Contact your NAFA director before Thursday 21 July 16

This Thursday (July 21) the NAFA board will be considering a proposal by directors Chavez and Thomas (also supported by Joe Kosakowski) to give free on line (paper free) associate memberships to apprentices.

I think it is vital to the future of NAFA and falconry that we bring new apprentices into the fold and offer them the chance to see what NAFA is all about. There are too many of them (and frankly 1 is too many) who only hear the opinion of their sponsor that NAFA is an old-boy club so don't get involved because it is a waste of your money. If we wish to have a voice in political issues (eagle take, peregrine take, etc) going forward our numbers need to grow.

Doing so would cost NAFA very little since the paper free delivery incurs no actual expenses. The only thing we lose is the potential dues from apprentices who may have joined and paid. If they are going to embrace falconry on a continuing basis we will start collecting dues after 2 years anyway.

I would also encourage you to press your directors to go one step further. I think we need to offer reduced price (and possibly free) memberships to full time students. I think we all agree that encouraging people to take advantage of whatever educational opportunities might be available but doing so costs a boat load of money. My daughter just graduated last year so I am well aware of what it costs. Let's help them out and let them at least continue to read HC even if they don't have time to fly a bird while they are in school.

I know there will be those who said "I paid my own NAFA membership when I was an apprentice or while I was in school". Great. Good for you. So did I. The point is that we want to bring and keep as many falconers in NAFA as possible. This is not a test of how much they can handle. If they want to do that they can walk 20 miles to school and back in 4 feet of snow with rags wrapped around their feet up hill both ways. :D

thumbsupp

FREE is never appreciated to the extent that the contributor expected from the recipient. A closer relationship between knowledge and membership should spark interest in younger prospects.

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Originally Posted by burn

FREE is never appreciated to the extent that the contributor expected from the recipient. A closer relationship between knowledge and membership should spark interest in younger prospects.

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That's true. So we should make our kids work for stuff instead of giving it to them. I am on board for that.

On the other hand giving out a NAFA membership that costs us nothing is like giving a free introductory subscription to a magazine or a test drive of a car. If they try it they may like it. If they don't try it and instead rely on the opinion of closed minds who are pissed off because NAFA won't go along with 100% of the way they think things should be then they will never join. At least this way they get to see what NAFA is all about and they can make their own INFORMED decision.

I'm definitely in support of the free apprentice on line only membership. I don't think it puts much risk for lost dues, has the potential to increase the member base, and provides more resources for the aspiring falconer. Even if you are concerned about what is appreciated or lost in terms of potential dues; the available resources to help new falconers down the right path outweighs that potential to me.

I don't see a need for a full-time student free membership. Maybe a discount, but even then NAFA isn't a large expense. Skip a night at the downtown pub and it's covered.

I support this, but with reservations and those depend on the numbers of apprentices taking advantage of the free membership. Possibly we could rename that category of membership to something else, like maybe "introductory status" or something more dignified than"free" In any event they should not be called regular members and should not be able to vote. Unless they want to extend free membership to seniors and other retired persons like myself that have paid in for a great many years. I would give up my voting privilege for that.

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Originally Posted by Tom Smith

I support this, but with reservations and those depend on the numbers of apprentices taking advantage of the free membership. Possibly we could rename that category of membership to something else, like maybe "introductory status" or something more dignified than"free" In any event they should not be called regular members and should not be able to vote. Unless they want to extend free membership to seniors and other retired persons like myself that have paid in for a great many years. I would give up my voting privilege for that.

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I believe the proposal is for free ASSOCIATE membership. Associate members
(right now anyone without a falconry permit) are NOT allowed to vote.
I agree. If you want a say in what goes on you need to pony up some cash like the rest of us.

I don't think it matters how many apprentices take advantage of this because it won't really cost NAFA anything with no paper publications being mailed.

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Originally Posted by Tom Smith

I support this, but with reservations and those depend on the numbers of apprentices taking advantage of the free membership. Possibly we could rename that category of membership to something else, like maybe "introductory status" or something more dignified than"free" In any event they should not be called regular members and should not be able to vote. Unless they want to extend free membership to seniors and other retired persons like myself that have paid in for a great many years. I would give up my voting privilege for that.

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BTW NAFA is the only organization that I belong to that does not offer members a "Lifetime membership" at some premium price so that you can buy it when you are young and never pay again. If you happen to get an unusually large tax return some year you send in a check and keep getting your Hawk Chalk long after you forget why you subscribed!

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Originally Posted by rkumetz

BTW NAFA is the only organization that I belong to that does not offer members a "Lifetime membership" at some premium price so that you can buy it when you are young and never pay again. If you happen to get an unusually large tax return some year you send in a check and keep getting your Hawk Chalk long after you forget why you subscribed!

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I don't get a tax return anymore since I don't pay taxes since I retired, but I understand what you are saying. A lot of places offer a seniors discount on things but I don't ever expect that NAFA would or even should. If I had a time machine I would go back and buy several lifetime memberships and hunting licenses but I think it is to late to invent a time machine for me anyway. I'm not into the heavy physics that it would take to invent a time machine if it is possible and if it is possible somebody or something is already doing it.

done deal

Life memberships would be better if we did a 'easy' pay system. It is a minimum per quarter, and you can pay more if the budget allows. The National Rifle Association has this and it works well. Introductory 'student/apprentice' reduced rate I think is the best option. For pre-and new apprentice falconer

Not free. People do not value free.

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Originally Posted by Hawkmom

Life memberships would be better if we did a 'easy' pay system. It is a minimum per quarter, and you can pay more if the budget allows. The National Rifle Association has this and it works well. Introductory 'student/apprentice' reduced rate I think is the best option. For pre-and new apprentice falconer

Not free. People do not value free.

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At this point talking about life memberships will only complicate things. That is a discussion better saved for later. I assume you agree that it is potentially a good idea.

With respect to the "free memberships", I think that after someone works hard to pass their test, build a mews, get a sponsor, etc. the gift of a free 2 years worth of free paperless NAFA membership would be more of a "congratulatory gift" than a handout. I do however disagree with giving cut rate memberships to pre-apprentice people. That could go on forever and just about anyone could sign up. It is too broad of a group to address. Perhaps if you are interested we email you a copy of HC so you an see what it is all about?

Once again, I think the focus should not be on the "if it is free they won't appreciate it" part. We don't want them to appreciate getting a free HC and Journal for 2 years. We DO want them to appreciate the value of taking part in an organization which we would like to represent us all.
Sort of like a political candidate giving out bumper stickers and refrigerator magnets except that those cost more than letting someone download 6 HC's and 2 Journals in PDF form from the web site.

I see commercials for gym's that give out month long free memberships to let you try before you buy. That is what I think we should be doing with apprentices.

I'm with Gregory. Skip a night at the pub, and your dues are covered. I went to college, graduated, and paid for it all myself. I didn't join NAFA till after I graduated college because I didn't start my falconry till the end of my last semester. (I wish I had joined NAFA sooner than I did, but hey, better late than never.) But I did want to take archery hunting trips, fishing trips, and other trips that cost money. I saved up for them, and did them during my college career. If ya want to do it, you'll find a way. I like the idea of increasing membership, and the potential this trial period has, but I think there is a better way than free memberships.

Why not pay for full membership, then have it be refundable up to 3 months later if ya don't like it? Only a one time offer though. Can't join, cancel, join, cancel, etc....

I believe the underlying objective is to grow membership, therefore, if a "free associate " designation is offered, then the associate should be required to gain at least (5) signatures on a petition that explains falconry, our heritage and a pledge to support the ongoing existence of falconry in the future.