stand and divided we fall?" or is it more along the lines of "The more the merrier"? I'm not accusing here, just wondering since you say you're looking for a Colorado rep for SAWS even though BRC is effectively lobbying for support out here amongst the CO peeps already.

 

[EricW]

Hey O-Girl, If it were easy or continually gratifying everyone would be doing it. I get to where you are a few times a year and when I do I just look back through my old pictures and see something that motivates me to keep pluggin. Usually a new rider or a youth making big strides in the back country.

Now because I am a red blooded American boy I can just peep on the Ladies Ride Calander or Sled Betties and see why we need to preserve the sport and its access. lol.

Hang in there chica, remember the part about "divided we fall". I'm up for duty in Spokane if it happens. Let me know. EW

 

[snowmobiler]

might just be a poopy winter for snowmobilers with nobody working.

 

[F-Bomb]

It's par for the course! In VOLUNTEERISM it's always the few doing the work for the many! Thanks to Suzy and all of the hardcore people (all orgs not just saws) that work their butts off so you and I can ride! Thanks again double for all of the hardcore people who put forth a thankless effort so I can make a living (sort of) building snowmobile parts.

HOW MANY SLED CLUBS AND RIGHT TO RIDE ORGANIZATIONS DO YOU BELONG TOO?

HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THE COMPANY THAT BUILDS AND SELLS YOU PARTS DONATE TOWARDS YOUR RIGHT TO RIDE?

These are things we hope you guys think about as part of your decision making process.

 

[Oregongirl]

The Blue Ribbon Coalition is the big dawg out here....whats the difference between the two groups and what they're trying to accomplish? Isn't having two groups like that and jockying for donations from sledders on both sides kinda against the "united we stand and divided we fall?" or is it more along the lines of "The more the merrier"? I'm not accusing here, just wondering since you say you're looking for a Colorado rep for SAWS even though BRC is effectively lobbying for support out here amongst the CO peeps already.

SAWS and BRC work together and are not divided. In Oregon, SAWS works along side the state association, BRC (in fact, Joni Mogstad-BRC Treasurer, and I are practically neighbors!) and other land rights activist groups to keep public lands open for recreation access - with SAWS and OSSA providing a voice for snowmobilers - from a Oregon standpoint and from a Western region standpoint. Because, a sledding area lost in Oregon (like Halfway, Diamond Lake, etc) will impact sledders from other states too.

BRC is a national level organization fighting to protect all access rights. SAWS is more specific - we are regionally focused on the West and are fighting to only protect snowmobilers rights. BRC has a membership fee to help support it's activities. SAWS is free to join.

Our donated funds, after covering general expenses like PO Box rental, online services for website hosting, etc., are used exclusively to fight land closures or restrictions affecting snowmobiles. We don't have any paid staff.

Why do we need a SAWS Rep in Colorado? To keep informed about land use issues affecting snowmobile access in CO. To get involved with other land use groups and to lobby at the local levels for continued access. There is a great deal of information that should have been shared with snowmobilers across the West about the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposals in your state. We need a CO SAWS rep in order to stay on top of all that has been developing on that front over the past couple of years. I'm from Oregon. I can lobby and educate fellow Oregonians and out-of-staters about issues facing Oregon - because I live here and I know what is at risk. I cannot do the same for Colorado. I can't look at a map and know that a proposed Wilderness boundary will close a popular riding area. We need knowledgable, local people, for each state in order to provide the type of information, education and support we enivision SAWS providing. We need Alerts written that can be sent to our entire membership - which exceeds 4,000 members - in order to inform sledders who to write to, what to say, what the issues are, etc.

Here's a link to an editorial of sorts I wrote to clarify the purpose of our state organization and SAWS.

Right now SAWS has state reps for OR, WA, ID and MT. We are lacking state rep volunteers in CA, UT, WY, CO, NV. Are there access issues in these other states? You betcha! Are we aware of them all. Unfortunatley no.

For all the details about SAWS mission, access to Alerts, fundraising efforts, etc. Please check out our website. When reviewing the News and Alert section, you'll notice that most Alerts are regarding WA, OR, ID and MT....where we have SAW Reps. But - we have SAWS members from all the western states in the US - and IA, MN, WI, NY, and even FL!

