Hello, It's Me...

Hello from the “Redneck Riviera.” By the time most of you read this the 2017 RRCA National Convention will have taken place in Detroit. Just in case you didn’t know, Andy Smith at the National Office and Southern Region Director Ron Macksoud invited me to represent the northern half of Florida. Again. To steal from the late, great Glenn Frey:

“I never quit, I just took a six-year vacation.”

I did step away from the day-to-day (perhaps a half-hour every couple of days) work of meeting the national office’s expectations but still networked with some club leaders off-and-on. In case you didn’t know what the national office expects of their (volunteer) state representation, the reps…

Select and promote RRCA State Championship events – “Capt. Don” Nelson in S. Florida and I collaborate to choose which events get designated as an RRCA state championship. Sometimes it’s “I’ll take this distance one year, you can take it the next,” other times it’s “we don’t have that distance here so you can have it, too…”

Help promote RRCA programs and services through statewide communications – I’ve dusted off the old ‘blog, which you're reading right now, and plan to do some re-vamping; activity calendar, contacts, “cool stuff” resources I stumble across, and so on. Clubs and club leaders will receive e-mails of important stuff on a weekly basis, and a newsletter monthly.

Attend the Annual RRCA Convention and participate in the State rep meeting – This is highly-suggested. I’ve had fantastic experiences at Chicago, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Lakeland. If your club can budget out for a member to go learn event organization and club operation best practices, it’s money well-spent.

Something I have learned from the past is that not every club needs my attention. In most cases I try to not inflict myself on the club or say "this is what needs to be done - RRCA has "guidelines" and transmits best practices; there are some things which, if a club is not doing, can put membership renewal in jeopardy. But my role is to NOT kick down doors, causing hatred and discontent. If you have a question, I'll do my best to provide a meaningful answer...or find the resource that can. Give enough lead-time for me to satisfy the demands of being a ‘worker-bee’/husband/grandparent/’dog dad’ if you invite me to come out to your club…I just might show.

If you have any questions, recommendations, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to e-mail or call. I look forward to serving you.