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Don't get me wrong regarding my intent here.
As one's membership in LEC is "lifetime" I would wager my
30years+ membership holds up for historical reference.
Our problem with costs of volunteering are not new. In 1989 gas prices
were running $ 1.75/gal. which does not seem like a lot but at the time
was a greater percentage of my income that today's prices are.
I remember when SCCA membership was also not required to work SCCA events.
Licences were only required if you wanted to travel to other tracks.
Where LEC is concerned yes we were highly respected and we worked with a swagger
that came from being good at our task. We acted like we wrote the book and in large measure we did. We had good numbers and it was a privaledge
to be invited to a pro race.
Those days are long gone. Our numbers have been reduced, due to membership fees,
perhaps, but not entirely. Why we are required to join SCCA is a matter for significant debate. The reality is that the reason given is and will publically reamain, insurance.
I've not yet had to avail myself of the coverage but do know that the health portion is secondary coverage and does not kick in until your personal coverage runs out.
My own health coverage is good but a young person whose company does not provide
the type of coverage we have has some health care coverage. Unfortunately we experienced
a death benefit a couple years ago. The insurance coverage is never what we hope for but at least it exists.
One point is that I belong to the club because I do "belong",have input and use the licencing to go to different tracks including Mosport,USGP,Sebring and Cleveland. That would not be possible if I did not have membership.
The major thread of my post was that we
often point our finger at SCCA and say it costs to volunteer. BUT that many other groups who do not have the syatem of training and licencing
use the club members at their convienience for their events yet offer little more than the club might for working a regional and often not as much. If you worked Grand Am last year and did not have to pay a membership, great. If you worked Cleveland and got your national SCCA dues covered by the promoter for working their PRO event wasn't that a better deal. LEC, OVR and NeOhio all benefitted by those events. Who took better care of their volunteers?
That's my point and that's what this is about. Where do I spend my time? Take club out of the equation. We who belong to SCCA do a lot of donated work because we are members. When you look at pro events, look long and hard at what they are doing for you. Its past time for the PRO promoters and tracks who have the benefit of our work to start taking better
care of us.
If its a business, then start treating us like it.
B
Luvracing <luvracing@...> wrote:
I have to agree with Ben on several of is points. I
too remember when it wasn't a requirement to belong to
SCCA in order to work (volunteer) a race. And, I
fought joining for several years, until SCCA made it
mandatory. For me to HAVE to pay $75/yr to volunteer
my time I think is absurd and I do think that this fee
has kept a lot of people from joining us. Fortunately
I have not had to use the insurance that SCCA has, but
I have not heard anything good about it. First of all
it is a secondary provider only, my personal insurance
pays first and the bulk of any injury.
The membership fee that I have paid for the past 20
years has not given me much in the way of "customer
service" from the club. I have had to do battle with
the bureaucracy for years over licensing. 37 years
out on corners seem to mean little to them unless I've
worked a minimum number of day the preceding season.
This year they did seem to use some common sense.
Working non-SCCA events don't count towards experience
either.
The other costs of volunteering have also greatly
increased. The mere drive from central KY to central
OH has now reached around $50 a trip. Room rates at
local motels aren't cheap either, especially for major
races. Although I do get to camp for most events.
Just the minimum to keep a license now is $75 to SCCA
and $200 to the fuel companies. Not everyone can
afford to do this.
I like motorsports and it doesn't matter to me who is
sanctioning it. I had a great time with the Porsche
Club races. The motorcycles are a lot of fun for me,
NASA seems to be an up and coming sanctioning body,
the Karts are a ball, and the Vintage guys bring back
a lot of fond memories of what racing used to be like.
I don't know what the real answer is to the lack of
people coming out to volunteer their time to "work" a
race, but the SCCA fees and related costs certainly
have to have some bearing on it.
Lee
--- ben schneider <benjschneider2@yahoo.com > wrote:
> No Bob,
>
> I appreciate your response.
>
> I remember the day when Lake Erie members were not
> required to have SCCA club membership, and there
> was
> more respect for the organization. I agree with you
> that there is a lack of respect for us today, and
> corner workers are fewer, and seem to be taken for
> granted. I remember, at one time, that during most
> races, there was a "TIME OFF" position in the
> rotation
> for personal needs. Now if there is little track
> clean up, we are on duty from one race into the next
> with little pause.
>
> Now there is $3.50 fuel, and an ever increasing cost
> just to exist. Maybe it is just a personal problem
> and everyone else's income have kept up with these
> increasing cost. Mine has not. My communities mean
> income has been dropping abut $1000 a year for the
> last six years, down to about $25,800 last year.
> Running a service related business, chasing less
> disposable income, I have been have a tough time
> covering just the necessity costs, and yet these
> costs
> keep increasing. I have no personal, disposable
> income anymore, and can not justify paying $75 more
> to
> work just four club races at Mid-Ohio.
>
> The insurance that is supposed to come with
> membership? Having tried to get reimbursed for
> medical cost, from an injury sustained at a SCCA
> National Club event, was fruitless. After repeated
> tries, I gave up. I consider the medical coverage
> useless. I believe the insurance which we purchase
> is
> more in the way of liability insurance for the club;
> not its membership.
>
> If it takes Club membership to volunteer, I am
> going
> to have to work a NON club race like Cleveland, so
> they will pay my dues. I remember working at
> Mid-Ohio
> during the Cleveland race last year, and Lake Erie
> was
> again, very short handed that weekend. Most were
> working Cleveland. Being loyal to the Club has its
> draw backs!
>
> Ben
>
>
>
>
>
>
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