QuadsWest - if you have any questions, feel free to email me directly at susier@snowmobile-alliance.org. I hope you found this information clarifying. Oh-and about your concerns about donated funds.....BRC has a legal action group, SAWS does not. Because of that, we donate SAWS funds to other groups who ARE paying legal fees for the court battles. When donating funds to SAWS you can be assured that your money is being used to fight land closures affecting sleds....not quads, not horses, not mountain bikes, etc. While those are good fights too, and we totally appreciate that, it is not our mission. Personally, I want my donated funds protecting lands in the West, not lands in North Carolina. I'm just selfish that way, I guess.

 

[CoyoteGirl]

Now because I am a red blooded American boy I can just peep on the Ladies Ride Calander or Sled Betties and see why we need to preserve the sport and its access. lol.

LOL Nice!

Sorry Susie that this is such a fight every year. Chin up..

I don't volunteer at the booth in Puyallup as I work the Fastrax booth. But I try to do part of my part by donating Ladies Ride Calendars to be sold. I feel that I'm getting off a bit easy by doing this, working the booth is hard work! I SURE APPRECIATE the volunteers who do step up!

 

[Good to Go]

^^^ What she said..

Can't do the booth this year either... but can offer to collect!!

Here's the offer for the snow show: I'll donate $10 to SAWS when you buy a Long T and sign up for SAWS.

Click for the linky

 

[Oregongirl]

Coyotegirl - your year round support of SAWS is AMAZING!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've got three of the 2011 Calendar girls working the booth from 2-4 on Saturday.

GTG - WOW!! Thanks buddy!! Let me know if you need a break from your booth, I'll cover ya if needed. I've got some experience with that. LOL!

EricW - you are a funny man!! After all this time I hope that one of these years we'll meet each other face-to-face.

Only a few slots left to fill. It'll come together - it always does!

If you are at the show, be sure and stop by and say hi, sign up and buy some goodies - remember - we're sledding the 2011 Ladies Ride Calendar and raffle tickets for Brad Story's turbo Polaris. The sled will be on display in our booth.

 

[Sled Idaho]

I see that saws has no intention of coming to the spokane snowshow. To far for the chairman to travel? It is in his home state.

Tim,

Not sure why you're calling out Dave.

SAWS has booth organization and commitments from Wade & me for Boise, and from Tedd, Susie, Karen, Steve & Dave at Puyallup. So far no one has stepped up to take care of Spokompton.

See you in Alpine.

 

[Dogmeat]

Does SAWS need any volunteers for the SLC show?

 

[Oregongirl]

Tim,

Not sure why you're calling out Dave.

SAWS has booth organization and commitments from Wade & me for Boise, and from Tedd, Susie, Karen, Steve & Dave at Puyallup. So far no one has stepped up to take care of Spokompton.

See you in Alpine.

130 days until Alpine!

Tim, if you are interested, we have one other SAWS member that offered to help with a booth at the Spokane show. We didn't seek booth space there yet, but I'm happy to do if a group of SAWS members want to take it and run with it.

Same thing with the SLC show. We don't have a SAWS Rep for UT, but members are always invited to step up to the plate - whether it be for snow show presence or providing local level assistance on pressing land rights issues.

 

[Soccerd6]

I see that saws has no intention of coming to the spokane snowshow. To far for the chairman to travel? It is in his home state.

Steve and I are more than willing to come to Spokane - we (I) have been so overwhelmed with work responsibilities we've (I've) not had the time to contact Dean. It's on my list of calls to make today.

That's the beauty of delegation - one person isn't required to do EVERYTHING!

 

[TIM]

one of the things that saws is having a hard time with is volunteers. That is the common theme among all groups or orginaztions that work with volunteers. With that said. Why doesn't saws actively solicit the states that have always been issue states? nevada, utah, colorado etc etc? Well unless you are at the snow shows in those states you won't be able to actively solict volunteers or new members in those states. I understand why volunteers can't travel all the time to these locations. I am on a couple of volunteer boards that cost me $4-5000.00 a year to go to the meetings.

Now if saws had a paid position whose activity was to go to snowshows in the west. That person could activley solict members in other states. And this one is very important. Have one message going out. Not mulitiple messages going out via multiple volunteers opinion of the issues at hand.
Think aboubt it and don't just discount the idea. But saws does need one person that goes to all snowshows in the west. And saws should pay for that persons time. Ultimaley it will be the best money you have spent.

Think sandra mitchell.