Tried rejoining Holbrook Gun Club

[Obie1]

Hmm, my club charges $20 a year, for husband and wife.

 

[dgrafton]

Hmm, my club charges $20 a year, for husband and wife.

Well, there's a lot less open space here in eastern MA. I don't know of any clubs, with decent facilities, south of Boston that are under $100/yr. When I lived in Pepperell, I could join three clubs for the cost of joining one on the south shore.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Braintree R&P is not making a profit per se, they are putting money away for the very expensive improvements that they need to make from time to time. At $100 a year, I think it is a pretty reasonable price for what I get as a member. As to range officers - do you volunteer your time to be a range officer? It is quite a commitment with no return other than a warm feeling inside.

If one went to the meetings at BR&P, especially the annual meeting, they would learn that it cost somewhere near $300K/year to keep the place running. Capital expenditures amount to another $100K or more in an average year. Unlike all the other clubs I have belonged to, they don't rely on volunteers to get work done (which takes forever or never happens), they get bids and contract it out to professionals, so it gets done!

As for range officers. Like Josh says, why not volunteer yourself instead of bitching what others should do for your convenience. When it was ruled that we must have ROs present to use the outdoor ranges, I volunteered like a lot of other people. Having weekend duty means I'm committed to be there 12 times/year. Those that volunteer during the week are expected to be there 52 times/year!!! We get no payment for this volunteer work, and as hard as we try to meet the commitment, real life sometimes gets in the way . . . people get called into work, people get sick, some even take vacations or go hunting, etc. Currently the weather is so brutal that I can imagine some can't get out to the club, plus as Ross stated, target stands are inaccessible so that even if the paved areas are cleared, you really can't shoot outdoors until the snow level is reduced.

 

[Bcamos]

So $500,000 a year, $300,000 to run the place and another $100,000 for "extra stuff" like new guns and vacations for the head honchos. Not even counting the new member dues that they rack up. That leaves $100,000 to pay someone to be a range officer during the week and another for the weekends.

If I volunteer as a range officer then I still wouldn't get range time. I think what's worse than not having a range officer is going into the club house and asking the guy with the badge if he doesn't mind coming out to the rage so you can shoot. Then getting rolling eyes and and a "sure" in response. Sorry your Saturday getaway from your nagging wife didn't go as planned.

If they marketed things as a business this wouldn't even be a discussion. But they don't. They shove it in your face that they're all volunteers and that you should be thankful that they allow you to pay them for shooting into their piles of dirt. But only when Fred, Joe, or Doug feel like standing out there with you.

But none of this really matters, I've moved away and have my own pile of dirt to shoot at now.


ETA- sorry if I hurt your gentle feelings by bitching about how your friends run a non-profit.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Asaltweapon]

...and then we have some people who would bitch if they were being hung with a new rope.

I learned one thing as a multi term board member and that is I'll never do it again.

 

[Len-2A Training]

So $500,000 a year, $300,000 to run the place and another $100,000 for "extra stuff" like new guns and vacations for the head honchos. Not even counting the new member dues that they rack up. That leaves $100,000 to pay someone to be a range officer during the week and another for the weekends.

If I volunteer as a range officer then I still wouldn't get range time. I think what's worse than not having a range officer is going into the club house and asking the guy with the badge if he doesn't mind coming out to the rage so you can shoot. Then getting rolling eyes and and a "sure" in response. Sorry your Saturday getaway from your nagging wife didn't go as planned.

If they marketed things as a business this wouldn't even be a discussion. But they don't. They shove it in your face that they're all volunteers and that you should be thankful that they allow you to pay them for shooting into their piles of dirt. But only when Fred, Joe, or Doug feel like standing out there with you.

But none of this really matters, I've moved away and have my own pile of dirt to shoot at now.


ETA- sorry if I hurt your gentle feelings by bitching about how your friends run a non-profit.

If you have proof of the "head honchos" skimming money, I'm all ears to see that proof.

Full financials are disclosed at each meeting (and I attend an average of 10-11 of the 12 meetings/year). Annual Meeting they hand out financials on planned capital projects, things like upgrading the "new" range, HEPA lead vac (that was >$5K IIRC), plans to improve the berms on outdoor ranges that's also in the 5-figures. I don't see any secret squirrel stuff like I did at a prior club I belonged to.

As for ROs, whenever I'm on the property I wear the badge on a neck-hanger that also has an RO badge on it. If it isn't my shift, then I have no obligation to go out there so you can shoot . . . as our rules are that if I do that, I MUST stay for the rest of that shift (3-5 hours), so it's not going to happen that someone sitting there just says "OK, I'll spend the next 3-5 hours on the range because you showed up and the rules require it". If I'm on duty and it is bitter cold out AND nobody is out there shooting, sure I'll hang the "RO in clubhouse" sign and sit in the clubhouse. If you show up, I will absolutely open the range, that's the job I volunteered to do and I won't bitch about it. I also don't sit in my car the entire shift, I'm out walking or standing around, but I don't perch on a shooter's shoulder either.

I'm glad that you found a place more to your liking. Believe me, I'd prefer that we didn't need ROs on duty to shoot too. I didn't make that rule but I do understand why it was done.

 

[Len-2A Training]

...and then we have some people who would bitch if they were being hung with a new rope.

I learned one thing as a multi term board member and that is I'll never do it again.

You and me both. I did that for 14 yrs as Legislative Chairman at one club, truly thankless job, nobody cared and it got me into arguments with the person who ultimately took over running the club. And I did it interim BOD member at Mansfield F&G, great club but never again!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Don't you just how folks here pull that bullshit.

Yup, it is easy to throw stones, but coming up with proof is much more difficult.

 

[KOMA829]

funny how it was started about Holbrook, and got derailed to Braintree.....

 

[Len-2A Training]

funny how it was started about Holbrook, and got derailed to Braintree.....

Every thread on NES gets derailed!

 

[KOMA829]

Every thread on NES gets derailed!

THIS

 

[Asaltweapon]

You and me both. I did that for 14 yrs as Legislative Chairman at one club, truly thankless job, nobody cared and it got me into arguments with the person who ultimately took over running the club. And I did it interim BOD member at Mansfield F&G, great club but never again!

Walked out the door and never looked back. Life moves on.

 

[dgrafton]

Every thread on NES gets derailed!

So, how about those Red Sox?!?

 

[mikeyp]

Every thread on every board gets derailed!

FIFY